If you were in a car accident, you may suffer from a variety of injuries that will significantly affect your life in the days, months, or even years ahead. Some people will suffer from a broken leg, rib or sprained ankle. The severity of the injury largely depends on the type of collision and the positioning of the body upon impact.
Other individuals will suffer from an injury commonly known as whiplash. Whiplash is a broad term used to describe a host of injuries that affect the neck and upper body area. In this article, we will explore the causes and effects of whiplash on those injured in car accidents. We will also clear up a few common misconceptions about the condition.
If you have recently suffered from whiplash or another car accident related injury, contact an Odessa car accident lawyer for your consultation.
Whiplash Injuries
In recent years, more formal names have been give to the condition commonly known as whiplash. These names include hyperextension injury, hyperflexion injury, myofascial injury, neck sprain/strain and cervical sprain or strain. Many of these terms refer to the various conditions patients diagnosed with whiplash experience.
Whiplash is a general term used to diagnose soft-tissue injuries that occur in the neck area. When people are involved in a rear-end collision, the impact forces their body forward and the head/neck area stays in place while the rest of the body is pushed forward. The extreme motion causes muscles and ligaments in the area to overexert themselves which results in subsequent neck injuries.
Common Misconceptions
Many people believe that only the people who were hit in a rear-end collision can experience whiplash but that is not true. In fact, whiplash injuries can occur for a variety of reasons in many different settings.
Some of the most common causes of whiplash are:
- Slip and fall accidents
- Work-related stress injuries
- Child abuse
- Head trauma cause by assault
- Football
- Soccer
- Hockey
- Other contact sports
- Car accidents (front-end collision, side-impact, etc)
Experts recommend that you receive immediate medical attention after experiencing a whiplash injury. Over time, these injuries can progress into serious ailments. Therefore it is important to treat whiplash as soon as it is diagnosed.
Symptoms of Whiplash
Even if you haven’t been in a car accident recently, you may be suffering from a whiplash injury and be completely unaware. In this list, we break down some key indicators of whiplash injury. Indicators of whiplash include:
- Frequent headaches
- Unexplained dizziness
- Blurry vision
- Neck Pain
- Stiffness in the neck area
- Shoulder pain
- Arm or back pain
- Trouble sleeping
- Difficulty concentrating
- Fatigue
- Cognitive issues
Making an Insurance Claim
If you were in a car accident, you should seek medical attention immediately. It is important to avoid waiting weeks or months later for treatment. A medical professional will be able to properly diagnose and treat whiplash-related injury. They will also be able to prove and document the injury and the subsequent treatment.
This documentation is important when filing a car accident claim. The courts and the insurance company will ask for proof of injury and medical records are the best way to substantiate your claim. Always keep records of your doctor visits, treatments, time off from work and other expenses you accrue during this time.
Individuals should also file a claim against the driver and insurance company as soon as possible. Many states have statute of limitations for personal injury suits and you want to avoid filing a claim after the expiration date.
Contact the Odessa Car Accident Lawyers at Braker White
At Braker White, our Odessa car accident lawyers are committed to helping those who have suffered from personal injuries receive the compensation they deserve. We offer a free evaluation and consultation before taking on your case. This helps us to better understand you and your needs so that we can assist you in the best way possible.
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