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Traffic Accident Insurance Claims Article
By: Dan Baldyga
The “Bottom Line”
regarding “Whiplash Crash Facts”
(accumulated during 2004 - - and including all the previous
years which I've put together) and they are as follows:
THERE ARE 8 SERIOUS AND ABSOLUTE FACTS
REGARDING WHICH IS TODAY IDENTIFIED AS A “WHIPLASH”
INJURY.
1#. The “Threshold” for cervical
spine soft tissue injury becomes a reality at 5 MPH.
2#. Most injuries occur at speeds below 12
MPH.
#3. Crashed cars can often withstand collision
speeds of 10 MPH (some even more) without sustaining damage.
(THUS: The concept of “No Property Damage - No Cash
For Personal Injuries Claimed” has absolutely been
invalidated)!
#4. A delay in the onset of symptoms has been
found to be the “Norm” rather than the “Exception”.
#5. Mild traumatic brain injury can be the
result of a Whiplash -Type injury. (These symptoms are often
referred to as, “Post Concussion Syndrome”).
#6. Up to 10% of victims of “Whiplash”
become totally disabled !
#7. Of the 31 important whiplash studies since
1956 (22 of them executed since 1993) regarding patients
from all vectors of motor vehicle accident collision impacts
(be they rear, frontal, or side) it was found that “over
60% of them” needed long-term medical follow-up.
#8. In 2003 several million Americans suffered
a “Whiplash-Type” injury. This figure flows
into the stratosphere each and ever day at an alarming rate
of speed!
TIME NEEDED TO RECOVER
Studies have proven that 45% of the victims
remained symptomatic at 12 weeks and 25% remained symptomatic
at 6 months. The most minor cases needed at least 8 weeks
to recover. The time needed to stabilize in the more severe
cases took 17 weeks. THUS: The written (and often declared)
notion that “Whiplash Injuries Heal In 6 To 8 Weeks”
is just not true !
CHILDREN AND THE “WHIPLASH-TYPE”
INJURY:
Youngsters who have had Whiplash-Type injuries
display sleep disturbances and nightmares, difficulties in
talking to parents and friends, mood disturbances, poor academic
performance and specific fears when it came to impact related
play.
ANOTHER SERIOUS CONCLUSION:
Children who have been involved in motor vehicle accidents
are often neglected as having had “Any various types
of injury“, when in actuality, they suffer from the
same symptoms as adults. As a matter of fact, they’re
at a greater risk for damages - - especially when it comes
to “WHIPLASH” !
THE 5 MOST COMMON MYTHS AS APPLIED TO
“WHIPLASH”
#1. Low speed impact crashes don’t
cause injuries.
#2. Injuries heal in 6 to 12 weeks.
#3. A patients pre-injury psychological makeup
affects recovery.
#4. The greater the vehicle damage the greater
the occupant injury.
#5. An “Accident Re-Constructionist”
can predict injury potential.
All five of these “Conclusions”
have been proved to be totally incorrect !
3 SOLID “INJURY-CRASH-FACTS”
#1. Most injuries occur at speeds below 12
MPH.#2. Rear-end impacts of 6 MPH to 12 MPH cause the most
injuries. #3. Between 1 and 2 years post-injury, 22% of
patient’s conditions have not returned to “Normal”.
9 ABSOLUTELY CORRECT WHIPLASH “RISK-FACTORS”
#1. DEGENERATIVE DISEASE: Headaches and/or
neck injury pain (for whatever reasons) prior to the crash.
#2. PRE-EXISTING HEALTH PROBLEMS: These can
positively lead to even greater pain. (For example: An Arthritic
situation will always lead to the severity of the injury
and the pain).
#3. VEHICLE SIZE: Even if both are about the
same size an 8 MPH impact produces two times the force of
gravity. If one is greater than the size of another the
Gravity-Force becomes monumental!
#4. HEADREST POSITION: The injury becomes
much worse if it’s too far away. It must be close
enough to catch the head in time - - or about 2 inches.
(Over 98% of the headrests are more than 2 inches from the
head).
#5. POSITION OF HEAD AT IMPACT: If not positively
straight (it rarely is) all the G Forces are localized to
one side of the spine, substantially increasing the severity
of injuries.
#6. AGE: How old one is plays a crucial role
regarding a “Whiplash-Type” of injury. Why?
Because as the body becomes older, ligaments become less
pliable, muscles are weaker and less flexible plus there’s
a decreased range of motion.
#7. WOMEN AND CHILDREN: They injure more seriously
than men because they have smaller necks. They may also
be too close to the steering wheel, airbag and/or are wearing
an improper fitting shoulder harness.
#8. NON-USE OF: The motor vehicle’s
shoulder harness.
#9. FAILURE TO WEAR A SEATBELT !
NEVER FORGET TO READ YOUR MEDICAL PAYMENTS COVERAGE
YOU MUST READ AND UNDERSTAND ALL THERE IS TO
KNOW ABOUT YOUR MOTOR VEHICLE INSURANCE “MEDICAL PAYMENTS”
COVERAGE: This coverage pays all Medical (and often even funeral
expenses) for you, your spouse and even relatives living in
your home, and/or others who are injured while operating your
motor vehicle.
HERE’S A “BIGGIE” THAT MANY
PEOPLE ARE NOT AWARE OF: You and your resident family members
may also be covered as pedestrians regarding the payment of
your medical bills - - should you have been struck and injured
by a motor vehicle.
PLUS: WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR MOTOR VEHICLES “MEDICAL
PAYMENTS” COVERAGE - - HERE ARE 2 HUGE FACTS YOU MUST
INVESTIGATE:
#1. You’re usually paid (regardless of
who was at fault for the accident) up to the limit of the
coverage you’ve selected. #2. The coverage often extends
to medical expenses incurred - - all during the first three
years, after the accident !
>> Return
to traffic accident insurance claims articles
DISCLAIMER:
The purpose of this article "YOUR
MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT - WHIPLASH-TYPE INJURY AS OF LATE 2004"
is for all readers to understand the motor vehicle accident
claim process. Neither Dan Baldyga, Scott Baker, I GOT HIT,
LLC, and/or the Accident Resource make any guarantee of any
kind whatsoever, NOR do they purport to engage in rendering
any professional or legal service; NOR to substitute for a
lawyer, an insurance adjuster, or claims consultant, or the
like. Where such professional help is desired it is THE INDIVIDUAL’S
RESPONSIBILITY to obtain said services.
Dan Baldyga’s third and latest book,
AUTO ACCIDENT PERSONAL INJURY INSURANCE CLAIM (How To Evaluate
And Settle Your Loss) can be found on the internet at http://www.caraccidentclaims.com
or http://www.autoaccidentclaims.com.
This book reveals “How To” handle your property
damage claim so you won’t be taken advantage of. It
also goes into detail regarding BASE (The Baldyga Auto Accident
Settlement Evaluation Formula). THE BASE FORMULA explains
how to determine the value of the “Pain and Suffering”
you endured - - because of your personal injury!
Copyright (c) 2004 By Daniel G. Baldyga.
All Rights Reserved.
Dan Baldyga - Author
dbpaw@comcast.net
AUTO ACCIDENT PERSONAL INJURY INSURANCE CLAIM
(How To Evaluate And Settle Your Loss)
http://www.autoaccidentclaims.com
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