Whiplash often results from a motor vehicle accident. In some cases, whiplash may be treated by mild pain relievers and by use of a cervical collar to keep pressure off the neck. When you have suffered a whiplash injury in a Maine auto accident, local personal injury attorneys can help you recover financial damages, including compensation for lost wages, medical bills, and pain and suffering.
Lawyers in Maine Discuss Symptoms of Whiplash
It is important to remember that right after you have been involved in a car accident, your adrenaline is higher. Therefore, you may believe right after an accident that you have not suffered any injury. Symptoms of whiplash may not appear for 24 hours or more after an accident. Victims of car accidents should watch for the following symptoms:
- Issues in the neck area – If you are suffering a loss of motion, pain or stiffness in the neck, you may have a whiplash-related injury.
- Shoulder and back area – Those who are suffering tenderness or pain in their shoulders or upper back or any signs of numbness could have a whiplash-related injury.
- Ears and eyes – Victims of whiplash injuries may suffer blurred vision, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) or dizziness caused by a disruption in the fluid in their ears.
- Other symptoms – Victims may suffer fatigue, sleep disturbances or irritability, which could all be symptoms that a car accident victim has suffered a whiplash-related injury.
As personal injury lawyers in Maine, we have seen many of these symptoms in accident victims. It is important to get medical attention in the event these symptoms are preventing you from working, sleeping or doing normal day-to-day tasks. You should not have to suffer after an accident; medical attention should be sought immediately.
When to Seek Legal Advice for Whiplash Injuries
If you are involved in a car accident and have suffered a whiplash injury, consider consulting a lawyer who can help determine who was at fault for the accident. You want a lawyer who is wi
lling to do the necessary investigation into your case. In order to assist you in a claim, your personal injury lawyer will need to determine the following:
- Who was at fault – Automobile accidents can happen because of poor road conditions, mechanical issues or because a driver was acting erratically on the roadway. Witness statements, police reports and other information need to be considered to establish who was at fault for the accident.
- Losses involved in injury – Before a personal injury case can be pursued, the financial losses need to be documented including wages lost from work, the cost of medications to treat your injury, and medical costs associated with the injury.
Why Working With Local Personal Injury Lawyers Matters
Maine, like other states, has very specific laws that apply to personal injury cases. Maine is considered an at-fault versus a no-fault state; therefore the victim must prove another party or parties were responsible for the victim’s injuries. Victims must also be aware of the comparative fault statute in Maine, which applies if the victim is partially responsible for the accident that caused a whiplash injury. In such cases, the final award may be reduced to account for the victim’s comparative fault. Finally, Maine law has different statutes of limitations that can apply in whiplash cases.
When you or someone you love suffers a whiplash injury after a car accident, you need a skilled Maine personal injury lawyer. At Fales & Fales, P.A., we are committed to providing you with the representation you deserve, and we will work hard to get you the compensation to which you are entitled. Call us today at 207-786-0606 for a free consultation and case evaluation.
