Can I Sue for Whiplash in Washington State?

Posted Friday, February 25, 2022 by Chris Thayer

If you have been in a rear-end accident or other vehicle collision in Seattle or somewhere else in Washington State, you may now be dealing with the physical and financial consequences of someone else’s actions. Whiplash is commonly caused by rear-end accidents, and can result in trauma to the neck, cervical spine, and brain. Whiplash injuries can seriously impair a person’s ability to work and engage in daily tasks, such as driving, cooking, and cleaning. This can result in significant medical bills, which can be hard to pay off if you are unable to work. Many people who have suffered these injuries find that the fastest and most effective way to get the financial support that they need to recover and continue with their lives is by bringing a personal injury lawsuit.

*Can I Bring a Lawsuit for Whiplash?*In order to bring a personal injury lawsuit for whiplash there are a few criteria that must be met. First, the injury must have been caused by another driver’s negligence. There are two important components to this — the other driver must have been negligent and their negligence must have caused your injury. Second, your injury must have required medical attention and resulted in financial harm, known as damages. For instance, if you were rear-ended or in a fender-bender and felt some discomfort in your neck but did not seek medical attention or miss work, you are unlikely to be able to recover for your injury even if the other driver negligently caused the crash. This is because you do not have any financial damages to show based on your injury. For this reason, it is always a good idea to see a doctor as soon as possible after a car accident so that you can have the necessary documentation to bring a claim if you end up having an injury, such as whiplash, later. This is particularly relevant with whiplash and other soft tissue injuries as they often take several days to become apparent.

*Damages for Whiplash *A personal injury lawsuit aims to restore the victim of someone else’s negligence to the position they would have been in financially if they had never been in the accident. This includes compensation for all medical expenses and expenses related to the injury, as well as compensation for pain and suffering. The more permanent and severe your whiplash injury is, the higher your damages will be. The average settlement amount for a temporary or less serious whiplash injury ranges from $10,000 - $100,000, while whiplash injuries that cause serious interference in a person’s life, career, or general well-being, can be over $1,000,000.

*Contact the Pivotal Law Group*If you are suffering from whiplash or other injuries sustained in a rear-end accident that was not your fault, the Pivotal Law Group in Seattle, Washington, is ready to help. Serving Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Burien, Mercer Island, Issaquah, or the greater Seattle area, our experienced personal injury attorneys will fight to get you the maximum amount of compensation that you are entitled to, so that you can get your life back on track as soon as possible. Contact the Pivotal Law Group today to schedule a consultation.