Whiplash Injury Claims In Pinellas

In many cases, whiplash and other head and neck injuries don’t become evident until up to 24 hours after the accident. Whiplash affects the soft tissues in the neck, so there are no physical symptoms of the injury until it manifests itself later on. An accident causes the neck and upper body to be thrust forward, then back again abruptly, or vice versa, resulting in this injury. Here are some whiplash injury symptoms to look for:

Additional symptoms that may occur:

The most severe head and neck injuries will be obvious, but whiplash and other damage to the soft tissue of the neck, such as neck sprains and strains, can be more difficult to prove because there are often no visible signs that the accident caused the injuries, such as broken bones or bruising. In Pinellas, our personal injury lawyers are experienced at advocating on behalf of clients to prove the accident caused the injury.

If you feel even the slightest hint of pain or discomfort after a car accident, you should seek medical attention immediately. In view of the fact that symptoms don’t appear until later on, this is especially important. When doctors are given the facts surrounding a particular accident, they can recognize signs of whiplash that may otherwise go unnoticed. If you file a personal injury claim based on the accident, you must support your claims with consistent medical records. Even when the circumstances are ideal, insurance adjusters view whiplash-type injury cases with suspicion. So make sure you receive medical care, and keep your medical records.

To increase your chances of obtaining compensation in Pinellas, you should follow the steps below.

You should always follow your doctor’s recommendations for treatment. In order to recover quickly and prevent setbacks or other symptoms, you must do this. You will also be showing insurance companies, juries, and attorneys for the other side that you have a serious injury by following your treatment plan. In addition to lowering your chances of recovering compensation, discontinuing treatment can make the process much more difficult, potentially affecting the amount of compensation you may receive.

Immediately notify the insurance company of the at-fault driver so you don’t miss the insurer’s deadline. Keep these best practices in mind when filing an insurance claim in Florida:

• Don’t speculate or give opinions. Only provide the facts to the insurer, do not give any opinions or speculations. Tell the insurer when, where and how the accident occurred. Let the insurer know if you are receiving medical treatment. Don’t mention the severity of your injuries or how much pain you are experiencing. You may unintentionally damage your compensation chances if you discuss these.
• Do not assume fault. Do not accept any responsibility for the accident. While accepting fault does not keep you from receiving compensation, the insurance company can use whatever you say against you. Allow the claims process to run its course, and the evidence will prove how much you were at fault if any.
• Do not get an independent medical examination. It is possible that your insurer will tell you that you must see their doctor, but you are not required to do so. The doctor works for the insurance company and is only concerned with the company’s best interests, which is to pay you nothing or as little as possible for your injury.

In order to prove your injury, you must gather the following evidence:

Whiplash claim amounts with mild to moderate severity may settle for $2,500 to $10,000, but more severe cases may settle for $30,000. How much will your claim be worth? Here are some factors that can increase the value of whiplash injury claims and how insurance companies will attempt to use them against you.

Your bodily injury claim’s general value can be determined by adding up your hard costs, called “Economic damages” in insurance lingo. Economic damages:

Your bodily injury claim’s general value can be determined by adding up your hard costs, also referred to as special damages. If you have a bill and a receipt, you can easily add up special damages. Ensure you include all of your medical and pharmacy costs, even if some or all of them are covered by your health insurance. Identifying “Non-Economic damages” (otherwise referred to as compensatory damages) such as pain, suffering, and emotional distress can be challenging. An injury’s impact on your life cannot be measured objectively. An insurance claim adjuster won’t trust your statement alone.

Depending on whether you’ve fully recovered and can prove your pain and suffering, you may add one or two times the amount of your economic damages to account for your pain and suffering. You can estimate the value of your bodily injury claim based on the total of your economic and non-economic damages. A much higher rate of pain and suffering is applied to severe, potentially disabling injuries.

Usually, higher medical costs result in higher injury settlements if the costs are justified. Whenever you submit medical and chiropractic bills for reimbursement, you can’t assume the claims adjuster will simply agree with the amount.

It is only required of insurance companies to pay for “reasonable and necessary” injury treatment bills. Adjusters are familiar with the standard of care for whiplash injuries. You will be responsible for the balance due if the insurance company refuses to pay excessive bills. Insurance adjusters are looking for exaggerated injury claims and may send you to a doctor for an independent medical examination.

It is possible that the location of your accident will affect the amount of compensation you receive. When determining how much to pay for settlements, insurance adjusters consider “venue”. The venue is the place where the trial will take place if you file a lawsuit. It is known that some venues offer more favorable conditions for injury victims than for insurance companies.

If you approach an insurance adjuster about settling your claim, they might offer you more money just to keep you from bringing a lawsuit in a venue where bodily injury lawsuits tend to get large verdicts.

Research is often conducted by attorneys in previous cases with similar facts. An attorney can better interpret what a personal injury case might be worth if it went to trial by looking at how much compensation was awarded in those cases. With a trial, there are no guarantees, but venue research provides an indication of case value.

You cannot count on your insurance adjuster to pay your claim. There is no way to predict whether or not the person responsible for the accident will have insurance. A personal injury lawsuit may be necessary in order to collect damages. It can be difficult to pursue a lawsuit for whiplash injury in no-fault states like Florida because of threshold injury and damage requirements. Should you choose to sue, you might be entitled to non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. An attorney in Pinellas County can provide you with guidance on the laws of your jurisdiction and the possible outcomes of your case. You can maximize compensation for your injuries with the help of a skilled personal injury attorney.