It is very common for people to suffer neck injuries in car accidents. These injuries can lead to costly medical bills and also cause a lot of pain. However, sometimes the insurance companies take these types of injuries less seriously than other types of auto accident injuries.
Why do insurance companies take neck injuries less seriously?
In our experience, we have found that there are a few reasons for this. First, car accident victims may not realize the severity of a neck injury until some time has gone by. It is well known that neck injuries can show up sometimes even days after an accident.
Second, neck injuries are often caused by whiplash. Injuries caused by whiplash can be harder for a victim to prove. Insurance companies often do not take them as seriously.
Neck injuries can be very serious and need to be properly treated.
Just because a neck injury may not show up immediately after a car accident, it does not mean that they are not serious. In fact, neck injuries can be very serious. In order for an auto accident victim to protect his right to compensation for a neck injury caused by a car accident, some things need to be done immediately.
There are medical reasons that a neck injury may not immediately show up.
A neck injury is a whiplash injury. It is caused by the “whipping” back and forth (or side to side) of the neck and head. These whiplash injuries are some of the more common injuries from auto accidents, and we see them most often in rear-end collisions. It can also take some time after an accident for a victim to actually feel the severe pain caused by whiplash.
There are a couple of medical reasons for this. One, our bodies have hormones that are designed to reduce pain after an injury, and these hormones are released during the stress and shock of a car accident. This is exactly the reason some crash victims may not feel the true severity of pain until the adrenaline from the crash has gone away. The day after the injury is when we tend to see the body responding to whiplash injuries. This is because pain may not begin to manifest until the body responds and swelling/inflammation begins.
Because of this, we recommend following these steps if you think you have suffered from a whiplash neck injury caused by an auto accident.
What to do if you have suffered a neck injury in a car accident in Georgia?
In Georgia, the law says that the party who caused the accident–the “at-fault” party–is liable for the full extent of the damages. This means that their insurance company has to pay for your injuries. In order to make sure you get the best compensation for your whiplash neck injury, you should do the following.
1. Seek Medical Treatment Immediately.
Just because a whiplash injury may take some time to manifest, it is still very important to see a doctor immediately after your car accident in Georgia. You should inform them of all symptoms you are experiencing, even if they are very small or minor. If you think you might have a neck injury, tell your doctor and he or she will be able to provide you with the proper treatment.
If you get worse or your pain increases, return to your doctor as soon as possible and make sure you get the medical care you need. It is important to have proper documentation of your doctors visits and medical treatment for the case your car accident lawyer will build against the insurance company.
2. Try to Stay as Relaxed as Possible at Home.
Follow your doctor’s order to properly treat your whiplash injuries. It is likely that your doctor will advise things such as using a neck pillow to stabilize your neck, using ice on your neck, over-the-counter medication such as Ibuprofen for pain, and easy stretching of the neck. You should avoid any physical activity while your neck recovers from the injury.
3. Find a Car Accident Lawyer in Georgia
Before you even begin discussing compensation with the insurance company, you should reach out to a Georgia car accident lawyer as soon as possible. This should be easy because most will speak with you about your case for free.
The insurance company of the driver who caused the wreck will try to contact you as soon as possible and may attempt to get you to accept a settlement in the days immediately after the car accident. Please know that this will be a total “low-ball” offer and you should refuse to talk with them. Also, they will try to get you to give a “recorded statement” and you should refuse.
It is important that you speak with the best Georgia car accident attorney you can find before accepting anything from the insurance company. The insurance company is no friend of yours, and they will try to get you to accept an amount of money WAY lower than what you are truly owed.
An experienced car accident lawyer will be able to make sure your rights are protected after the accident. A lawyer will also be able to build a claim that include everything you are really owed–not just what the insurance company thinks you are owed.
4. Keep a Daily Diary of How the Injury Has Impacted Your Life
We tell all of our clients to maintain a daily log of how the injuries they sustained have impacted their life. This will include the pain you are experiencing and how that pain has changed or worsened over time. It should also include notes about any emotional distress you are experiencing. We use this information to help build your case against the insurance company. It can be very valuable in increasing the value of your Georgia car accident claim.
This will also allow you to know if your pain is getting worse, so that you can seek additional medical treatment immediately.
5. File a Claim Against the Insurance Company
This is the part that your Georgia car accident attorney can help you with. Under Georgia law, you are entitled to compensation for all costs caused by the car accident. This can include the following:
- Lost wages
- Medical treatment bills from doctors visits and medications
- Costs from repairing your damaged vehicle
- Future medical bills for treatment you may need
- Physical therapy
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional damages
These are the most important steps for car accident victims to take if they have suffered a neck injury. Take action immediately to make sure your rights are protected and get the compensation you deserve.
Speak to a Specialized Car Accident Lawyer Today
Neck injuries can require significant legal expertise to make sure you are fully compensated. You deserve to get the maximum financial recovery for your injury.
At Georgia Auto Law, we are the only law firm in Georgia where every member of our team specializes exclusively in Georgia auto accident cases. This means that we do not focus our time, research, or resources on anything except winning you the most money on your car accident case.
You are welcome to call one of our auto attorneys at any time, day or night, at (404) 662-4949. You can also complete our consultation form, and one of our car accident specialists will reach out to you within minutes. With our No Fee Pledge™, you pay nothing. We are here for you.