A low impact car accident is considered a crash that happened at a low speed and resulted in little or no property damage. According to research published in Spine, rear-end accidents that happen at a low speed—typically less than 10 miles per hour—hardly ever produce injuries beyond neck strain, possibly from whiplash.
However, whiplash might have complications that can result in hefty medical bills.
Dangers of Whiplash
While whiplash is less common in low impact car accidents, any sharp movement of the neck can cause it, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you have not seen a medical professional yet, do so right away if you feel any of the following symptoms:
- Pain in the neck
- Memory loss
- Tiredness
- Depression
- Limited neck movement
- Headaches
- Shoulder pain
- Back pain
- Arm numbness or pain
- Trouble sleeping
Most people will recover from whiplash within a couple of weeks, usually needing nothing more than pain management and at-home remedies. However, severe whiplash could last months or years, and you should get compensation for your injuries.
Securing Compensation for Low Impact Car Accidents
If a negligent driver caused your accident, and you suffered whiplash or another injury, you might recover compensation for expenses related to the crash. Our car accident attorneys can estimate what you might receive as an award.
Medical Bills
In a personal injury lawsuit, you can recover compensation for costly medical bills resulting from the accident, such as:
- Doctor’s visits
- Hospitalizations
- Prescription medication
- Mental health therapy
- Medical devices
- Ambulance transport
- In-home care
Generally, you can recover any costs associated with the crash caused by the other driver. Just be sure to save all your medical bills as evidence of your losses.
Lost Wages
On top of medical bills, if you suffered a neck injury, you could also miss time at work, which means losing wages. You could recover any of the following work-related losses:
- Salary and wages
- Earning potential
- Temporary or permanent disability
- Bonuses
- Vacation or holiday pay
- 401(k) or retirement contributions
- Promotions
Pain and Suffering
In most personal injury cases, there is an element of physical and emotional pain and suffering that you can claim as damages. It is a complicated and subjective calculation, typically based on the severity of the crash—in this case, low—and the extent of your injuries.
Property Damage
Even in low impact rear-end crashes, your bumper could suffer some serious damage. If you did not cause the accident, you should not have to pay for the cost to repair or replace your bumper. You might also recover the cost of transportation you used while your car was out of commission, such as public transport, ridesharing, or a rental car.
Hire a Car Accident Lawyer
A car accident lawyer can help you with your case while you recover from your injuries and the emotional stress from the accident. An attorney can:
- Evaluate your damages.
- Tell you if you have a case.
- Walk you through the legal process.
- Investigate the accident.
- Prove the other party’s fault.
- Negotiate with insurance companies.
- Fight for compensation.
- Take your case to trial.
A car accident lawyer can help you prove the other driver’s negligence by showing that they owed you a reasonable standard of care, breached that standard, and that breach caused an accident that led to your injuries and material losses. If the investigation turns up enough evidence to prove negligence, the attorney can help you recover your accident costs.
There are other benefits to having a lawyer for a car accident case. As you struggle with medical bills and repair costs, you might also worry that you cannot afford legal services, leading you to accept a lowball settlement offer from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. However, most attorneys work on a contingency model, meaning they do not accept any payment unless they secure you an award in your case.
We follow this model at Ben Crump Law, PLLC, because we understand that this is a difficult time for you and your family. However, you do not have to go through this period alone. A car accident lawyer from our team is available to help you.
There is no risk to you by calling our firm, so reach out today at (844) 730-0233 when you are ready to hold the at-fault party accountable. We believe no one should have to pay the costs of an accident that they had no part in causing, even if the car accident is considered low impact.
