What to Do If Your Neck Hurts After a Car Accident in Georgia
Neck pain after a car accident shouldn’t be taken lightly. If your neck is hurting after a Georgia car accident, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. They can evaluate you and determine if you suffered a neck injury in the collision, as well as document your pain for your claim.
Don’t put off treatment. Auto insurance companies will look for any reason to deny your claim. If you wait to see a doctor, they may try to say that your neck pain wasn’t actually caused by the accident. You also want to catch any hidden injuries that could become more serious.
You should get medical attention regardless after any car crash. However, you should especially be checked out if you are experiencing any neck pain. Even if the pain isn’t severe, you should still take it seriously. Neck pain can indicate serious injuries, such as spinal cord damage.
If the pain gets worse, you should visit the doctor again. Follow all of their treatment recommendations and avoid any restricted activities.
What Other Steps Should You Take?
Contents
Medical care is only the first step to protecting your health and right to compensation after a collision in Georgia. There are several other things you should do, including:
- Save your documents – Hold on to anything that can be helpful evidence in your claim, including your medical records and bills, pay stubs, and car repair estimates. This proof can establish the severity of your injuries and the losses you have suffered.
- Keep a pain journal – Documenting the pain you’re experiencing is even more critical with injuries that may not be visible, such as whiplash. Keep a journal where you discuss your pain level and how it is affecting your life as you recover.
- File a car accident claim – If someone else caused the crash, they may be responsible for your medical bills, lost income, and other expenses. Filing a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurer can help you recover compensation for the losses your injuries cause.
- Stay off social media – You may be tempted to stay active online and keep your followers updated on your recovery. However, you want to avoid unintentionally posting anything that could make the other driver’s insurance company think you aren’t as hurt as you are. Try not to post on social media until your claim is resolved.
- Contact a lawyer – Consulting a Georgia car accident attorney is essential to ensure you can pursue the compensation you are owed. They can help secure evidence, handle communication with insurers, and keep your case on track.
Can You Be Compensated for Your Car Accident Neck Injury?
If you suffered a neck injury in a collision someone else caused, they may owe you compensation for your resulting losses. By filing a Georgia car accident claim, you can seek money for:
- Medical bills, including emergency room and urgent care visits, imaging tests, physical therapy, medication, surgeries, and chiropractic care
- Lost wages if you cannot work while recovering
- Loss of earning potential if your neck injury prevents you from returning to your old job
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of quality of life if you can no longer do normal tasks or activities you once enjoyed
An Athens car accident lawyer can help you determine the value of these losses and demand fair compensation for them.
Why Are Car Accident Neck Injuries Harder to Prove?
Neck injuries can be incredibly painful and have a major impact on your life. But despite being a common result of car accidents, insurers will try to undervalue or deny your neck injury claim any way they can. They will likely require significant proof to establish your injury and its effects. Unfortunately, this evidence can be more difficult to produce with neck pain. Neck injuries aren’t always obvious. They can also take some time to appear, as injuries like whiplash are known for delayed symptoms. It may take a few days for your neck to start hurting after an accident. That’s why seeing a doctor is essential, even if you don’t think you’re injured.
A Georgia car accident lawyer may use the following evidence to support your personal injury claim:
- Your medical records documenting your neck pain, its connection to the accident, and your doctor’s notes and treatment plan
- Imaging test results, such as CT scans, X-rays, and MRIs
- Medication records and receipts for medicine prescribed for your neck pain
- Pay stubs or income statements showing the time you missed at work because of your injuries
- Invoices, receipts, and bills for all your treatments and visits
- Expert testimony explaining your injuries and their effects
- Your pain journal documenting your experiences while healing
- The police report documenting the car accident
- Photos and videos of the accident scene and any visible injuries
How Long Do You Have to File a Car Accident Injury Lawsuit in Georgia?
Georgia law limits the amount of time you have to bring a car accident lawsuit. The state gives you two years after the date of the collision to file. This deadline is another reason not to delay treatment after a neck injury. You will need to diagnose, treat, and recover from your car accident injuries before you will know the full extent of your losses. It also takes time to build a strong case proving how the other driver was at fault and why you deserve compensation. A Georgia car accident attorney can handle your case from start to finish to maximize your compensation and file everything in time.
Contact a Georgia Car Accident Lawyer
You may not realize how much neck pain can affect every aspect of your life until you’re living it. If it resulted from a collision someone else caused, you shouldn’t have to pay the price. Let a Georgia car accident attorney from R. Alan Cleveland, LLC demand the money you’re entitled to for your suffering. Contact us today for a free consultation to get started.
An Athens resident Alan Cleveland grew up in Rockdale County. As a founding partner of the personal injury law firm of R. Alan Cleveland, LLC he proudly serves his community and provides skilled representation to injury victims and their families all around Georgia. Alan earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and went on to graduate, summa cum laude, from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. He is also a graduate of Gerry Spence’s renowned Trial Lawyers College (TLC) in Wyoming. In his free time, Alan frequently speaks at continuing legal education seminars. He also volunteered as a youth baseball coach and assists with Georgia’s high school moot court competition held annually. Alan serves as a Trustee of Historic Athens and is a member of the Development Authority of the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County.
