Whiplash is a common injury suffered in auto accidents in San Antonio, Texas. Whiplash describes soft-tissue damage to the muscles or tendons in the neck. If you have whiplash from a
San Antonio car crash or another accident, you may be curious about how much you could receive in an insurance settlement or jury verdict for your medical bills and losses. The answer to this question depends on your situation.
What Is Whiplash?
Whiplash is a neck injury most commonly caused by car accidents. However, it can also be caused by falls, sports and other incidents, such as physical assault. It occurs when something jerks the head and neck rapidly backward and forward, whipping the neck around hard enough to stretch, tear or damage the soft tissues.
Whiplash can cause many painful and debilitating symptoms, including:
- Neck pain
- Stiffness or lost range of motion
- Shooting pains, tingling or numbness in the arms
- Back pain or tenderness
- Headaches
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Trouble concentrating
- Memory issues
- Trouble sleeping
Medical care for a whiplash injury may involve pain medications and physical therapy. A victim with whiplash might be unable to return to work right away. If the victim was not at fault for the incident that caused the injury, he or she could be eligible for financial compensation for these losses from the negligent party.
Settlement Amounts Vary Significantly
It is not possible to estimate the value of your whiplash injury settlement based on average award amounts in prior cases. Insurance companies and courts in Texas do not assign damages based on average settlements. Instead, every personal injury settlement or jury verdict for whiplash is unique and tailored to the victim’s needs and losses.
Some injured accident victims can receive $10,000 or less for their whiplash injuries. Others might receive around $5,000. Still other crash victims could receive substantially more than $10,000 if they have significant injuries, such as a serious
spinal cord injury. The factors that go into determining a whiplash settlement amount include the level of the injury, the victim’s prognosis, how long he or she will need medical care, health, age, income, and more.
Types of Damages Available
Although there is no average settlement for whiplash in San Antonio, you can get an idea of how much your claim might be worth with help from an attorney. An attorney can estimate the value of your case based on the compensable losses you suffered in the accident. A defendant may be financially responsible for many of your past and future damages:
- Health care bills
- Long-term treatments such as physical therapy
- Medications or medical devices
- Lost wages and capacity to earn
- Property repairs
- Disability-related expenses
- Lost enjoyment of life
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Punitive damages
A
personal injury lawyer in San Antonio can help you list all of the damages you and your family have suffered as a result of a defendant’s negligence or recklessness. Then, your lawyer can help you pursue maximum financial compensation for these losses. Although most whiplash cases settle, a lawyer will have the power to go to trial against a defendant, if necessary.
Negotiate Your Settlement With Help From a Whiplash Attorney in San Antonio
If you suffered a whiplash injury in an accident in San Antonio that significantly interferes with your life,
consult with an attorney for assistance with the claims process. An attorney will have the knowledge, resources and legal tactics to successfully negotiate or litigate your injury claim.
Handling your case without an attorney may expose you to insurance bad-faith tactics. Your lawyer will fight for maximum compensation on your behalf, as he or she will want to optimize your award. An insurance company, on the other hand, will want to devalue your whiplash claim.
An insurance company may wrongfully deny your claim, for example, or underestimate your future medical needs. If you hire a personal injury lawyer in San Antonio to represent you, he or she can negotiate for just compensation. This will increase the odds of receiving a fair settlement offer. A lawyer can demand the financial outcome you need to finally move forward from a whiplash injury.
