Debilitating Whiplash Injuries are No Laughing Matter, Stress Raleigh, NC, Auto Accident Attorneys

Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) June 27, 2011

The padded neck collar has become a common sight gag and plot crutch for sitcom writers over the decades, but the real-world facts are far from humorous; whiplash is a serious injury affecting thousands of people a year, many of whom aren’t properly compensated for their suffering and medical expenses.

“Whiplash is one of the most maligned—and misunderstood—conditions that may result from a car or truck collision,” noted auto accident lawyerAaron C. Hemmings of Hemmings & Stevens, P.L.L.C. in Raleigh, NC. “Its effects can cause genuine pain and suffering, and all motorists need to be better informed about this serious injury.”

What is a Whiplash Injury?

Whiplash is an injury to the neck caused when the head is thrown backward, forward, or side-to-side by a sudden and unexpected impact. Such an impact can also cause a neck sprain, which is an injury attributable to the fact that the ligaments in the neck are overstretched due to the strong jolt.

“Although whiplash may occur as a result of falling or a sports injury, the most common cause of whiplash is an automobile accident. Because a driver’s body is belted in, his or her head and neck are the only parts of the body that will move in a car or truck accident, and they will move violently,” noted car accident attorney Hemmings.

The mildest symptoms include short-term stiffness or soreness. At its worst, a whiplash injury can cause long-term debility due to severe headaches, muscle spasms, pain, and paresthesia, which is numbness or tingling in the extremities.

See a doctor immediately after an auto accident, then contact Auto Accident Lawyers Hemmings and Stevens.

If a person has suffered whiplash injury in a car or truck accident that is not their fault, they may be entitled to compensation. This can include the cost of the medical care necessary to treat the whiplash, lost wages suffered because they were unable to work due to their injury, and payment to compensate for their pain and suffering.

Because symptoms from a whiplash injury may be delayed due to excess adrenaline that typically follows a car or truck accident, it’s very important to be evaluated by a doctor as soon as possible after the accident.

Noted Hemmings, “A delay between the collision and treatment will allow the insurance company for the other driver to argue that you don’t actually have whiplash or that it was caused by something other than the accident.”

Immediate treatment by a doctor, he explained, is necessary not only to provide the proper care for an injury, but also because it will make it easier to prove the connection between a person's neck pain and the accident.

“A good doctor will document your symptoms, the treatment necessary to treat the whiplash, and the likely cause, making it easier for you or your auto accident lawyers to ‘connect the dots’ and prove that the car accident caused the whiplash,” Hemmings said.

Car Accident Lawyers Can Get the Money A Victim Deserves

Unfortunately, many people fail to do this simple but necessary duty, and end up in financial duress because of the eventual pain and suffering they can’t easily tie to their car or truck accident. Worse still, others accept immediate offers from the other driver’s insurance company that may seem generous at first, but turn out to be far less than the cost of the medical care they eventually need.

“The bottom line after any truck or car accident, no matter how minor it seems,” said auto accident attorney Hemmings, “is to first, seek medical care. Second, call car accident attorneys who specialize in getting people the compensation they deserve for what may end up being a serious—and seriously debilitating—whiplash injury.”

About Hemmings & Stevens, P.L.L.C.:
Hemmings & Stevens, P.L.L.C. is a boutique law firm in Raleigh, NC that specializes in workers compensation, insurance claims, motor vehicle accidents and personal injury claims. Since 2005, the firm has helped hundreds of clients get the fair treatment and financial settlements they deserve to live better lives, and as such, it enjoys an outstanding reputation among Raleigh, NC, personal injury law firms.

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