Whiplash is a type of neck injury that occurs when a person’s neck violently jerks back and forth due to a sudden force, as explained by Mayo Clinic. However, it is common for whiplash to cause different types of head trauma, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) if the whiplash causes the individual to hit their head. As such, whiplash can be both a coup and contrecoup injury.
If an individual suffers injuries to their neck and head because they hit it on the wheel due to the whiplash, then this can be classified as a coup-contrecoup injury. If you or a loved one experienced whiplash in an accident and sustained an injury, you may qualify to demand compensation for any damages that followed. Our legal team can help you build a case after hearing about your situation in a free consultation.
What Is The Difference Between Coup, Contrecoup, and Coup-Contrecoup Injuries?
When a person sustains a brain injury, physicians classify the injury based on where bruising or signs of injury exist on the individual’s head. Brain injuries can be classified as:
- Coup: Signs of injury exist directly on the point of impact. For example, a person suffers a concussion because they hit their head on the steering wheel in a rear-end collision.
- Contrecoup: Signs of injury exist on the opposite side of the injury site. For example, whiplash can jerk a person’s headstrong enough that their head hit the front of their skull, causing damage to the frontal lobe.
- Coup-contrecoup: Signs of injury exist both directly at or near the point of impact and on the opposite side of the injury site. For example, whiplash caused a person to suffer both a neck injury and a concussion.
Each of these injury classifications can qualify an accident victim to receive financial compensation. Our firm helps clients build Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawsuits to fight for compensatory awards based on the injury’s severity and related damages.
What Causes Whiplash Injuries?
Whiplash injuries can be a result of the following:
- Fort Lauderdale Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Bus accidents
- Boat accidents
- Defective product cases
- Rideshare vehicle accidents
- Sports accidents
- Falls
- Physical abuse or assault
- Amusement park ride accidents
If you sustained a whiplash injury in a different type of accident not listed here, a member from our team can listen to your case to identify whether you have grounds to pursue compensation in Florida.
Can Whiplash Qualify You To Pursue Compensatory Damages?
Yes, whiplash can be a qualifying injury in personal injury cases. Suppose another party contributed to the cause of your injury (e.g., a driver who rear-ended you, causing the whiplash). In that case, our team can draft a demand letter on your behalf that lists all of your damages, details the amount of compensation you may be entitled to collect, and notifies the defendant about your intention to sue.
Types Of Compensatory Damages Plaintiffs Can Pursue
In personal injury cases, accident victims may be able to recover:
- Costs for their medical treatment, including future medical expenses they might have to pay if their treatment is long-term or permanent
- Costs to repair or replace lost property, such as a vehicle
- Lost income or wages as well as future income they might expect to lose if they’re still recovering
- Reduced earning potential if their injuries affect their ability to perform pre-accident work duties
- Pain and suffering, which includes both physical and emotional pain
- Emotional distress, which includes insomnia and mood disorders (e.g., depression or anxiety)
- Permanent disability or physical disfigurement
Each case is unique to the individual filing, so if you experienced other damages, we may consider them when calculating how much compensation to pursue on your behalf.
How Long Do You Have To File A Whiplash Injury Lawsuit In Florida?
In Florida, Florida Statutes § 95.11(3)(a) states that a plaintiff has four years from the incident that caused their injury to file a lawsuit. Our team may use a copy of the crash report or your medical records to determine your case’s filing deadline.
When you work with a Jacksonville personal injury lawyer from our firm, we go the extra mile to serve you. We will investigate your case thoroughly and submit your lawsuit on time so that your right to pursue compensation isn’t jeopardized. We can manage your case for you so that all you have to worry about is your health and well-being.
Get A Free Case Review When You Call The Law Offices Of Anidjar & Levine
Suppose you or a loved one suffered a whiplash injury in an accident, such as a car accident, in Florida. In that case, you may qualify to demand compensation from the liable party or parties. A personal injury attorney from the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can organize your case, navigate it through litigation, then update you accordingly.
You can tell us about your case in a free consultation when you can our firm. Call our team today to start your legal journey. You won’t have to worry about attorney’s fees, as we don’t collect them unless we win your case.