Whiplash Injuries From Car Accident
Whiplash injury to the soft tissue of the neck area primarily due to the body being thrown in a forward jerking motion, usually with car accident resulting in being hit from behind.
Noticing the symptoms of whiplash typically show up within 24 hours to develop.
In many cases though after a car crash it can take a few days for the victim to really feel any pain.
Car and truck accidents happen everyday, and sometimes the injury victim gets lucky with only minor whiplash.
Your best bet is always to contact an injury lawyer after a car accident.
Better safe than sorry.
Common signs of whiplash
There are many signs to look out for if you’ve been involved in a car crash.
Don’t sit and wait around for the pain to get worse.
Below is a list of what to look for.
Headaches -that start at the back of the skull, sometimes extreme headaches almost like a migraine
Neck Pain– Or stiff neck, pinched nerve in the neck area, or just aching and sore
Loss of range of motion– can’t put your neck completely forward or backward due to stiffness and pain
Steady or increasing pain in the neck- you may not even notice it at first but as time goes on the pain may continue to get worse
Sore muscles in areas around the neck- upper back, shoulders, and arms
Dizziness and Fatigue – another common symptom
This is why seeking medical attention immediately after an accident is so important.
Hiring a good injury attorney can also be helpful in a whiplash accident case.
The Law Gang is an experienced accident firm with many years of experience in whiplash cases, call us today.
Whiplash Treatment
Treatment for whiplash can vary, each case is different but the first thing you need to do is get medical attention.
Whiplash usually involves a lot of self care at home and rest.
Doctors can prescribe anti-inflammatory medications, or suggest over the counter pain relievers.
It is also recommended that whiplash victims use cold compress and ice the affected area for 24 hours prior to any attempts at exercise to improve strength and mobility.
In more extreme cases doctors may suggest physical therapy, cervical collar, and even antidepressants to treat nerve pain.
Immediate medical attention can prevent any long term effects from whiplash.
Having a great legal team on your side after a whiplash accident can also help prevent long term effects call the Law Gang today.
What Can Doctor do for Whiplash Injury?
It depends on the type of injury.
Whiplash actually refers to the motion of being suddenly thrown forward and back in a car during an accident, and it can cause many types of specific injuries, known generally as whiplash-associated disorder (WAD).
There is no single test for WAD and an X-ray does not help because WAD usually involves soft tissue, not broken bones.
However, your doctor will evaluate the type of pain you have along with what causes it – moving a certain way, laying down, etc.
Then they may recommend certain treatments including:
- Massage therapy- to relieve the pressure or knots around the neck area
- Physical therapy -the create new movement and strength in the affected area
- Chiropractic treatments– usually when pain is severe, chiropractic treatment can immediately reduce pain with pinched nerves
- Stretches and strengthening exercises– this is self healing and a list of these stretches can be provided by your doctor
- Wearing a soft cervical collar (“neck brace”)- the white neck collar to reduce movement to allow healing of the tissue
- NSAIDs and pain medication
- Injections such as an epidural or steroid shots to block pain impulses and allow tissue to heal
Treatments for whiplash again, vary and are based on the severity of the injury itself.
Having the whiplash experts on your side to guide you through this medical maze can this time to heal a little easier.
Call the Law Gang today.
How Long does Whiplash Last
As benign as a simple neck sprain can seem, whiplash actually correlates with a host of long-term health effects, such as chronic neck and shoulder pain, and migraines.
A recent study completed by Northwestern Medicine scientists used MRI Imaging to identify a correlation between whiplash and long-term pain and disability.
According to their research, while some people will recover from their whiplash injuries within a few months, as many as 25% of whiplash sufferers experience long-term effects that devolves into long-term or lifelong chronic pain.
Migraine sufferers especially need to be careful after a car accident because 1 in 7 daily chronic headaches are due to a head or neck injury.
It is said that about 90% of whiplash sufferers complain of extreme headaches after the event.
The Nature of Whiplash Injuries
Whiplash or Sprained neck, soft tissue neck damage whatever name you give it is an injury to the cervical neck region.
These injuries might not be known for several days to either the patient or the medical professionals.
That’s why seeking medical attention and follow up is so important.
In less severe cases most symptoms will dissipate on their own.
However, more serious cases can result in long term prolonged pain for victims.
Often considered as nuisance claims, whiplash can be a very serious medical condition.
Whiplash can be hard to diagnose, it doesn’t show in X-rays or other diagnostic tools this causes the claim process to be much more difficult to prove.
Duration of Pain Impacts Settlement
Like we stated earlier most whiplash symptoms will dissipate in the short term.
If you’re feeling like your symptoms are not getting better and then pain isn’t going away you should have a more severe injury to your upper most vertebrae C1-C7 , including injury to your discs and / or joints.
Seeking medical treatment and being diagnosed is the most important thing, be persistent with your doctors and make sure everything is documented.
All medical treatments and bills need to be documented and recorded when filing an insurance claim or pursuing legal action against another person or company.
The Claims Process Concerning a Whiplash Injury
First always get medical attention immediately after an accident.
Make sure all medical services are documented and keep good records they will be needed at a later date when examining whether or not to file a lawsuit claim.most cases never end up in court and are often settled out of court through attorneys.
Victims of whiplash cases should bring the records and get a consultation with an attorney immediately after an accident.
Call the Law Gang speak directly with an attorney.
The consultation is free.
How Much Can you Recover from a Whiplash Accident
Settlements for whiplash injuries vary based on the injury and the severity of the injury.
Mild whiplash can be valued at $2,500 to $10,000.
More serious whiplash accidents involving long term treatment can be valued at around $30,000
. The severest cases where it may not be whiplash at all and may be something more severe for example nerve or disc damage to the spinal cord.
These extreme injuries will receive the most compensation upwards of $100,000.
But at the end of the day only an experienced attorney can give you an idea of what your case is worth.
Call the Law gang today to receive a free evaluation of your case.
When to see an attorney
After you receive medical attention, seeking out an attorney should be your next step.
This can save you thousands of dollars and get you the settlement you deserve.
Consult with a legal professional right after an accident, then hire and retain a legal team to help guide you through the settlement process.
Why Contact the Law Gang
The Law Gang has many office locations
Don’t trust the insurance company to pay you a fair settlement.
We at the Law Gang work for our clients, we will not just settle quickly we will work to get you the settlement you deserve
We at the Law Gang won’t be bullied by big insurance companies, we know how to deal with insurance companies
If you have been injured in an accident and have a whiplash injury get help right away and then call the Law Gang for a free consultation
