Fort Worth Whiplash Injury Lawyer

Fort Worth Office.

It does not take a high-speed impact to cause serious injuries in a car accident. Whiplash, for instance, is a highly painful and debilitating injury that often occurs in low-speed crashes. If a negligent driver caused you to suffer this injury, then you have the right to seek full and fair compensation for the harm you have suffered.

The personal injury lawyers of Tate Law Offices, P.C., are here to help you.

We know how insurance companies try to downplay the severity of injuries such as whiplash. We will level the playing field for you by dedicating our skill, experience and resources to protecting your rights and pursuing the compensation you deserve. To learn more, contact us today and receive a free consultation!

How Can Our Lawyers Help with Your Fort Worth Whiplash Injury Case?

Our goal at Tate Law Offices, P.C., is to ensure that the maximum amount of money goes into your pocket when your case concludes. We know that you need those funds to pay for your medical care, replace your lost income and move beyond this difficult chapter in your life. To pursue that goal, we will work closely with you and explore all possible ways to maximize the value of your case. For instance, we will:

  • Conduct an in-depth investigation of your accident and injury
  • Identify all responsible parties and sources of compensation, especially in uninsured motorist accidents
  • Collect and carefully review your medical records
  • Consult with your doctors and other medical experts
  • Calculate all of the damages that you are due
  • Coordinate a rental car when yours is being repaired
  • Demand a full and fair settlement from the insurance company (or companies) involved in your case
  • If necessary, present a strong, persuasive case on your behalf in the courtroom.

Throughout your case, you can expect to receive our full, personalized attention, which is one of the “10 Promises” we make to every client we serve. You will pay no legal fees unless we recover compensation for you.

What Is Whiplash?

“Whiplash” describes symptoms that are associated with a particular type of neck injury. The injury occurs when a sudden back-and-forth motion causes the neck to hyperextend. This is why doctors often refer to whiplash as cervical strain, hyperflexion or hyperextension. The hyperextension of the neck may tear, inflame or otherwise damage the soft tissue in the neck such as muscles, tendons and ligaments.

Different factors can influence the severity of a whiplash injury. For instance, your posture, age, gender and physical condition can play a role in how whiplash affects you. The injury may also be more severe if you have experienced degenerative changes in your cervical spine or previously suffered a neck injury.

Why Is Whiplash a Serious Injury?

Insurance companies often try to downplay whiplash as a “minor soft tissue injury.” In truth, nothing is minor about the physical and emotional harm that people suffer when they have a whiplash injury.

A person with a whiplash injury may have difficulty turning his or her head or looking up or down. This limited range of motion makes it difficult and painful to perform any type of work that involves bending, stooping, twisting or moving the head or neck. It also prevents a person from being able to handle basic tasks around the home such as cleaning and caring for children. In other words, whiplash may require extensive medical treatment and put a person out of service for a long time, leading to a loss of income and a major disruption of the person’s life.

Additionally, people who suffer severe whiplash may become depressed and withdrawn. The inability to work or perform tasks around the home can have a profound psychological effect. At Tate Law Offices, P.C., we understand how whiplash can be emotionally devastating for those who must deal with constant pain and limitations. That is why we will take your case seriously and fight hard to pursue maximum compensation for you.

How Do Fort Worth Car Accidents Cause Whiplash?

Rear-end auto accidents are the most common cause of whiplash, according to the Mayo Clinic. Upon impact, the cervical spine of the driver in the front car typically goes through a process called “horizontal shear and retraction.” This process basically is a shaking motion that stretches and possibly tears neck muscles. In severe cases, discs in the cervical spine may rupture or protrude, causing serious complications that may require surgery.

Of course, many other types of accidents can cause whiplash injuries. The injury also commonly occurs in side-impact and head-on collisions. Anytime your head shakes forward and backward violently and rapidly, you face the risk of whiplash.

What Are Other Common Causes of Fort Worth Whiplash Injury?

Even though auto accidents are a leading cause of whiplash injuries in Texas, the injury can occur in many other scenarios, including:

  • Falls – Dangerous property conditions such as slick floors, torn or frayed carpeting, uneven or broken pavement, loose railings, poor lighting and concealed holes frequently cause these accidents. They also commonly occur in nursing homes and other assisted-living facilities. If an elderly patient suffers a hip fracture in a fall, the injury can be life-threatening.
  • Swimming pool accidents – Negligent owners and operators of swimming pools may mislabel water depth or fail to have adequate staff on hand to supervise younger swimmers.
  • Recreation/sports accidents – Those who are in charge of recreation and sports activities may fail to give young participants proper training, supervision and equipment, which leads to whiplash injuries. In some cases, the injury may be exacerbated by a negligent response. For instance, a coach may tell a player with whiplash symptoms to simply “get back in the game,” or a trainer may fail to recognize that a young athlete has suffered a serious neck injury.
  • Construction/work accidents – Construction sites can be very dangerous – not just for workers but also for those in close proximity to the site. Falling debris, flying objects and other hazards can contribute to whiplash injuries.

Tate Law Offices, P.C., has extensive experience with a wide range of personal injury cases. We will know how to determine the cause of the whiplash injury in your case and to identify all parties who are responsible for it.

What Are Signs and Symptoms of a Fort Worth Whiplash Injury?

When you are in shock after a traumatic event, your body triggers a release of adrenaline in order to help you cope. This natural reaction can make you feel like you are OK. However, within a few hours or days, you may start to notice signs and symptoms of whiplash injury such as:

  • Neck pain
  • Stiffness
  • Difficulty moving your neck or head
  • Headaches
  • Tingling or numbness
  • Lack of sleep
  • Feeling tired
  • Irritability.

For this reason, if you are involved in a car crash or accident of any kind, you should seek medical attention right away. The sooner you see a doctor, the sooner you can get treatment for your whiplash injury. This treatment may consist of alternating hot and cold packs, pain medication and physical therapy. In some cases, doctors may use steroids and other types of injections to reduce inflammation and pain.

Additionally, when you see a doctor, you will document your whiplash injury. This documentation can prevent an insurance company from trying to assert that your injury is unrelated to your accident or that your injury is not as severe as you claim.

How Long Do You Have to Bring a Lawsuit for Your Fort Worth Whiplash Injury?

Every type of legal action has a time limit after which you cannot bring a claim. This is called the statute of limitations. In Texas, you generally have just two years from the date of an injury to bring a lawsuit against those who are responsible for it. So, if you wait longer than two years to bring a whiplash lawsuit, your claim would likely be barred.

Your attorney will need to take many steps in order to prepare your case for litigation. For this reason, do not wait to contact an attorney about your case. The earlier you seek representation, the better off you will be in the long run.

Our Fort Worth Whiplash Injury Attorneys Are Ready to Help You

As studies have shown, those who are represented by lawyers generally recover a higher amount in compensation than those who try to deal with insurance companies on their own. Don’t make this mistake in your whiplash injury case. With two offices in DFW, we make it convenient for you to meet with us. Contact Tate Law Offices, P.C., today and let us review your case in a free consultation.