Once you have received compensation for injuries and expenses, you may not be able to claim compensation for injuries that may show up later.
Car accidents happen all the time, even when
you are making sure you’re driving preventively and following the rules. There
are so many ways in which your body can get injured in a car crash that the
aftermath is rarely predictable. Most car accident injuries are noticeable
right away, but there are some injuries that get worse over time or pass
unnoticed at the time of the accident and immediately after.
This legal professional has shown exceptional competence and dedication in their field. I highly recommend their services to anyone seeking legal representation that is committed to unwavering advocacy and support throughout the entirety of their case.
I would describe this lawyer as highly educated, sharp, and top of his game. Explains the car accident process and treatment options well. The lawyer said if they don’t pay you, we will have the jury take it from the insurance company. Great lawyer. Dynamic person.
Interviewed all the TV car accident lawyers and decided to call this law firm that had great reviews. So happy I did. What a difference!
Response from the owner: TV car accident lawyers are just mass production. This is not a good fit for litigated cases. Paralegals instead of lawyers. Monthly quotas for settlements. Car accident victims end up in a cattle call with the lawyers on TV.
Love my car accident lawyer. This law firm is a step above.
Response from the owner: Our lawyers train and track the best approaches on cases. Whether litigation in cases or the practicalities of certain treatment, the growth of our lawyers over time is paramount. Always staying ahead of and setting practice trends. Thank you.
Serious family member have a car accident injury? Look no further. This litigator is for real. Always two steps ahead of the other lawyer.
Response from the owner: This is a sad reality for car accident lawyers. The #1 passenger in an auto accident is a relative. Helping a family make it through this and putting the family back together is one of the most rewarding things I do as an automobile accident attorney.
This lawyer handles really big accident cases in St Louis. He is a lawyer, accountant and has his masters in tax so he gets the injury cases for individuals that can never go back to work or individuals own a business and cannot run it due to injury. He specializes in valuations of massive loss. Thank goodness a firm like this exists.
Response from the owner: Thank you. When accident are severe and you lose the ability to work or to continue a business, having an accounting and tax background is key. Valuing large losses are second nature for us.
Asked a trauma surgeon who operates on car accident victims who are the best injury lawyers that have taken his deposition. He said “by far” it was Mr Hoffmann. Interviewed several attorneys and this was a correct assessment. In a league of his own!
Response from the owner: Our attorney have deposed nearly all the trauma surgeons at every Level 1 Trauma Center in Saint Louis. These doctors save lives after a car accident. Whether controlling bleeding or reestablishing blood flow or bone structures, they are life savers.
Few lawyers in St. Louis can handle the biggest injury cases! This is one of them!
Response from the owner: Our law firm has made great efforts in terms of training to handle life changing injury cases. Whether in depth knowledge of the medical, loss of income and earning capacity, or lifetime medical care plans, our clients feel confident and know their case is in good hands. Thank you for the compliment.
Cannot say enough about this lawyer. Call if in an accident. This attorney handles the biggest car accidents in St Louis.
Response from the owner: Thanks Ash! Our biggest source of cases is our clients. Our second biggest referral source is defense lawyers telling their relatives to call us. Few lawyers can handle the largest cases. Our law firm welcomes and has trained for this. We don’t do mass production settlement like the lawyers on TV. Our clients can never go back to work. Their cases need massive focus and effort and often long fought litigation.
So glad I called attorney Hoffmann. This time I got it right! So glad I hired the Hoffmann Law Firm - professional, reliable and available.
Response from the owner: Thanks Taylor. Our lawyers answer the phone day, night, weekends and even during lunch. Being professional means training to beat the best defense lawyers. Client rely on us to get results and we do.
Great lawyer. Cares about his clients, knows his stuff and goes the extra mile. I recommend this lawyer for car wreck injury claim. Every other lawyer on TV would not even help with my property claim. This attorney did.
Response from the owner: Thank you for the kind words. Every case starts with a great client. You are correct the car accident lawyers on TV are mass production settlement mills. When injury clients fire them, we get their files and the cases are not worked up at all. Appreciate your confidence in us!
Major car accident injury in St Louis area for a family member. Four different lawyers we know said the same thing - call Chris Hoffmann. On another level.
Response from the owner: This is such a great compliment. Most of our cases come from prior client or lawyers that also do car accidents cases but the particular case is too large or too difficult. Being a lawyer and an accountant, we specialize in cases with total lost of income, earning capacity and/or often the inability to continue a family business. Evaluations such as these are second nature for our lawyers. Thanks.
Best in St Louis for auto accident cases. Nobody else is even close.
Response from the owner: So kind of you to leave this review. Whether our lawyers are going after big insurance or their lawyers, skill and experience are essential and win the day for our auto accident clients. Thanks!
This attorney is very smart, very experienced, returns phone calls and knows the answers when asked. One call and I knew this was a great law firm for auto accidents.
Response from the owner: Our law firm appreciates this. This is a comment we get from so many people who call…”none of the lawyers we called told me all the things that you did.” Whether we take a car accident case or not, helping people is a good thing.
5 Star Lawyer for sure! Best you will find in Saint Louis.
Response from the owner: Thanks for the 5 Star Rating. Reviews like this are great. Injury victims quickly figure out the TV advertisers are not good. We work hard at being the best we can be and it reflects in our representation of car accident victims.
Watch this lawyer in action. Was way better than all the others. Get this lawyer for an automobile accident for sure.
Response from the owner: Thanks for the recommendation. Besides doing cases, our attorneys train for this. Hard work, case knowledge and technique is key to success in car accident litigation.
Very pleased with The Hoffmann Law Firm. Lawyers are attentive, friendly and go the distance to force the settlement you want. The TV lawyers recommend low offers. This law firm gets the maximum.
Response from the owner: We get calls from car accident victims that had to fire the TV lawyers that they hired. They give the same two reasons: 1) they never spoke to a lawyer at the Big TV law firms, only a paralegal, and 2) the paralegal recommended they accept a low offer. At our law firm, you only talk to the lawyer and if an offer is low we tell you to sue. Thanks!
Several lawyers said to call this lawyer because he is the best. You will appreciate this law firm. Helped with the injury and property claims. Attentive and knowledgeable. Great reputation in St Louis.
Response from the owner: Thanks Lexi. Our #1 source of cases is other lawyers referring us cases that are too big for them to handle.
Would use this accident law firm. Best in Saint Louis. Highly rated and it shows. After one phone call, you just know this attorney is better. 5 Stars!!
Response from the owner: Thanks for recommending our lawyers in St Louis. There is a major difference in lawyers as you well know.
Car accident lawyers on tv are not good . Get this attorney ! He is a pro !!
Response from the owner: Thanks Nathan. TV lawyers market for car accidents, use paralegals instead of lawyers and give their employees settlement quotas hence forcing cheap settlements. At our law firm, you get a lawyer who keeps pushing forward for more.
Quality lawyer. Best law firm for a car accident. Advice was way better than other lawyers I called in St. Louis. Helped with property and injury.
Response from the owner: Thanks. The TV lawyer advertisers are just car accident settlement mills. As soon as people call a real attorney, they always tell us how much better and more helpful we were. Appreciate this.
This lawyer is big time. Smooth. The other lawyers on the other side were not nearly as good as this attorney. I recommend friends in St Louis to him for accident injuries and they all say the same thing…”that lawyer is great.”
Response from the owner: Very nice of you to say. Our lawyers work hard on auto accident cases.
Family used this car accident attorney after a crash. Located in St Louis. This lawyer answers the phone and will walk you through the process. Knows his stuff!
Response from the owner: Taking calls, going over the car accident injury and property process is important. Clients that call always say we are the only lawyers that explained everything. Much appreciated.
Tried the lawyers on TV. They were not good. Hired this car accident lawyer instead because he had great reviews. The reviews are correct. This attorney is as good as they get. He does big injury cases that need to be litigated.
Response from the owner: Car accident lawyers on TV do not litigate cases. It is mass production. They have quotas. Local attorneys are best on auto accidents.
Used this attorney for an auto accident. Highly recommend this lawyer in St. Louis. Communicates well.
Response from the owner: Communicating with clients is essential. Taking the client though the car accident claims process is important otherwise major mistakes can occur. It is an effort that we make. Thanks!
Fantastic law firm, I would recommend! Received free consultation related to an auto accident when my parked car was damaged by a baseball. Very supportive advice, these guys are good!
I was in a car accident in St.Louis and hired Chris as my lawyer. He was amazing!!! He helped me every step of the way and was able to get me a great settlement!!!Highly, highly, highly recommend him!
Response from the owner: Each step is important in a car accident. Thanks for recommending us for car accidents injury claims.
Some of the injuries that may affect you more later on than in the immediate aftermath of the accident are: soft tissue injuries, concussion, spine injuries, ruptured spleen, membranes that can lead to delayed internal bleeding, bone fissures, etc.
Why
It’s Important to Go to the Doctor After a Car Crash
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When you are in an extremely stressful situation, like a car accident, your body triggers the “fight or flight” response and flushes adrenaline through your body. Besides preparing your body to deal with immediate danger, adrenaline also inhibits your ability to feel pain. This is why many car accident victims skip going to the doctor, thinking they are ok, only to find out later that they need medical treatment for injuries.
Going to the doctor after a car accident will
also help you protect your legal rights and allow you to claim compensation for
your medical expenses, pain, and suffering.
Whiplash is the soft tissue injury in the neck region and is generally associated with pain in the neck; however, it can affect the neural pathways affecting the extremities and the complete spinal cord. Other symptoms of whiplash include the reduced motion of the neck, headaches, feeling dizzy, stiffness in the shoulders and arms, numbness or weakness in the affected region, and slowed reflexes. These symptoms impact the day-to-day life of the injured person and the effects can vary from unpleasant to debilitating. These injuries can be treated with physical therapy and chiropractic manipulations.
Concussions
A concussion is a brain injury when the brain sustains trauma due to the impact to the brain inside the skull. This is caused when the head hits an object or when the head which is in motion with the vehicle suddenly stops due to sudden deceleration of the vehicle. This sudden acceleration or deceleration can cause whiplash in addition to a concussion. A concussion causes a temporary loss of brain function. The symptoms of concussion include headaches, disorientation, ringing in the ears, confusion, blurred vision, vomiting, irritability, loss of balance, amnesia, anxiety or depression, lethargy, insomnia, and loss of concentration.
Studies have shown that five to seven percent of people who have suffered a concussion experience a post-traumatic seizure some time in their life. The most susceptible to post-traumatic seizures are children and elderly ones. Concussion which results in internal bleeding of the brain may cause post-traumatic epilepsy, which is a permanent condition. The effects of concussion generally last from a few hours to a few weeks. The treatment is that of the symptoms rather than the injury.
Internal injuries may not be evident for several days after the crash, and in many cases, they can be life-threatening if they are not diagnosed and treated early on. So, it is important to seek immediate medical attention.
Pain in the neck or shoulder might indicate whiplash injury. In some cases, neck and shoulder pain may be felt immediately after the crash, but some people may not experience symptoms until days later.
You should see a doctor if you experience pain or stiffness around the neck, shoulder or head area. The doctor may order imaging tests such as X-rays to diagnose the injuries. Neck pain may also be a result of spinal injuries such as herniated discs.
Back pain
Lower back pain is another delayed symptom of whiplash or other injuries such as strain, sprain, and herniated disc. These injuries could indicate muscle, ligament or vertebral damage. The victim may experience sciatica and symptoms such as numbness or tingling if the damaged parts within the spinal cord press on any nerves in the area.
Numbness and tingling
A herniated disc can cause symptoms in the injured area as well as the limbs. A herniated disc may press on spinal nerves and cause symptoms such as weakness, numbness and tingling in the limbs. The doctor may order imaging tests to identify the injury and start appropriate treatment.
Emotional Injuries
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) happens when a victim of a car accident develops misplaced situational anxiety or changes in normal personality. This may arise after a few months of the traumatic event and is the most difficult injury to diagnose.
If you are involved in a car accident, seek medical attention and look for injuries that may have delayed symptoms. This is essential because it may help you to safeguard your health and ensure that your legal rights are protected. Claiming compensation for injuries with delayed symptoms, especially PTSD, can be a difficult task. The insurance company may offer you an initial settlement. Before signing a settlement offer, contact a St. Louis car accident attorney for legal advice. Once you have received compensation for current injuries and expenses you will not be able to claim compensation for injuries that may show up later.
Delayed Symptoms of a Heart Injury
A heart injury is a less common but frightening injury a person can suffer in a car accident.
The main cause of heart injury arising from a car crash is impacting the chest against the steering wheel or dashboard of the vehicle. Heart injuries are difficult to diagnose because there are no immediate signs of external injury. It may take weeks and even months after the crash for symptoms to present themselves.
Any new symptoms should be reported to a doctor, even if they occur weeks or months after the crash. Delayed symptoms could be signs of an underlying serious injury. Prompt treatment of heart injuries is important to prevent any serious life-threatening complications. The are two common heart injuries related to car accidents – myocardial contusion and traumatic aortic disruption.
The bruising of the heart muscle is referred to as myocardial contusion. This bruising is often caused when a driver’s chest hits the steering wheel forcefully during a crash. The bruising can range from being minor to severe. Common symptoms of myocardial contusion include pain in the sternum or front of the ribs, shortness of breath, chest pressure or pain, nausea, vomiting, and a racing heartbeat.
Traumatic Aortic Disruption
A serious and potentially life-threatening heart injury resulting from car accidents is a traumatic aortic rupture. It occurs when the largest artery in the body, the aorta, is ruptured or torn due to the impact of the crash. The aorta branches out from the heart and supplies blood to the rest of the body. Any disruption from the injury is significant and blood may pump out rapidly. The condition is often life-threatening, because of the profuse bleeding that can result from the tear or rupture. However, prompt treatment can help manage the condition and prevent any complications.
What To Do If You Have Suffered a Delayed Car Accident Injury
As we have discussed, car accidents can cause a variety of different injuries, but in some cases, you may not be able to spot them right away.
Many car crash victims can even seem to be completely fine right after the event takes place. Apart from being a bit frazzled, they can talk, and even walk on their own two feet to go home.
However, this does not exclude the possibility of a delayed car accident injury.
These injuries may only become visible or start presenting symptoms a few days after the car accident. In some cases, these injuries occur right after the event, but because of the adrenaline rush, you may feel completely fine.
For example, you may fracture or sprain your wrist during a car crash, but it’s possible not to feel it at first. In fact, you may only notice something’s wrong when the wrist begins to swell.
Other injuries may occur as complications to not receiving medical attention right after the event.
How These Injuries Can Affect Your Claim
Again, we cannot emphasize how important it is to see a doctor right after a car accident, regardless of how you may feel. This ensures that you are safe, and makes it a lot easier to file a compensation claim later on if you were the victim of an accident.
Delayed injuries often complicate the insurance claims’ process quite a bit. Depending on how long you wait until you see a doctor, it can be harder and harder to link the injury itself to the car accident, and the insurance company may wonder if you haven’t actually sustained them somewhere else.
Additionally, if your injuries get worse because of not getting medical treatment, this can affect the settlement amount. The at-fault driver is responsible for covering your medical costs that result from the accident, but if you don’t see a doctor right away, you will likely be held responsible for at least part of these costs. Had you seen a doctor after the crash, the treatment needed may have been less extensive and, as a result, less expensive. The insurance company will almost surely push back as a result.
Additionally, think of your own wellbeing. Your body is made up of a lot of complicated systems, and the truth is that you are not always aware of what’s going on inside. To stay safe, it’s best to see a doctor as soon as the car accident occurs, even if it’s just to rule out anything serious.
Free Consultation with a St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer
Don’t talk to an insurance claims adjuster before speaking with The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. We can help you avoid making statements that may affect the outcome of your case. The consultation is free; you don’t pay unless we get you money!
