Whiplash Injury

Whiplash is a type of painful neck injury that happens when the head is forcefully jerked backward and then forward.  Whiplash strains the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the neck, often occurring during a car accident.  The effects of whiplash injuries can last for years or even decades.

If you are a victim of whiplash after a car accident in Boston, Bristol County, Norfolk County, Plymouth County, or another area of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Car Crash Law Firm Rightful Legal is here for you. Tracy Paulsen and her team of devoted personal injury attorneys have over 15 years of experience in advocating for injured clients from whiplash across the Commonwealth, as whiplash can be a life-changing injury.  At Rightful Legal, we will Fight for Your Rights in obtaining justice and the highest possible level of compensation. We understand how personal pain is to the individual, and how something that mayb seem insignificant to another can alter  the quality of your life. Having grown up in Massachusetts, Attorney Paulsen iscommitted to helping Massachusetts residents injured in car accidents, and she strives to provide each client with personalized service, tailored legal guidance, and passionate advocacy.

Whiplash Injury Attorney Tracy Paulsen is here to assist you in understanding the next steps to take after suffering whiplash and what your legal rights are as the victim of a personal injury.  She will explain your options in a way that is easy to understand and help you take the necessary steps to obtain the compensation you need to recover and regain control over your life.

Whiplash can occur in many types of car accidents, including:

Lawyer Tracy Paulsen wants to help you obtain the maximum possible compensation and get justice from the negligent driver who caused your neck strain and pain. 

How Do Car Crashes Cause Whiplash?

Whiplash is a common car accident injury.  It is especially common in car crashes where the victim is hit from behind, such as rear-end collisions.  When your car stops suddenly or is hit by another car, your body is pushed in one direction while your head lags behind.  Your head then snaps quickly forward, then quickly back.  This rapid jerking motion is what causes whiplash.  The name comes from the motion, which is similar to how a whip moves.

The human head is heavy, and the motion of your head snapping back and forth in a car crash can stretch or even tear the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and other soft tissues in your neck.  Despite its violent nature, whiplash can be tricky to detect.  At first, you might not feel much pain.  Whiplash symptoms like a sore neck, headaches, dizziness, or stiffness can show up hours or even days after a motor vehicle accident.  

It is crucial that you seek immediate medical treatment after any car accident, even if you do not feel injured.  Delaying medical care can make whiplash worse.  It can also give insurance companies and careless drivers a chance to argue that your injuries are not related to the accident or not as severe as they appear.

What Are Common Symptoms of Whiplash?

Within days of a whiplash injury, you may experience symptoms like:

  • Neck pain (which may get worse with movement)
  • Neck stiffness
  • Loss of range of motion in your neck
  • Dizziness
  • Mood problems, like irritability or depression
  • Tingling in the arms or hands
  • Numbness in the arms or hands
  • Headaches
  • Dizziness
  • Fatigue
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Problems with focus or memory
  • Blurred vision
  • Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)

What Are the Grades of Whiplash?

Medical professionals use a scale called the Quebec Classification of Whiplash-Associated Disorders to sort whiplash injuries by severity.  Grades range from 0 to 4.

  • Grade 0 – no symptoms
    • The patient does not show any pain or other signs of injury from the whiplash.
  • Grade 1 – pain alone
    • The patient only shows pain and associated signs, like stiffness and being tender to the touch.
  • Grade 2 – pain AND other signs of injury
    • The patient demonstrates the symptoms of Grade 1, plus other signs of injury, such as muscle spasms; pain that radiates to the head, face, shoulder, or back; bruising; swelling; or sensitivity to touch around the injury site.
  • Grade 3 – pain AND other signs of injury AND neurological symptoms
    • The patient demonstrates the symptoms of Grade 2, plus neurological symptoms like numbness, weakness, burning, tingling, headaches, vertigo, vision problems, trouble speaking, or trouble swallowing.
  • Grade 4 – severe pain AND serious neurological effects
    • The patient experiences symptoms more severe than even Grade 3, especially in the area of neurological symptoms.  Patients may have a broken or misaligned neck vertebra, and there may be pressure on the spinal cord.

Only a medical professional can diagnose, assess, and treat whiplash.  Treatments are available, including medication, heat and cold therapy, immobilization, physical therapy, and surgery in severe cases.

What Are the Long-Term Effects of Whiplash?

Whiplash injuries can affect victims for many years to come.  Documented long-term effects of whiplash include problems like: 

  • post-traumatic stress
  • shoulder stiffness
  • headache
  • arm pain
  • chronic pain
  • depression
  • difficulty concentrating
  • memory issues
  • decreased overall satisfaction with life  
  • Decrease in the enjoyments of daily activities 

What Kind of Damages Can You Recover in a Whiplash Car Accident Injury Lawsuit?

Attorney Paulsen and the Rightful Legal Injury team can provide the legal guidance you need to ensure your whiplash claim is not undervalued.  Big insurerance companies frequently try to lowball injured individuals, in spite of the impact of your injuries on your life and that of your family.  We provide every client with individualized attention, truly assessing not only your financial losses, like lost wages and medical bills, but also your more complex losses, like pain and suffering and psychological trauma.

Your recovery depends on the specific details of your whiplash case, such as the severity of your whiplash, your income, your age, the impact of your injury on your life, what your health and earning power were like before the accident, and what your health and earning power will be like moving forward with your injury.  Damages that could be recovered in a whiplash personal injury claim may include:

  • Costs of past and future medical treatment
  • Past and future lost income
  • Compensation for psychological injuries
  • Compensation for reduced earning power
  • Compensation for physical disfigurement
  • Compensation for loss of enjoyment of life or intimate relationships
  • Compensation for permanent disability (partial or total)
  • Compensation for cognitive impairment
  • Wrongful death

The Rightful Legal Injury Firm will help you understand the variables affecting the value of your whiplash claim during a confidential , no-cost consultation.  

If you are suffering from whiplash after an accident in which another driver was totally or more than 50% at fault, you may be eligible to seek financial compensation for your injuries.  If you have unfortunately lost a loved one due to a severe whiplash injury, you may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim.

Attorney Paulsen and her team understand how painful and life-altering whiplash from a collision can be.  We are a dedicated local team, deeply experienced with Massachusetts courts and negotiating with and litigating against profit-focused adversarial auto insurance companies.  Rightful Legal will obtain the  justice and compensation you deserve from a serious injury like whiplash, so you can concentrate only on your healing and recovery.

In Massachusetts, you only have a limited amount of time to bring a claim for whiplash or other personal injuries from a car crash.  There is a rigid three-year deadline to bring a Massachusetts personal injury lawsuit.  This time limit starts to run out on the day you discover or should discover your whiplash injury, frequently the day of your car accident.  It is crucial that you act quickly to protect your claim.  Memories fade, evidence can be lost, and witnesses may become unreachable.  Worst of all, you are legally barred from bringing a lawsuit once time runs out.  You only have one chance to recover compensation for your whiplash injuries.  Do not waste any time, and  contact Rightful Legal today. (Put hyperlink )

We will zealously fight for you, from investigating the accident that caused your whiplash, to collecting compelling evidence, to pursuing the maximum possible compensation for lost income, medical bills, and other damages and taking your case to trial.  We have represented numerous clients from Boston, Woburn, Bristol County, and throughout Massachusetts in whiplash personal injury cases.  We have the experience, compassion and dedication to serve as your legal advocate and trusted advisor to get the compensation and justice you deserve for your injury.

At Rightful Legal, you do not pay us a fee unless we win your case.  Contact us today to schedule a free,  confidential case evaluation.  This consultation does not obligate you to us.  We simply want to hear your whiplash story and help you understand your legal rights and options as you strive to recover from your accident.

Text or Call the Attorney Paulsen Directly Today at 617-821-5856 or contact our Massachusetts Whiplash Lawyers Online Right Away. 

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