Dealing With Whiplash? 3 Reasons Why You Need A Lawyer After A Car Accident

If you were in a car crash and experienced whiplash, you may think that it's not a big deal. You may just be resting at home and letting your auto insurance company take care of the remaining costs. However, some people can experience complications from whiplash over time and may regret not getting compensation from the offender.

Here are three reasons why you may want to contact a personal injury attorney after a whiplash accident.

They Help You Document Your Health

While some whiplash cases can be treated by OTC drugs and icing, some people may actually experience chronic pain and headaches years after their injury. Whiplash can cause damage to neck discs, joints, and ligaments. You don't want to have to pay out of your own pocket for future medical expenses for an injury that was caused by someone else's negligence. A personal injury lawyer can help you get to the right doctors so that you can get a good evaluation of your health and document your progress.

You may have felt fine immediately after the car crash, but some people may experience problems days or weeks after the injury, which is why you need a lawyer's help to start documenting your case. If you don't have good documentation, it can be harder to file a lawsuit at a later time and prove that your symptoms were caused by the car accident.

They Help You Get the Compensation You Deserve

Some people may think that personal injury suits are vindictive, but if your whiplash has required doctor appointments or you've lost wages from missing work, you are entitled to compensation. Your lawyer can construct a letter of demand detailing all of the compensation you are entitled to in detail. This letter of demand can encourage insurers and the offending party to finally settle on payment and potentially help you avoid a lengthy court battle of trying to get compensation.

They Can Pursue Punitive Damages

Was the person who injured you under the influence of alcohol or drugs? Was he or she a repeat offender or driving without a license? These types of drivers are menaces on the road since they don't learn from their mistakes and can get other people hurt. Besides helping you get compensation, a personal injury lawyer can seek to gain punitive damages. These economic damages are intended to penalize the defendant to curb his or her reckless behavior. Punitive damages can prevent the offending driver from causing other people to experience whiplash—or worse—in the future.

Reach out to a lawyer in your area today for more information.


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