Whiplash injuries involve damage to the soft tissues in the neck, such as the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. While whiplash injuries often occur during motor vehicle accidents, they can also occur during slips and falls, sporting accidents, and on some amusement park rides. In any case, the mechanism of injury is similar to the crack of a whip, in that the head violently and/or forcefully moves forward and then backward. It’s thought that this motion causes the soft tissues to stretch beyond their normal range of motion and tear.

Depending on how badly the soft tissues are injured, the result can be anything from a few days of pain to lifelong neck stiffness and disability. It's important to see a medical professional in determining the extent of a whiplash injury.

Victims of whiplash injuries can file a claim if the injury was the result of an accident that wasn’t their own fault. If you’re the victim of such a whiplash injury, an injury lawyer can help you file a claim to receive fair compensation for your injuries. Of course, the claim will need to be supported by facts, such as eyewitness testimony, police reports, medical reports, photographs or video, and so forth. Your lawyer can present this supporting information to your insurance company and negotiate for a fair settlement.

Insurance companies often take advantage of the fact that many unrepresentative whiplash victims don’t understand their rights, the legalities of personal injuries, and the obscure insurance lingo they may use during the claims process. Without adequate legal representation, claimants are more likely to unknowingly agree to a lower, out of court settlement that isn’t fair compensation in relation to the injuries they’ve sustained. To best avoid such a scenario, you should work with a professional, experienced whiplash injury lawyer that will have your best interest in mind during the claim process and will fight to get you the best possible settlement available.

An injury lawyer will evaluate your case and help you in obtaining a settlement that’s fair and that adequately compensates you for the medical costs you’ve incurred, but also any time off from work and lost earnings stemming from your whiplash injury, treatment, and recovery.

Keep in mind that many experienced, professional injury lawyers provide a free consultation to evaluate your case and potential to obtain compensation. Many also work on the basis that if they don’t win you compensation, they don’t get paid.