Neck And Back Injuries
Some Of The Most Common Types Of Injuries That Result From Car Accidents
Neck and back injuries can take a physical and emotional toll on your life and it’s important you contact an experienced attorney who can help you get the compensation you deserve. When one part of the neck is damaged, other parts of your body suffer as well, resulting in even higher medical bills and physical suffering. Sometimes, soft tissue injuries heal on their own, but if the damage is so severe it requires medical treatment, you should contact an experienced car accident lawyer in Sacramento so you can get compensation for your loss.
Muscle strain and whiplash are other common injuries associated with car accidents. Although muscle strain is usually a result of everyday activities, it can occur in accidents. Whiplash is usually as a result of traffic accidents, slip-and-fall injuries, falls, sports injuries and other types of trauma. In some cases, whiplash can damage joints and disks in the neck. Victims of whiplash can suffer weakness, numbness, tingling, pain, stiffness, dizziness or an inability to sleep. And although this type of injury is not life-threatening, it’s important to get help if the pain is severe.
Herniated disc injuries can occur in the neck or the back when the nucleus pulposus (a soft substance inside the disc) is pushed out. If it’s pushed out onto the nerve root, the injury can be extremely painful. These types of injuries are often caused by repeated heavy lifting or accidents that twist the neck and spine and depending on the severity of the injury, a herniated disc may require surgery.
The emotional distress a person endures after being injured by negligence is extreme and can include:
- Actual pain and discomfort
- Depressing, anxiety, memory loss, insomnia, or other emotional disorders
- Physical limitations
- And more
A basic method of calculating a pain and suffering settlement is to use a multiple of your actual costs, which can include medical and therapy bills, out-of-pocket expenses, lost wages, and property damage. Totaling the amount of your damages requires simply adding up all the bills and receipts. However, coming up with a figure that fairly represents your pain and suffering can be a challenge and it’s best to ask for advice from an experienced lawyer.
Pain and suffering can be separated into two categories.
- The first is current pain and suffering which is what you endure from the time of the injury through the completion of medical treatment and therapy.
- The second is current and future pain and suffering which is what you endure through the course of medical treatment and into the indefinite future.
When calculating your settlement demand, you must first consider which category your pain and suffering falls into. Either way, you must convince the insurance adjuster of the negative effect the pain and suffering has had on your quality of life so you can get the compensation you deserve. When responding to settlement demands, most adjusters expect to add a small amount on top of the damages to cover pain and suffering, but an experienced Sacramento injury lawyer can make sure that doesn’t happen to you.
Sacramento Injury Lawyer Is Here To Help
Attorneys and adjusters calculate pain and suffering reimbursement using the multiple method which takes the total amount of your specials and multiplies it by anywhere from 1-5 times or possibly higher in serious injury cases. Before you begin calculating your pain and suffering demand, think about how you’ll convince the adjuster to raise the multiple. You’ll be able to list those reasons in your demand letter and later rely on them in settlement negotiations. Keep in mind your arguments must be logical and based on as much credible evidence as you can provide.
To succeed in raising your settlement amount, you must be able to put your pain and suffering into words that are clear, reasonable and persuasive to the adjuster. Keep a daily journal of your pain and suffering. Be open and honest, even if you feel like some of it seems personal. You need to be prepared to convince the adjuster how much pain you actually endured. Do not fabricate or exaggerate the experiences, just be honest and as detailed as possible and you will get the compensation you deserve.
The better prepared you are to convince the adjuster of the depth of your pain and suffering, the higher your final offer will be. Remember, to fairly calculate your pain and suffering settlement, you must be realistic. Fabricating or exaggerating experiences can damage your credibility and harm your case.
Because no case is ever the same, the best thing you can do is contact an experienced auto accident attorney in Sacramento, California, for help.
Speak With Our Car Accident Lawyer In Sacramento About Your Auto Accident Injuries
Contact a car accident lawyer in Sacramento at The Weinberger Law Firm to discuss your car accident injuries. We offer a free initial consultation to all new clients. You can reach us by phone at 916-304-0952 or send us an email to schedule an appointment.