Average Settlement For Whiplash

What Is The Average Settlement Payout For Whiplash Injury In Colorado?

The average settlement for a whiplash injury can vary based on the severity of the injury, the state where it occurred, and other factors. Generally speaking, the typical car accident settlement amount for a whiplash injury lawsuit is anywhere from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on a variety of circumstances.

What Is Whiplash?

Whiplash is an injury to the soft tissue in the neck and upper back caused by quick, abrupt movements of the head. It is a common injury experienced in car accidents, especially in accidents involving rear-end crashes. 

Although many whiplash victims do not suffer long-term consequences from their injuries, many indeed do. Some victims of whiplash can face many months or even years of pain and suffering. 

Accident victims who experience sudden jolts or whipping motions from car accidents are strongly urged to seek competent medical care promptly. Even in the face of what appears to be a mild injury, medical care is always necessary to prevent an injury from worsening. Failure to seek medical attention in some cases can lead to severe complications, including paralysis and numbness. 

How Long Does Whiplash Last?

The duration of a whiplash injury can vary greatly from one person to the next. In mild cases, symptoms may resolve within days or weeks without the need for further medical intervention beyond the initial diagnosis. In contrast, more severe cases can result in long-term pain and disability that require ongoing care.

Immediate medical care is typically crucial for whiplash victims to avoid long-term pain and complications. Treatment of injuries and guidance on how to facilitate their healing is necessary, even in the mildest of cases. An accident victim might feel fine, but meeting with a doctor after a crash is always recommended. 

Whiplash is often a subtle and deceptive injury. When an injury appears mild or non-existent, it may turn out to be the opposite. The skilled and experienced eyes of a qualified medical professional can determine the extent of a whiplash injury and the treatment and care necessary to heal from it. 

What Are The Long-Term Effects Of Chronic Whiplash?

Long-term effects of chronic whiplash can include persistent pain, reduced range of motion, muscle weakness or spasms, and impaired coordination. In severe cases where the injury is not treated properly, surgery may be required to restore normal function and mobility.

Emotional and mental issues also frequently arise in cases of whiplash. Whether due to the severity of the accident, the severity of the injury, or both, victims with whiplash must frequently deal with emotional and psychological effects that may last many years.  Long-term emotional and mental effects can include:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Problems with sleep
• Fogginess

For many accident victims, these long-term effects make it difficult or impossible to find or maintain gainful employment or enjoy life as before. Many see their personal and professional relationships impacted by the effects of whiplash as well. For these reasons, it’s vital you work with an attorney.

How Long Does It Take To Feel Pain From Whiplash?

The onset of pain from whiplash can vary depending on individual factors, but generally speaking, symptoms may begin to show up within the first 12 to 24 hours after the injury. That said, when it comes to whiplash pain onset, the time it takes for a victim to feel pain from a whiplash injury can vary wildly. 

However, many cases of whiplash after an accident do not immediately present with noticeable pain for the victim. In fact, some whiplash injuries may go entirely unnoticed or discounted at first. What’s also common is that a whiplash injury causes pain initially but subsides rather quickly. In these cases, the injury has not healed or gotten better, as many victims believe. Instead, it typically enters a new phase of development.

What Are The Common Symptoms From Whiplash?

Whiplash victims might experience a variety of mild to debilitating symptoms ranging in intensity from light to heavily intense pain. 

Common symptoms may include:

• Neck pain
• Tightness and stiffness
• Shoulder pain 
• Arm pain
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating
• Ringing in the ears
• Nausea
• Blurred vision

More severe injuries can involve spine injury and brain injury that could have long-term impacts on one’s future. 

In many cases where whiplash results, a serious spine injury or brain injury may be involved. This is especially true in cases involving high levels of blunt-force trauma, such as car accidents and falls from heights. If a victim does experience a serious spinal or head injury, the victim could face years and decades of compromised living due to pain, reduced motion, and other complications far more serious than whiplash. The need for substantial compensation in these cases is typically high. 

How Do I Know If I Have Whiplash?

If you have been involved in a car accident, slip-and-fall incident, or another type of physical trauma where your neck was jolted, it is important to visit your doctor. A thorough exam can help to determine if you are suffering from whiplash and what treatment options are best for your specific situation.

No matter how mild you may believe your injury to be, if you believe that you are suffering from whiplash, the time to get medical treatment is now. Waiting too long can lead to worse injuries as well as problems recovering compensation for your losses. 

Insurance companies challenge injury claims where the victim did not seek compensation until later or at all. Without immediate medical care, insurance companies can easily cast doubt on the source and seriousness of a whiplash injury. They can also challenge the source of the injury and potentially argue the source to be something other than the accident claimed in the lawsuit. 

Hire Colorado’s Premier Personal Injury Lawyer

At Bachus & Schanker, we understand what it is like dealing with whiplash and other injuries from a car accident caused by a negligent driver. Kyle Bachus went through the tragic loss of his mother and can relate to what his clients are going through. 

Additionally, our law firm has our own specially assembled, independent group of Victim Advocates who work with our Elite Litigation Group to provide support in wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases. They are available to support and assist our clients through their difficult times. 

It is our goal for you to receive maximum compensation for your injuries. Contact our Colorado car accident lawyers today for a free case evaluation and consultation. You can speak to one of our personal injury lawyers to determine your legal rights and potential compensation.

If you are injured anywhere in the state of Colorado, a car accident attorney from Bachus & Schanker is ready to help you get justice for your injuries and losses. We are dedicated to the people of Colorado and have established offices throughout the state to properly serve our fellow community members in important legal matters. 

Whether you are in Denver, Aurora, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, or Englewood, we are ready to serve you and fight for your future. We also have an office in Cheyenne, Wyoming, for our Wyoming neighbors. 

Our acclaimed Elite Litigation Group provides the support and representation victims and their families deserve when catastrophic injury or death occurs. Group members have extensive experience working with victims and family members in difficult injury situations.

No matter the circumstances of your whiplash accident, Bachus & Schanker is here to stand with you and fight for the funds you deserve. 

Citations:

Chronic Pain.
Depression (major depressive disorder). (2022).
Whiplash – Symptoms and Causes. (2024).