Whiplash / Neck & Back Injuries & Pain Compensation

Soft Tissue Injury / Fractures from Car Accidents

article by Bruce Lemer, Vancouver lawyer with 30 years experience dealing with personal injuries from car accidents and ICBC claims.

While the common view of soft tissue injuries is that they are less severe than fractures, whiplash and other ligament, tendon and muscle injuries can actually be severe and long-lasting.

It can take hours and days after an accident for soft tissue damage to become fully apparent.  A physician should determine if there are signs or symptoms of an additional spinal cord injury, and may recommend x-rays, a CT scan or MRI.

Spinal injuries, such as ruptured or bulging discs and fractures require special care. For purely soft tissue, whiplash and related injuries physiotherapy, massage therapy, chiropractic treatment and exercise are often recommended. ICBC “no-fault” or ”Part VII” payments cover medical expenses not otherwise paid by the Medical Services Plan.  Whiplash, back injuries and other soft tissue injuries can take months to recover and it is best not to rush settlement of an injury claim.  Settlement negotiations and mediation should wait until the prognosis is known.

Lawyers for insurance companies often say that, when CT scans or MRIs show that spinal degeneration existed before an accident occurred, the injured person would have had back pain in the future even if the accident did not occur.  They argue that the accident simply caused the pain to occur earlier than would have been the case had the accident not occurred.  In fact, some research has shown that many people without neck and back symptoms have MRIs or CT scans that show degeneration.  Therefore, accident victims might very well have been without any back or neck pain had the triggering accident not occurred. 

Bruce Lemer is a Vancouver personal injury lawyer who has been counsel in many actions involving soft tissue, whiplash and back injuries since 1982.  He ensures that all necessary medical evidence is obtained to prepare your case. 

Where appropriate, he will retain independent medical experts and arrange private MRI’s or CT scans to avoid the long wait in the public medical system.  He generally covers all expenses and is paid only when a settlement or judgment is obtained (known as a contingency fee or percentage fee arrangement).

An experienced auto accident lawyer will ensure that you obtain appropriate damages for your injuries.  Bruce Lemer has thirty years experience as a motor vehicle accident lawyer in British Columbia and has the expertise and resources to represent you properly.

Getting legal advice from a experienced lawyer - Home & hospital meetings are available - contact:

Bruce W. Lemer LLB
540 - 220 Cambie St.,
Vancouver, B.C. 
V6B 2M9

Get in touch with us right away by calling 604.642.6363
Web site: BruceLemer.com

see Bruce Lemer's articles on

• Medical malpractice cases
• Motorbike / scooter accidents in BC
• Brain injury and experienced lawyers

see also Rose Keith's articles on

• Pain & suffering awards in BC
• Survivors Guide to ICBC: Understanding the basic procedures, rights and obligations when dealing with ICBC
• Cyclist helmets and use to protect from head injuries, at BCpersonalinjury.org...Cyclist-Helmets

see article Motorbike Insurance in B.C. The Importance of Being Properly Insured:  What is "Enough Coverage"? at MotorBikeInsuranceICBC.html

Credits & References

The photo of woman having a neck treatment above, is of physiotherapist Faraley V.S. (circa 2009) being treated by senior physio therapist Chris May, both at that time with LifeMark Services on Wilson Street, in Victoria BC. -- since then she is now with broadmeadphysiotherapy.com Broadmead Orthopaedic Physiotherapy Clinic, 102-4420 Chatterton Way, Victoria, BC V8X 5J2

In 2010 Chris May, worked as a physiotherapist volunteer at the Vancouver Winter Olympics and is now with rebalancemd.com/about/team Rebalance MD, states on their web site "As part of our mission to provide the highest quality of services throughout the entire musculoskeletal care spectrum, we have assembled a comprehensive team of accomplished physicians and adjunct health professionals from the fields of orthopaedics, physiatry, and physiotherapy into a single allied group practice focused on excellence." (quote 2014.04.02 fr. rebalancemd.com/about/team

see also Westside Physiotherapy Clinic in Victoria, BC for physiotherapists, massage therapists etc

see also bcphysio.org site of the Physiotherapy Association of B.C. - to find a physio close to you
see also MedicalHealthClinics.com

Registered Massage Therapists

• see BurnabyRehab.com Burnaby Neuromuscular Massage Clinic right next to MetroTown mall complex on Kingsway and Nelson, s/a www.metrotown.info/ canada-burnaby/ clinics-massage

B.C. Personal Injury Lawyers: 
· Vancouver BC
· Burnaby BC
· Port Moody BC
· Surrey BC
· Nanaimo BC
· Victoria BC