What is the Average Settlement for Whiplash Injuries?

Whiplash is one of the most common types of injuries that victims sustain in the event they are involved in a car accident. While these injuries are often classified as “minor,” the reality is that whiplash can lead to long-lasting pain and suffering for a victim. It is important that whiplash injury victims are compensated if another person is responsible for causing the incident. Here, we want to discuss what types of compensation are available in whiplash injury cases.

What types of compensation are available for whiplash claims?

There are various types of compensation available for victims who have been injured in a car accident. Whiplash injury victims are likely to incur a wide variety of expenses. Some of the most common types of compensation recovered by whiplash injury victims include:

• The cost of all medical bills related to the injury
• Lost wages and benefits if a victim cannot work
• General household out-of-pocket expenses
• Pain and suffering damages
• Loss of personal enjoyment damages

How much compensation is available for whiplash claims?

No two whiplash cases are exactly alike, and there are no guidelines in the law about how much compensation should be paid out in these cases. However, mild to moderate whiplash claims often result in a victim receiving anywhere from $2,500 to $10,000 worth of compensation.

For more severe whiplash injury cases, including incidents that involve persistent pain or nerve damage, the average settlement may be closer to $30,000 or more.

Again, there are various factors that go into how compensation is awarded in these cases. Your injury case may very well be worth more than the averages mentioned above.

What are the signs and symptoms of whiplash?

Whiplash injuries occur when there is excessive strain on the neck and upper back muscles when an accident occurs. The jerking, abrupt motions that a victim experiences when an accident happens rapidly move these muscles forward and backward or side to side. Some of the most common symptoms of a whiplash injury include:

• Pain when moving the head or neck
• An inability to fully turn or lift the head
• Soreness or tension in the upper shoulders or neck
• Persistent headaches that begin at the base of the skull
• A continual ringing in the ears (tinnitus)

Whiplash injuries can keep a person from enjoying their regular everyday activities and from going to work and earning an income. Thankfully, whiplash typically does heal over time, but this can take several weeks or even several months to occur.

Will you need an attorney to help with this case?

Whether or not to hire an attorney to help with a whiplash case after a car accident is entirely up to the injury victim. However, it is strongly advisable that you speak to an attorney about your case. Most skilled Lexington car accident lawyers will offer a free personal injury consultation to assess your case. An attorney, should you choose to use one, will have the resources and legal experience necessary to conduct a full investigation into your case. An attorney can obtain any evidence needed to prove liability, including photo and video surveillance, statements from eyewitnesses, accident reports, and more.