Questions After an Accident
Questions After an Accident

After a car accident, there are lots of uncertainties.

  • What do I do for my neck and back pain?
  • Where do I go for treatment?
  • How can I afford to get treatment?
  • Should I wait to hear from the insurance company before getting treated?
  • Should I go through my health insurance for treatment?
  • Why isn’t the insurance company calling me back?
  • What are the long term effects of my injuries?
  • What happens if I can’t work and lose income?
  • What about the time I am taking off work for treatment?
  • What about my emotional and mental state?
  • What about my anxiety and sleepless nights?
  • Will my insurance rate go up?
  • How much is my case worth?
  • What is “pain and suffering” and how is it calculated?
  • How long will this process take?

This list can go on and on and on …

So, what are the answers?

Unfortunately, it’s not simple.  After 23 years of handling car accident cases, I have learned that while some things stay the same, others change and keep changing.

As an example, the mechanics of car accidents have stayed relatively the same – a rear-end collision will cause the driver’s (and passenger’s) head to whip back and forth, resulting in musculature tears and reversed curvature of the spine (in other words, whiplash!).  This is often accompanied by neck pain and stiffness, headaches and sleepless nights.  A pinched nerve in the neck will cause tingling and numbness down the arm, and a pinched nerve in the lower back will cause sciatic pain, radiating down the leg. Treatment for these injuries differ, depending on the severity of the injury.

So, what has changed?

The way insurance companies value injuries has changed over the years, particularly when it comes to pain and suffering.  While some look at the type of injury, others use a computer program with built-in algorithms, and yet others look at the treatment given.

Every case is unique, depending on the type of accident, the injuries sustained, the treatment received and the insurance company involved.  So, how do you protect yourself? It starts before an accident occurs, by having the right type of insurance coverage.  When an accident does occur, it then becomes imperative to consult with an experienced attorney.

With over 23 years of experience handling personal injury and car accident cases, I have seen and handled it all, and my experience as a defense attorney working for the insurance company gives me a unique perspective, placing me in a position to better help our injured clients.


 
This article is brought to you by Mason Rashtian of The Mason Law Firm, a full-service personal injury attorney and accident lawyer. We represent clients all throughout California and Los Angeles County, including the Santa Clarita Valley, Valencia, Stevenson Ranch, Canyon Country, Newhall, and the entire San Fernando Valley.

We can be reached at (661) 270-5677.

This article is meant for informational purposes only.

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