A neck injury resulting from a car accident is potentially serious. It can require costly surgery and long-term rehabilitation.
Neck injuries are an all-too-common result of St. Louis car accidents, ranging from mild soft tissue injuries to more severe nerve and spine damage. Whiplash is one of the most prevalent among these injuries and can cause debilitating pain and long-term consequences.
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.
Shockingly, despite the severity of whiplash injuries, many victims mistakenly believe that their pain will simply go away on its own. Unfortunately, failing to seek proper medical attention immediately can result in chronic pain and other serious conditions that can last a lifetime.
If you have been involved in a car accident in St. Louis and suspect you may be suffering from whiplash, it’s important to seek immediate medical attention. Prompt diagnosis and treatment can make a world of difference in your recovery and help ensure you receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
What Is Whiplash?
Whiplash injuries occur when your neck is subjected to sudden, violent motions that force it into extreme positions. While “whiplash” is commonly used, the actual medical term for the injury is cervical acceleration-deceleration, which refers to the hyperextension of the neck. This type of injury is frequently associated with car accidents, making it one of the primary injuries covered by insurance companies. We have experience helping those who have suffered a whiplash injury in all types of accidents, including:
Regardless of the type of accident you were involved in, seeking medical attention is critical to assessing the extent of your injuries and beginning the recovery process.
When your head is forced forward in flexion, the extended cervical spine can experience stretching, tearing, or sudden strain on your neck muscles, bones, and nerves. This movement of the head and body results in the brain hitting against the skull encasing the brain and leading to injury. The severity of a whiplash injury varies depending on the extent of the symptoms and damage sustained by the victim.
Symptoms of Whiplash
Some individuals who suffer from whiplash feel a little discomfort, while others may be in constant pain and experience many other symptoms including:
Neck pain – This is often a result of swelling. When ligaments, tendons, and muscles are over-extended, swelling often results. In the case of some, neck pain may only be apparent when they try to move their head or neck.
Headache – A mild headache after a car accident may be expected. However, a persistent headache may be a result of damage to an upper cervical disc. Medically this is referred to as a cervicogenic headache, and its symptoms are similar to a migraine.
Shoulder pain – Recent estimates claim that 26% of those suffering from whiplash also suffer pain in their shoulder or between their shoulder blades. Of these, 5% suffer from impingement syndrome. This painful condition affects muscles in the rotator cuff of a person’s shoulder.
Dizziness – This symptom could range from lightheadedness to vertigo, where you feel like the room is spinning. This may result from an interruption of normal blood flow through the neck.
Fatigue – This may be caused by chronic pain disturbing your sleep.
Arm pain – The pain or weakness in a whiplash patient’s arm may be caused by a nerve compression resulting from a herniated disc or a muscle spasm that occurred in the neck after the impact may cause referred pain and tingling to the arms.
Visual and Hearing Problems – Some car accident victims suffering from whiplash report having sensitivity to light or seeing spots of light. Ringing in the ears is also commonly reported.
Lower Back pain – If a disc or the facet joint is injured, it can radiate down to the lower back.
Diagnosing and Treating Whiplash
After a car accident, the first stop for many victims is the emergency room, where a physician will conduct a thorough examination to assess any injuries requiring immediate attention. If you were rear-ended, the physician might pay particular attention to your neck area, as whiplash is a common soft tissue injury associated with this type of collision.
An MRI may be used in addition to a physical examination to determine the extent of the injury. The neck may be immobilized using a cervical collar to prevent further damage and encourage proper healing. Pain medication may also be prescribed, along with a physical therapy regimen designed to alleviate pain, reduce swelling, and restore mobility. The severity of the whiplash injury will generally dictate the length and extent of the required therapy.
Stages of Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD)
Whiplash-associated disorder (WAD) is a condition that can be categorized into four stages of severity.
At WAD I, the condition is the least severe and typically responds well to treatment, with a short recovery period.
WAD II is characterized by musculoskeletal damage, which can limit the range of motion and cause tenderness at specific points. Patients often see significant improvements within four to six weeks with proper treatment, including physiotherapy, massage therapy, or chiropractic care.
In WAD III, the injury is more serious, and additional complications may arise. Some symptoms can be long-lasting and may hinder the victim’s ability to return to normal activities.
WAD IV is the most severe stage, involving fractures or dislocations of the neck. This condition almost always causes permanent damage, despite the best medical care and physical therapy.
It is crucial to seek immediate medical attention if you suspect you may have WAD, as early intervention can make a significant difference in recovery.
Recovering from Whiplash Associated Disorder
The prognosis for WAD I and II is generally excellent, with proper therapy and medical care. Most victims will recover within four to six weeks. However, certain factors, such as age and physical health, can affect recovery. In some cases, the injury may not resolve completely.
In contrast, WAD III is a more complex condition with a longer and more complicated recovery period, often involving additional complications such as neurological issues and headaches that can become permanent.
WAD IV is the most severe form of the condition, and victims may experience ongoing restrictions and lifelong limitations. In these cases, even with extensive medical care and physical therapy, complete recovery is not guaranteed. It is crucial to seek proper medical attention as soon as possible following a whiplash injury, as early intervention can significantly improve the chances of a full recovery.
Other Types of Neck Injuries
Whiplash is not the only type of neck injury that can occur in a car accident. Many components of the neck can become damaged. However, some of these injuries may not show up for a few days or weeks after an accident. Also, some neck injuries can manifest in other areas of the body, like in your arms or hands. Some of these other neck injuries include:
After an accident, you may experience neck pain (cervicalgia), headaches, and pain in your shoulders, arms, or hands. Numbness and weakness may also occur. Some of these injuries may be minor but may require therapy and other pain management. Even with minor neck injuries, medical costs can still be expensive.
When Delayed Symptoms Occur
Delayed symptoms after an accident, like whiplash, can lead to adverse health consequences. They can also have an impact on insurance coverage. It’s common for people to end up paying medical expenses out-of-pocket if they settle with the insurance company before delayed injuries surface. That’s why it’s important to avoid rushing into signing a release of liability form. Allowing time to observe and seek medical attention can increase the chances of identifying delayed symptoms and ensure adequate insurance coverage. Seeking prompt medical attention also improves the chance of a complete and speedy recovery.
Why Hire a Whiplash Lawyer After an Accident?
Whiplash injuries can be painful and debilitating, resulting in significant medical expenses and lost income. If you’ve been involved in a St. Louis car accident and suffered a whiplash injury, it’s essential to consider hiring a whiplash lawyer to help you navigate the legal process and get the compensation you deserve.
A qualified St. Louis whiplash lawyer will have the legal knowledge and experience to help you file a claim and negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf. They understand Missouri personal injury laws and can help ensure you receive a fair settlement for your injuries.
Hiring a whiplash lawyer can also increase your chances of a successful claim and provide peace of mind during a stressful time. They can handle the legal aspects of your claim, allowing you to focus on your recovery without the added stress of dealing with insurance companies and legal proceedings.
Contact a St. Louis Whiplash Attorney
If you have been involved in an accident and have sustained whiplash injuries, contact The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. for assistance at (314) 361-4242. We offer free consultations in all personal injury cases, and you never pay attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.
Why Choose Us vs TV Lawyers?
Direct Attorney Access
Maximum Settlement Focus
Trial-Ready Cases
Paralegal Handling
Quick Settlement Push
Settlement-Only Focus
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!
Whiplash is a neck injury resulting from forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck, akin to the cracking of a whip. This injury commonly occurs during rear-end auto collisions, sports accidents, physical abuse, and other trauma.
How long does whiplash last, and what are its symptoms?
Whiplash symptoms can appear within 24 hours of the incident and may include neck pain and stiffness, headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, and fatigue. While most people recover within a few weeks, some may experience chronic neck pain and long-term complications.
Can a whiplash claim be made without a lawyer in St. Louis?
Yes, it’s possible to file a whiplash claim without a lawyer. However, consulting with a specialized whiplash lawyer can significantly enhance your understanding of your legal rights and the value of your claim, potentially leading to a more favorable outcome.
How do I choose the right whiplash lawyer in St. Louis?
When selecting a whiplash lawyer in St. Louis, consider their experience with similar cases, their understanding of neck injuries and medical treatments, their success rate, and their approach to personal injury claims. A dedicated lawyer will offer personalized advice and representation throughout your case.
What compensation can I expect for a whiplash injury in St. Louis?
Compensation for whiplash injuries can cover medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and rehabilitation costs. The amount varies based on the injury’s severity, impact on your daily life, and the evidence presented. An experienced whiplash lawyer can help maximize your claim’s value.
