Are you suffering from a whiplash injury? If so, consider hiring a professional car crash lawyer in Calgary.
Suffering from a whiplash injury can be distressing experience, impacting one’s quality of life. In Calgary the compensation for whiplash injuries is governed by the specific regulations and details of each case.
This post aims to provide a comprehensive overview of what victims can expect in terms of potential compensation.
What is a whiplash?
Whiplash is a kind of neck injury caused by the sudden and forceful back-and-forth movement of the neck, commonly resulting from the rear-end car accidents. The symptoms can include neck pain, stiffness, headaches, dizziness, and in severe cases more chronic neurological issues.
In Calgary, the compensation of whiplash is influenced by many factors like the severity of the injury, the impact on quality of life and the anticipated time required for the recovery. Calgary also has a cap on compensation for minor injuries that includes mild to moderate whiplash cases. Hiring a professional Car Crash Lawyer in Calgarywill help you navigate the claim process effectively.
How much compensation can I expectfor whiplash injuries?
The compensation for whiplash injuries is governed under the Alberta’s Minor Injury Regulation (MIR). Its technical as if your whiplash injuries such as musculoskeletal pain with soft tissue injuries which gets resolved within short period of time, then it is likely that your claim is “caught by the cap” under the “minor injury” definition under the Regulation. You need an expert lawyer to assess with your injuries fall beyond the definition of “minor” and could be “chronic”. If your injuries are “minor” then your claim is capped, and you can get up to a maximum amount decided under the MIR Regulation since 2004.In 2004, the minor injury cap was $4,000 and that has moved up due to inflation to $6,061 in 2024. This amount applies to all the minor injuries resulting from automobile accidents occurring in Calgary on or after Jan 1 2024. This cap covers non-economic damages like pain and suffering for injuries considered to be minor that often includes soft tissue injuries like whiplash.
The economic losses for medical expenses and lost earnings are calculated separately and can significantly increase the total compensation.
What are the factors affecting the compensation?
- Severity of the injury: More severe whiplash cases are considered outside the minor injury regulation can exceed the cap.
- Nature of Injuries:Your injuries must be “chronic” to qualify beyond the definition of “minor”, it has to be a “Serious Impairment”.
- Long-term impacts: If there is a chronic pain or long-term disability the compensation can be higher.
- Added costs: Expenses for medical treatment, rehabilitation and potential future care are reimbursed as actual costs incurred that are not capped.
Navigating the incident of whiplash injury in Calgary is a challenging process and one should know their nuances and rights of the Alberta’s compensation regulations. Consulting a personal injury lawyer can provide guidance and support in sync with your specific situation.
Consider seeking an expert legal advice from a car crash lawyer in Calgary, Alberta to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve for your whiplash injury.
