Whiplash Deserves Real Compensation
Our Alabama car accident lawyers fight for max results
It’s a too-frequent scenario: You’re driving along, maybe on I-10 or I-65 in Mobile County, when suddenly your vehicle is hit by another car or truck.
Even though you may be wearing a seatbelt, the force of the car accident will still jolt your body forward and jerk you around the cab. One of your most vulnerable body parts, your neck, will sustain heavy damage. You might not feel the extent of the pain, yet, but it’s coming. You just got whiplash from a car accident. This is a very common, and commonly misunderstood, crash injury.
Never ignore neck pain from whiplash
Neck pain after a car accident can be immediate, or it may take hours or days to emerge; either way, a neck injury should never be ignored. Waiting for it to get better on its own could lead to worsening health and permanent damage.
The whiplash car accident attorneys at Dean Waite & Associates, LLC understand that whiplash injuries deserve full compensation. It’s one reason why we fight hard for maximum settlements. Learn more about why you deserve compensation for your whiplash injury during a free case evaluation with one of our experienced attorneys.
Whiplash FAQ
As a leading Mobile, Alabama law firm, our attorneys get a lot of questions about car accidents and pain. Whiplash is a highly painful injury. Characterized as a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD), whiplash is difficult to define, prove, and monitor. It typically doesn’t show up in X-rays and there are no standardized lab results to prove it.
Our whiplash accident lawyers understand the nuances of this injury and what the insurance companies need to hear in order to give you maximum compensation.
We tapped our extensive legal knowledge to provide answers to some of the most common questions our firm gets regarding whiplash and other whiplash-associated disorders (WADs). The following information is general and may not apply to your specific situation. To learn more about your legal options contact us for a free case consultation with a whiplash lawyer.
Can you file an injury claim for whiplash?
Yes. If you are the injured victim in a car accident, you are almost certainly eligible to file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance provider. Whiplash can take months or years to heal, and treating the neck is expensive. That’s why Dean Waite & Associates fights for maximum compensation.
How much money can I get for whiplash or another neck injury?
Many factors go into calculating injury settlements and verdicts: the type of injury, severity, impact on daily life, loss of motion or ability, and duration of damage. A bad neck injury that requires a lifetime of physical therapy should get more compensation than one that clears up in a few months. Your case could be worth several thousand dollars or a lot more.
The only way to find out what your claim is worth is to talk to a lawyer. Our law firm offers free case consultations to people injured in Alabama accidents. At no cost to you, a member of our legal team can help you calculate the value of your claim. You can’t demand full compensation if you don’t know how much that is.
What are some signs of whiplash?
There is a wide range of symptoms of whiplash. Many of them can be confused with other medical issues. Getting a proper diagnosis one reason to see a doctor as soon as possible after a car accident.
Whiplash symptoms may include:
- Neck pain and stiffness
- Shoulder pain and stiffness
- Dizziness
- Pain in your arm or hand
- Numbness and tingling
- Ringing in your ears
- Concentration and memory problems
- Fatigue and irritability
- Blurred vision
Do I need to see a doctor for whiplash?
Yes. If you have been in an accident, it is important that you see a doctor as soon as possible. This is true even if you feel okay or you were checked out at the crash scene by an emergency responder. A doctor can give you a thorough examination and may be able to identify serious damage that wasn’t immediately apparent.
Whiplash injuries are musculoskeletal injuries and are often treated by orthopedic doctors and surgeons. Your doctor may refer you to a specialist if necessary to treat your injury.
This also establishes a medical record of your injuries, which may be key evidence to prove that your injuries were sustained in the crash and not before or after the incident. Our attorneys conduct thorough crash investigations and find strong evidence (including medical reports) to support your claim.
How long does it take to heal from a whiplash injury? Is whiplash damage permanent?
It depends. Some whiplash injuries will heal in time, but whiplash may also be indicative of a more severe and permanent injury.
You need a lawyer who understands that whiplash is a lot more than “neck pain.” Dean Waite & Associates takes our clients’ pain seriously. We hammer away at the insurance companies to get you the most money for your damages.
My neck didn’t hurt at the accident scene, but it does now. Can I get money for my injury?
Yes, but it may be more difficult. Whiplash injuries often involve “delayed pain.” Typically, a person may not feel the severe damage from whiplash until days or even weeks after the crash. Just because you didn’t feel this injury immediately after the crash does not bar you from collecting compensation. Our car accident attorneys have a wealth of experience getting delayed pain injuries covered by settlements and verdicts.
Who pays for whiplash and other accident-related medical care?
Typically, it’s the at-fault driver, the at-fault driver’s insurance provider, and/or your insurance provider that pays for car accident-related damages. However, getting money for an accident is particularly difficult in Alabama. In our state, car accident cases are an all-or-nothing game.
This is because Alabama is one of the few states in the country that applies the theory of “contributory negligence” to determining crash fault and compensation. In general, if the accident victim’s “negligent” actions contribute even 1 percent to causing the crash, they cannot collect damages.
This means that the at-fault driver’s insurance company is going to fight hard to find any little reason to blame you. It is particularly important in Alabama to have an experienced, aggressive car accident attorney fight for you to get the results you deserve.
What if my injury gets a lot worse in the future? Who will pay for medical care then?
If your injury worsens years down the road, your settlement or verdict should still be available to cover treatment. This is only true, though, if you were able to negotiate for full compensation.
There is no second chance at getting a settlement. Once you’ve accepted money from the insurance company, the case is closed. That is why it is so important to hire the right attorney for the job. Dean Waite & Associates car accident attorneys are well-known for their ability to calculate the full compensation needs of their clients and hammering away at the insurance companies until they get it.
Can I get money for lost wages if I take time off from work due to whiplash?
Yes. but it requires successful action against the at-fault driver. This could mean filing a claim with his or her insurance company or filing a lawsuit in civil court.
Get the money you deserve for your whiplash injury
If you were injured or lost a loved one in an Alabama car, truck, or motorcycle accident, contact Dean Waite & Associates for a free case evaluation. A member of our team can help you understand the value of your claim and weigh your legal options.
If you're worried about the cost of hiring us, don’t be. Our car accident attorneys work on contingency, which means there is no retainer or hourly rate for you to pay us. We are compensated by a percentage of the final settlement or verdict. If we don’t win you any money, you don’t owe us anything.
Our attorneys know that accident victims deserve maximum compensation so that they do not wind up paying for hefty medical bills out of their own pockets. Our focus is on your results. A member of our legal team is available 24/7. Contact us now to schedule your free case consultation.