Do I Need an Attorney for a Whiplash Injury?

A woman suffers a whiplash injury

Whiplash is a common car crash injury that is caused by a forceful, rapid, back-and-forth movement of the neck. Unfortunately, whiplash can result in long-term pain and disability. If you’ve suffered a whiplash injury due to another person’s negligence, you may be entitled to financial compensation. However, before moving forward, you first must decide whether to hire a personal injury attorney to assist you. In this article, we examine whether you need an attorney for a whiplash injury. 

Whiplash Symptoms

Part of the danger of whiplash is that its symptoms are not always immediate. In the aftermath of a car wreck, the body releases cortisol and adrenaline to cover up pain. This is why it’s necessary to seek immediate medical attention following an accident—even when no symptoms are present. Health care professionals can perform tests, including MRIs and CT scans, to determine if any actual damage was done in the accident. When whiplash symptoms do eventually appear, however, they may consist of any of the following: 

  • Impaired vision
  • Back, neck, and shoulder pain
  • Jaw pain 
  • Ear ringing
  • Dizziness 
  • Vomiting

Hiring an Attorney for a Whiplash Injury

If you’ve experienced whiplash in a car accident that was caused by another person’s negligence, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your losses. Virtually all car accidents involve some form of negligence, so there is a good chance that yours is no different. This is particularly true in the types of accidents that result in whiplash, such as rear-end accidents.

In a rear-end accident, the occupant in the front vehicle is struck with a great deal of force from behind that rapidly jolts his or her body backward and forward, resulting in a whiplash injury. Often, rear-end accidents are the result of the rear-end driver’s negligent behavior. Examples of such behaviors include failing to watch the road, driving while impaired, following too closely, and speeding.

As noted above, drivers who cause such accidents may be held liable for any resulting damages. And although whiplash is often caused by rear-end accidents, there are a variety of other incidents that can lead to whiplash, including truck accidents, slip and falls, motorcycle accidents, and pedestrian accidents.

Contact a Pensacola Car Accident Attorney 

If you’ve suffered a whiplash injury in Pensacola, Florida, you need an experienced Florida personal injury attorney in your corner. Located in Pensacola, Florida, Staples, Ellis + Associates, P.A., has decades of combined experience representing automobile accident victims in Northwest Florida. When you come to us for help with your whiplash injury, we’ll do everything in our power to ensure that your case is a success. While you take the time to heal, our attorneys will vigorously pursue financial compensation on your behalf. Please contact our office as soon as possible to arrange a free consultation with one of our talented attorneys.

Posted in: Auto Accidents