I Didn’t Realize How Bad I Was Hurt After a Car Accident Until a Few Days Later

Rocky Law Firm comes to the rescue of a young woman who was injured in a car accident when the at-fault insurance company turns its back on her. 

“I was hurt in a car accident.  He hit me from behind on the left side. When it happened, I was just upset my brand new car had been wrecked.  I didn't realize at first just how bad I was hurt. When I woke up on day 3 after the accident I could not turn my neck to the left at all and my lower back and left thigh were on fire. When I called the insurance company, they totally tried to downplay my injuries and said this is completely normal and it will pass. My dad encouraged me to call Rocky McElhaney to represent me and I am so glad I did!!! Everyone in his staff was absolutely wonderful!!! Attorney James Klein and his Paralegal, Tammy, were always checking in with me with updates and questions to help me get the best settlement possible! They referred me to Impact Physical Therapy and they helped to completely heal me from my injuries.  They even worked with my medical bills to get them lowered. I am extremely happy with my settlement and would recommend Rocky McElhaney Law Firm to anyone who might need the services of an injury lawyer.”  -Julie Gray Christopher

As our client Julie explains, sometimes you don’t realize how bad you are following a car accident until hours, or in some cases, even days later.  In Julie’s case, perhaps it was the adrenalin, and maybe a little anger and anxiety over her new car getting wrecked, that allowed the pain associated with her injuries to momentarily recede in the background.  And while Julie’s injuries didn’t result in surgery or any broken bones, they were debilitating for some time, costly, and greatly effected her performance at her sales job where she is on her feet for 55-60 hours a week.

She was worried about her car, she was worried about her claim, she was worried about whether or not she should tell the adjuster about her worsening pain and what would happen when she did.  After her car wreck, the only part of Julie’s life that didn’t worry her and seemed stable was work, so that’s where she went.  Julie is a natural workaholic and in her current position, much of her income stems from commission.  Therefore, although she was suffering, she chose not to miss work at all after her wreck.  Working allowed Julie to keep money coming in, but unfortunately, in an injury claim, going back to work when you really need to be recovering can create a bit of a “double-edged sword” situation with the insurance company.  Little did Julie know that because she went right back to work after the collision despite her pain, in an attempt to do the right thing, the insurance company would perceive her return to work as her “not being injured” and unknowingly, her actions were working against her to effectively devalue her claim for damages for her injuries.

Julie initially told the insurance company when she first made her claim that she was “okay,” and that she seemed to escape the crash without injury.  The minute Julie made the insurance claims adjuster aware that her “whiplash” was more serious than she initially thought, the adjuster’s personality immediately changed from friendly and helpful to condescending and abrasive.  When Julie expressed to the adjuster that she would have liked to go to the doctor to get checked out because she could not turn her head left or right anymore, the adjuster told her it was normal and that she “wasn’t really hurt.”

First of all, there is no middle ground.  Some injuries are more serious than others.  Some injuries heal within a few days, or a few weeks, some within a few months, and some never heal.  But you’re either hurt or you’re not hurtthere’s no not really hurt

It is irresponsible and unethical for an adjuster or anyone from any insurance company to tell you that you are not hurt, especially when you haven’t had the opportunity to be evaluated by a medical professional and get the medical care you deserve. 

That’s when Julie’s dad stepped in and said enough was enough.  He’d heard of the good work we had done for other wreck victims in the same position as Julie and he told her to give Rocky a call.  He told her that if anybody could help her, it’d be him.

Because Julie acted quickly in calling our firm, Rocky and James were able to not only get her the medical care, physical therapy and pain management she needed, but they were able to get Julie thousands more than she would have ever got from the insurance company without a lawyer.   Just as important to Julie was the fact that our firm took care of dealing with the insurance company and negotiating that great recovery for her so she could focus on healing and get back to feeling like herself.

Related information on Tennessee car accident claims

Breaking Down Your Car Accident Settlement

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Lawyer after a Car Accident?

Claiming Lost Wages After a Car Accident Injury

If you’ve been injured in a car wreck or a loved one has been killed by someone’s carelessness, there is only one law firm in Nashville which truly separates itself from the pack as far as providing the most comprehensive care and the best financial recovery possible for you and your family.  We are passionate about what we do and about helping our clients get back on their feet.  We fight for you!  Call (615)425-2500 for a free consultation today.