Posted on Monday, September 11th, 2017 at 12:52 am
One of the most frustrating or infuriating statements after a car accident that an insurance adjuster can say to a victim is, “It was just a fender bender so your injuries cannot be that severe.” Many people, including insurance adjusters, believe that “fender benders” or low-speed collisions equal minor injuries.
For some reason, insurance adjusters want to equate the amount of property damage to the vehicles with the severity of your injuries. This assumption makes no sense except in one sense — to settle your injury claim for as little as possible. However, the impact from a low-speed car accident can cause serious injuries that can prevent you from performing your normal daily activities, including taking care of your family and performing job duties.
Low-Speed Car Accident Injuries
One of the reasons that insurance adjusters and others assume that low-impact crashes do not cause severe injuries is because many of the injuries in these types of accidents are soft tissue injuries. A common example of a soft tissue injury sustained in a low-speed car accident is whiplash.
Unfortunately, soft tissue injuries like whiplash do not show up on imaging tests like a broken bone. An x-ray or MRI will not show the soft tissue damage caused by the car accident. Therefore, the insurance adjuster may argue that you are not as severely injured as you claim. In other words, “Where is the medical proof for your injury?”
Proving a Soft Tissue Injury
One of the first things you should do after any accident is to seek medical attention. It is important to your claim that you document your injuries as soon as possible after an accident. With a soft tissue injury, your doctor can document symptoms to help diagnose your condition. Your doctor can also prescribe various treatments that can help relieve the pain and improve mobility. The diagnosis and treatment plan are key elements in a low-speed car crash claim.
You need to document your symptoms, including your pain level and limitations in activities. Many times, proving whiplash or other soft tissue damage involves documenting the various symptoms of the injury and how those symptoms improved or grew worse with various forms of treatment. Report all changes to your physician immediately and follow through with treatment to improve your chance of recovering compensation for your injuries.
Another way to improve your chance of recovering money for your accident claim is by consulting with an experienced Sacramento accident attorney as soon as possible after the crash. An attorney can advise you of your options and provide support and guidance as you continue treatment for your injury and prepare to file your injury claim against the negligent driver.
Call for a Free Legal Consultation with a Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer
If you have been injured in a low-speed car accident and the insurance adjuster is not treating you fairly, call Tiemann Law Firm at (916) 999-9000 to schedule your free appointment with an attorney or request additional information about soft tissue damages and car accident claims.
