Whiplash is a common neck injury in auto accidents. While the condition often heals with time, treatment to manage the pain and speed up recovery might be necessary.
Whiplash often occurs when someone’s head is quickly and forcefully rocked forward and back, or vice versa. It is common in car crashes where drivers and passengers have their heads whipped back and forth from the force of the impact. Treating whiplash varies based on the severity of the injury and your level of pain. Some people ice the painful area and take painkillers or muscle relaxants to manage the pain. Others require more extensive care. Treatment can be expensive, and accident victims should not have to pay the bill alone. An attorney can help you sue the negligent driver who caused the accident and make them pay for your damages. Your damages and compensation should be significant if your whiplash cannot be treated or involves long-term complications.
If you experienced whiplash injuries after a crash, call our Chicago car accident attorneys of the Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 578-8502 and schedule a free claims assessment to start your case.
How Whiplash Injuries Occur in Car Accidents and How to Treat Them in Chicago
Whiplash is very common in car accident cases. The injury occurs when a person’s head is whipped back and forth very quickly and with significant force. This tends to happen in car accidents when the victim’s car is suddenly struck by another vehicle. Accidents do not have to be severe for whiplash to occur. In many cases, serious whiplash injuries occur in otherwise minor fender-bender collisions.
Treatment for whiplash tends to vary. For some, the injury is painful but resolves on its own in a few days or weeks. Often, people can treat the injury with ice packs and painkillers. Some whiplash victims can even return to work while they recover.
Other whiplash victims are far less fortunate. Treatment might require x-rays or scans to see if there was any significant damage to the muscle or bones in the neck. Pain might be extreme, and some people cannot move their neck or head at all. A cervical collar might be necessary to stabilize your head and neck while you recover. More substantial pain management might be necessary, like shots into the neck rather than over-the-counter meds. If recovery proves to be difficult, you might need some physical therapy.
No matter how you slice it, medical treatment is expensive. Even a single trip to the emergency room for some X-rays can be more than many injured drivers can afford. If you were treated for whiplash after an accident, talk to a lawyer about suing for damages and getting fair compensation.
Is Treating Whiplash After a Car Accident Expensive in Chicago?
Treatments for whiplash can be very costly. The condition is somewhat unpredictable. First, many people do not experience whiplash symptoms for several days after the crash, so they might not even seek medical treatment until then. Second, the condition is minor in some and severe in others. Whiplash tends to be expensive when it does not heal for quite some time, and accident victims must pay for pain management treatment.
Medical treatment for whiplash can be expensive with or without health insurance. Those without health insurance might be staring down the barrel of several thousands of dollars or more in hospital bills. These numbers may be even higher when treatment lasts for a longer period. Those with health insurance might still have to deal with high deductibles.
Recovering Damages for Whiplash and Medical Care After a Car Accident in Chicago
If you experienced whiplash in a car accident, our Evanston, IL car accident lawyers can help you sue the other driver for damages, including hospital bills. Also, various other damages might be available in your case, depending on your circumstances.
As discussed, medical bills for whiplash can be costly, and many injured victims cannot make ends meet without getting compensation. The treatment for whiplash might include various costly treatments. On top of that, you might have additional hospital bills for other injuries sustained in the crash. If your treatment is ongoing and expected to last for a while, you and your attorney can estimate the value of future medical expenses and add them to your damages.
Whiplash does more than cost people money. This injury is infamous for being very painful. People often live with whiplash pain for weeks, months, or even years. For some accident victims, the pain never completely subsides, and they spend the rest of their lives paying for pain management treatment. You should claim the value of your pain and suffering and any pain management costs.
What Happens if Whiplash Injuries After a Car Accident in Chicago Cannot Be Treated?
Whiplash does not always subside. As mentioned before, some people never fully recover from whiplash, and their mobility might be impacted for life. They might also live with chronic pain, making daily tasks much harder. Hobbies like sports, athletics, camping, or anything physical might no longer be possible.
In such cases, you might encounter ongoing pain and suffering that might last indefinitely. The longer your whiplash symptoms persist, the higher your damages should be. In some cases, the pain is so severe that plaintiffs are almost completely debilitated and can barely leave their homes. At that point, serious non-economic damages should be considered along with economic damages for losing income.
On top of all that, the fact that whiplash injuries do not respond to treatment or do not fully recover does not mean injured victims stop spending money on these injuries. Many such people often face years of trying new treatments and paying for pain management medications in the hopes that things will improve. As such, expenses are high, and an attorney can help you get the compensation you need.
If You Suffered Whiplash Injuries in a Crash, Call Our Chicago Car Accident Attorneys About Your Claims
Call our Rockford, IL car accident lawyers of the Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 578-8502 and set up a free claims assessment to begin your case.
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