Personal injury attorneys from Fetterman & Associates, PA, understand that accidents can result in serious, long-term injuries. If you are involved in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence or fault, you may experience serious back and neck injuries. If this happens, ongoing rehabilitation may be needed and medical care costs can be significant. Hiring a personal injury attorney in this situation offers several benefits.
While some believe they can handle this process on their own, Florida injury lawyers have years of experience helping accident victims recover the amount of compensation they deserve. Learn more about the benefits of professional legal representation here.
Common Back and Neck Injuries from Accidents
Car accidents, slip, and fall accidents, boating accidents, and others can result in many types of back and neck injuries that may cause long-term pain and result in ongoing rehabilitation and care.
Some of the most common accident-caused back and neck injuries include:
- Strains and sprains: Strains and sprains are caused by damage to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. They can take months (or longer) to heal fully.
- Broken bones: Your spine and neck comprise many small bones. If a fracture occurs, you may need surgery and ongoing physical therapy.
- Whiplash: The most common type of neck injury is whiplash. The severity of these injuries is difficult to prove but can result in significant pain.
- Ruptured or herniated discs: This injury may not initially cause symptoms. However, they can cause chronic pain throughout your life and even limited mobility.
- Broken neck: This can result in serious physical limitations and pain. Sometimes, a broken neck can be fatal.
- Spinal cord injuries: Injuries to the spinal cord can result in paralysis, including quadriplegia and paraplegia.
Keep in mind that this isn’t an exhaustive list. Many other types of back and neck injuries may occur in accidents that can have long-term effects on your life.
Symptoms of Accident-Caused Back and Neck Injuries
You may wonder what symptoms will occur if you injure your neck or back. While these vary from one person to another, some of the most common include:
- Muscle spasms in your neck or back
- Difficulties turning your head from side to side
- Dizziness and headaches
- Neck stiffness
- Breathing difficulties
- Extreme back or neck pain
- Tenderness in your back or neck
- Weakness or tingling in your legs, arms, fingers, or hands
- Paralysis
It’s important to get checked out by a doctor right away if you notice any of these symptoms. If you are involved in an accident, be sure to get medical treatment, even if you don’t think you were injured.
Common Accidents That Result in Neck and Back Injuries
While almost any accident may result in a neck or back injury, some of the most common our personal injury lawyers represent include:
- Traffic accidents involving cars, trucks, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians
- Workplace accidents, particularly those involving machinery or construction
- Slip and fall accidents
- Sporting-related accidents
While a neck or back injury can occur in any of these, the most common occur in car accidents. When you contact our personal injury attorneys at Fetterman & Associates, PA, we can conduct an investigation to prove who and what resulted in your injuries. We will also work to collect evidence to show how severe your injuries are.
Potential Damages You Can Collect in an Accident That Caused a Back or Neck Injury
Back and neck injury compensation can be significant if you suffer severe injuries. Some of the types of damages you may recover include:
- Medical-related costs
- Loss of income
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Pain and suffering
You may also be eligible for other types of intangible damages, such as loss of enjoyment of life and mental anguish.
Reasons to Hire Personal Injury Attorneys After a Neck or Back Injury
Hiring personal injury attorneys from Fetterman & Associates, PA, after experiencing a neck or back injury in an accident caused by another party offers several benefits. These include:
Determining the Value of Your Claim
Do you know what your personal injury claim is really worth? It can be challenging to determine the related costs when injured in an accident. This is especially the case with back and neck injuries that may have long-term effects on your life.
However, personal injury lawyers understand what to consider and how to determine an accurate value for your claim. When an attorney is hired, they will factor in all related costs, including current and future medical costs, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity, pain and suffering, and others that may apply to your case and situation.
Receive a Higher Settlement
While it may not seem fair, people who hire personal injury lawyers typically receive more money for the personal injury claim they file. Even after paying the lawyers’ fees, injured people with legal representation tend to walk away with a higher settlement.
Insurance companies are working to minimize payments as much as possible. When you attempt to negotiate with them on your own, they know that you likely don’t have the knowledge or experience of attorneys. Because of this, they can often convince you to accept a smaller settlement, even if it’s not in your best interest. An attorney can help ensure this doesn’t happen.
Guidance Regarding When to Settle and When to File a Lawsuit
After an accident, you may wonder if you should accept a settlement from the insurance company or move forward and file a lawsuit. This may seem like a simple question, but several factors must be considered.
Hiring a personal injury attorney means you have someone who understands the full scope of your neck or back injury and if the insurance company offers a fair settlement. While most cases settle without filing a lawsuit, an experienced attorney won’t hesitate to take your case to court when necessary to get you the value you deserve.
It’s not common for insurance companies to offer fair settlement amounts to personal injury victims who don’t have legal representation.
Save Time
After an accident, you may want to receive a settlement as quickly as possible. Because of this, you may accept the first or second offer made. Insurance companies sometimes purposefully delay a case just because they can. The goal in these situations is to make accident victims so desperate for compensation that they accept any offer.
An attorney will ensure this doesn’t happen. They have ways of negotiating and communicating with insurance adjusters that speed up the process and ensure a fair settlement amount.
Also, with an attorney representing your case and interests, you can focus on your recovery and family while having confidence they are working to help you recover the compensation you deserve.
Get in Touch with Our Florida Injury Attorneys for Help with Your Claim
As you can see, there are more than a few reasons to hire personal injury lawyers from Fetterman & Associates, PA, if you suffer a back or neck injury in an accident. They can investigate the situation and negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf to help you recover a fair settlement.
The first step is to call our offices to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. During this consultation, we can learn about your case, and you can ask any questions you have. We are here to help you recover damages for the back or neck injury you suffered in an accident caused by another party. Call today and feel confident that our Florida injury attorneys will work to help you get the best possible outcome for your case.
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