Whiplash is an injury to the neck that is caused by the head bending forward and then backward rapidly. It is a condition many people can get when they are involved in an injury accident, such as a car wreck. This injury, which is often greatly misunderstood, entails damage to the tendons, discs, nerves, and muscles of the neck. If left untreated, it can worsen and cause chronic issues. Most whiplash injuries happen from a sudden acceleration and deceleration. As an car accident attorney explains, if you were injured in a car accident and it wasn’t your fault, you may consider pursuing compensation from the driver responsible. The symptoms of whiplash can include:
- Neck stiffness
- Neck pain
- Lower back pain
- Shoulder pain
- Ear ringing
- Blurry vision
- Dizziness
- Arm numbness
- Memory problems
- Concentration issues
- Tiredness
- Irritability
- Sleeplessness
The diagnosis for whiplash may require certain tests, such as an x-ray, CT scan, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A doctor will determine the appropriate course of treatment for whiplash depending on the extent and severity of the damage. Many people will recover within a few weeks or months, but others may have pain that is persistent longer than that. Some key points to remember about whiplash are that it is a poorly understood condition, but entails damage to the nerves, tendons, muscles, and discs of the neck. Without proper medical attention, it may worsen.
Initially, whiplash is a difficult injury to detect, as the person may not have symptoms until the next day or thereafter. Whiplash injuries may start as neck soreness, but then quickly become intolerable where the head cannot turn back and forth as normal. A person may struggle to find a relaxing position that doesn’t cause them discomfort. By seeking medical care early, you can reduce the severity of your injuries. When in doubt, seek medical attention right away.
Those who have whiplash may need repayment for medical expenses related to their treatment. If the accident was the fault of someonelse else, then that individual or company should be held liable for what happened. Everyday people become victims when they are injured wrongfully in a situation they didn’t cause in the first place. But unfortunately, these people don’t always get the support that they need in the aftermath of it all. In fact, too many people are taken advantage of by insurance companies or other parties who aren’t putting the wellbeing of a victim first.
For instance, insurance companies tend to prioritize their own profit and aren’t as concerned for the recovery of a claimant, even if their claim is legitimate. So what an insurance company may do is offer a speed settlement, knowing that the victim is probably in desperate need of funds, but the offer is only a small fraction of what the claimant requires. This is a common situation that many people may find themselves in, which is why recruiting help from a legal team is recommended.
