Neck Injuries

When it comes to car accidents in Colorado, the most common injuries we see are to a victim’s neck. Neck injuries from car accidents are usually caused by a phenomenon known as whiplash, which is characterized by violent back and forth neck movement. When a person’s neck snaps back and forth from the impact of a collision, depending on the force, muscle, tissue, and discs in the cervical spine (the top part of the spine) can be damaged. Neck injuries can be painful and impact a wide range of a person’s daily function. At Cook, Bradford & Levy, LLC, our personal injury lawyers in Boulder and Longmont have decades of collective experience working with accident victims who have sustained whiplash neck injuries. We know how to help our clients find effective neck treatment, and our attorneys can help you achieve maximum compensation for your losses. We invite you to learn more about our experiences with clients who have suffered neck injuries from car accidents, and if you have a potential case, to call us today at 303-543-1000 for a free consultation.

Whiplash Injuries from Car Accidents: A Personal Injury Lawyer’s Perspective

As Boulder personal injury lawyers who have handled hundreds of whiplash neck injury cases, we feel that we have a unique perspective on how these neck injuries are viewed by our clients and the insurance industry.

We have found that there are several factors that determine how severe a neck injury can be including:

• the forces involved in the collision
• whether your neck was turned at the moment of impact
• age and likelihood of pre-existing neck degeneration
• airbag deployment
• whether a seatbelt was being worn
• whether you had time to “brace yourself” prior to impact
• and many others

The number of these types of factors that are present in an auto accident will generally determine how severe a neck injury is, and by extension, the impact to an accident victim’s ability to perform various functions.

How Neck Injuries Affect Our Clients

When it comes to our clients, those who have suffered serious neck injuries will experience significant impact to their daily lives. For example, not only does a neck injury cause pain and stiffness, and even tingling or numbness in the case of a cervical disc herniation, but for active residents of Boulder and Longmont, a high-intensity whiplash injury can limit the ability to participate in things like hiking, swimming, climbing, bike-riding, golf, and other active pursuits.

At Cook, Bradford & Levy, LLC, we know your pain and we do our best to capture the essence of the impact your neck injury has had on your life. Often, our clients work with their doctors who are reluctant to do much more than prescribe medications and take a “wait and see” approach on recovery. However, the benefit of being experienced Longmont accident lawyers means that we are familiar with various types of treatments that we can help you talk to your doctor about so that you can take a proactive approach to your treatment and recovery. Whether this is asking your doctor for a referral to a spine specialist, a physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor, or even things like acupuncture, we can get your advocate when it comes to getting medical care for your neck injury. This is especially important when our clients are insured by HMOs like Kaiser, who are financially incentivized to take heartbreakingly conservative approaches to treatment.

How Insurance Companies View Neck Injuries

Insurance companies understand that while a severe neck injury speaks for itself, it is critical that a good Longmont personal injury attorney show them actual examples of how the neck injury has diminished a client’s general well-being and ability to fully participate in daily life. Providing examples is important because the more things a neck injury prevents a client from doing, the more a people can relate to the pain that the client has experienced. When insurance company representatives understand the human element involved in the aftermath of a car accident, they know that there is more risk that a jury could render a relatively significant verdict for damages against the at-fault driver. Hence, the insurance company becomes more willing to pay more money to resolve a claim.

Documenting how a neck injury impacts your life can be done in several different ways. The most important documentation will come from your medical providers in the way of medical records, notes excusing you from work, and special narrative reports that a good Boulder personal injury lawyer can ask for. However, there are other valuable things that can be done such as keeping a journal, keeping track of workouts or activities and missed activities, taking video of how your injury has impacted your live, and even using your cellphone to photograph scars, bruises, or other evidence of your injury.

Pulling it All Together to Make a Strong Neck Injury Claim

Once our clients have reached a level of general recovery, or permanent impairment becomes clear, our Longmont personal injury lawyers will generally pull all the evidence together and present your case to the insurance company in a “demand.” Our team prides ourselves on knowing your case inside and out so that we can confidently and intelligently demand the most amount of financial compensation that we think is reasonable. We have hundreds of success stories, and we would appreciate the opportunity to talk with you about your case.

Call Cook, Bradford & Levy, LLC today at 303-543-1000 for a free consultation about your case.

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