Nobody wants to receive a horrible neck injury or whiplash because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time and ended up in a car accident. Unfortunately, whiplash is one of the most common injuries we deal with at The Law Place.
Whiplash is a complex injury. The symptoms can lie dormant, often only causing pain and discomfort days or weeks after the accident. This is one of the reasons why it is so important to get yourself to a medical professional as soon as sensibly possible after your accident. They will be able to look you over and look for any hidden injuries, they will also be able to provide you with proof that you tried to get medical attention immediately after the accident, this is important, and we will go into why later on.
Doctors can be unsure of how to diagnose the extent of the damage done by whiplash. This can make it really hard to calculate the damages and pain and suffering caused by a whiplash accident. This is where the help of an experienced car accident lawyer in Tampa, FL can come in immensely handy. Here at The Law Place, we have been dealing with traffic incidents in Tampa for years and have seen almost every type of car accident case imaginable.
When you call us for a free consultation, we will be able to give you a rough estimate of what we think your claim is worth and what your chances are of winning your claim. Call us today on (813) 544-4444.
What Are the Symptoms Of Whiplash?
- Back pain – Back pain can be described in a variety of ways. It could include sharp stabbing pains in the upper or lower back or constant throbbing pain.
- Tinnitus – Tinnitus is the perception of a noise in the ears that is not actually there. Usually caused by damage to the neck or trauma to the head, it can cause a ringing noise to those affected.
- Jaw pain – A pain that usually radiates to other areas of the face but is focused on the jaw and often caused by a sharp jerking motion or an airbag.
- Headaches – Whiplash headaches can occur in any region, depending on the location of the impact. This is often caused when your head impacts the dashboard.
Florida Road Accident Statistics
Aggressive driving is a frequent occurrence in Tampa, FL, congested roads, and busy rush hours may contribute to these driving practices. Florida is a particularly dangerous state of being both a pedestrian and a driver, according to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV). With over 400,000 accidents happening every year, resulting in over 3,000 deaths, the government has had to crack down on car accident cases. It is much harder to get away with an accident that was your fault without being found liable for the victim’s damages.
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The Duty of Care
In Tampa, car owners automatically assume a duty of care to all other road users whenever they get into their car. This included cyclists and pedestrians, as well as other drivers. This duty of care requires you to drive in a way that is safe and does not endanger anyone else on the road. If it has been found that you have breached this duty of care, then you may be found liable for the following damages, which can add up extremely quickly:
- Medical expenses – Medical bills are any expenses you have to pay while treating your injuries caused by the accident. This includes medical bills, transportation, and any past, present, and future bills.
- Loss of earnings – If this accident has caused you to be unable to attend work, you could be compensated for the loss of earnings, present past and future.
- Property damage – Property damage includes damage to your vehicle.
- Pain and suffering – Pain and suffering is a difficult thing to quantify. It can include anything from mental anguish to loss of enjoyment. For example: if you are left unable to pursue a hobby due to the accident.
- Loss of a loved one – Financial costs due to the loss of a loved one can be quite substantial, including funeral expenses and loss of consortium.
We’re Florida’s top litigation team with over 75 years of combined experience
Can I Make a Whiplash Claim?
If you have been involved in an accident in the Tampa area and have received whiplash or any other injuries as a result of an accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be entitled to make a claim. The best way to find out is to get in touch with a reputable personal injury car accident lawyer as soon as possible. They can help advise you and talk you through your case. This is why most law firms, ours included, offer a free consultation. We can give you clear-headed advice and help you avoid making the wrong decision due to poor judgment.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers.
Does a Personal Injury Whiplash Claim Take Long?
Due to the complexity of whiplash, like the length of time, it can affect a victim and the level of pain and suffering it puts them in, whiplash cases can take a long time if they are not settled outside of court. Usually, they take around 3-6 months, but this can vary according to the following factors:
- The level of your injuries.
- Whether the other party admits, it was their fault.
- If the incident was a ‘hit and run’ and the other party has fled the scene.
- If any monetary losses are included, such as loss of wages.
- The quality of your attorney.
What Will a Car Accident Law Firm Do for Me in Tampa, FL?
Research shows that over 90% of cases where a client uses a personal injury lawyer end up in a settlement and also show that on average, those payouts are 60% more than those that receive settlements without representation; this also depends on the case at hand.
The first thing a skilled car accident personal injury lawyer will do is give you a better chance at winning and a better chance at seeking a higher payout.
In terms of what we do for your case personally, here is how the process will most likely go:
- Firstly, you will call The Law Place for a free consultation. During this quick no-strings-attached consultation, you will receive free, honest advice on where we think you stand in terms of your claim. This advice is free, and you can choose what you do with it.
- Hopefully, after hearing us out, you will realize the importance of hiring a skilled car accident lawyer. We will call you in for a more in-depth interview and explain our fees and processes. We will get any evidence, correspondence, or records that you have and get you to sign on the dotted line when you are happy.
- At this stage, you can sit back and relax. We will take over everything. We will begin investigating. We will contact the first responders from the scene, the police for their reports, your medical professional, any witnesses you have detailed for, and we will deal with the insurance companies. We will also tell all these parties that they are no longer to contact you; they should only speak to you through us. This will give you a lot more time to focus on your injury recovery, instead of dealing with the underhanded tricks of insurance company legal teams.
- Once the insurance companies realize that you have a skilled Tampa personal injury lawyer on your team, they will most likely try a very common tactic of contacting you directly with a low-ball offer. They will promise they can send you the money really quickly just to get you to settle early. We highly recommend you ignore this and refer them to your attorney. They are only doing this because they know that with a skilled accident attorney behind you, you will be more likely to seek a higher sum from them for your injury.
- As soon as physically possible, we will finish our investigations. The results we find and the evidence we receive will give us a good indication of what you might be able to seek. This will give us an immediate position of strength to negotiate with the other insurance company. We will do this negotiation for you, fighting for the highest sum possible. If any of the offers are acceptable to you, you can take the money, we take our fee, and everyone wins.
- If the other insurance company is playing hardball and does not want to pay out or is offering an insulting sum, then we will start preparing your evidence in a way that we can present it in court to convince a judge and jury that you deserve what you are seeking.
- If the other insurance company is going to crumple, this is the last time they will do so. Often this will depend on the reputation of your car accident lawyer. A lawyer with a good record of winning in court has a higher chance of scaring the insurance company into raising their settlement offer.
- If this still isn’t high enough, or they are still not admitting fault, then it is time to take the other party to court. This is where we will use the strong case we built for you to convince the court you deserve your compensation. The majority of cases never make it this far and settle way before lawsuits are ever started.
Should I Settle With The Insurance Company?
This question is really down to you. You should always bear in mind that insurance companies are always out for themselves and not you. Their job is to reduce their payout. This means that settlements are often lowered then what you deserve.
However, accepting a settlement means you will not have to attend court or deal with the case any longer. If you are happy with the settlement, there is nothing wrong with accepting it. The best advice would be to listen to your accident attorney, and they will advise what they think is best.
Speak to a Tampa, FL Personal Injury Attorney at The Law Place Today!
If you have been on the receiving end of a whiplash related injury in Tampa, Florida, then you should get a Tampa personal injury attorney who is well versed in the laws of Tampa. At The Law Place, our lawyers work as a team on all personal injury cases to get you the best legal representation possible.
This, paired with our 75 years of combined experience, sets us apart from most other personal injury lawyers and should allow you to feel comfortable, knowing that an experienced Tampa FL lawyer is behind you every step of the way. Our phone lines are open 24/7 for a free consultation about your injury.
Don’t let whiplash ruin your life, get in touch today on (813) 544-4444.
