While often made fun of, whiplash is a serious and, in many cases, debilitating condition that results in damage to the soft tissues or joints in the neck. Auto accident victims suffer from a “snapping” sensation where their body and head move in different directions along the axis of their neck joints, causing short-term and long-term pain and suffering. If you or a loved one are suffering from whiplash after being involved in a Woodland Hills auto accident that wasn’t your fault, contact an experienced personal injury attorney to discuss your rights and potential for financial recovery.
Many cases of whiplash occur after a rear-end auto collision, but whiplash can also result from things such as bicycle accidents, motorcycle accident, and slip-and-fall accidents. It does not take a particularly high-speed or forceful crash to cause whiplash; even low-speed “fender-bender” auto accidents can result in this injury. For more information on whiplash injury risk factors, view this colorful infograph.
Common symptoms of whiplash
Common symptoms of whiplash include neck pain and stiffness, headaches and a reduced ability to freely turn one’s head.
Other symptoms can include:
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Tinnitus
• Difficulty concentrating
• Numbing, burning or tingling sensations in the face, neck or arms.
• Muscle spasms
• Blurred vision
• Lower back pain
• Weakness in the arms and hands
This list is not exhaustive. Your medical doctor can help you determine if your injuries are consistent with that of whiplash, or another auto accident related injury.
Whiplash diagnosis
One of the difficulties in diagnosing whiplash is that many of its symptoms might not be evident until days after the injury. This delay has contributed to a reputation among some that whiplash victims fake or exaggerate their injuries for financial gain when in fact, whiplash remains a very real and serious condition among accident victims.
While many cases of whiplash will improve over the course of a few weeks, more serious forms of the injury can take close to a year to fully heal or even result in chronic, debilitating, long-term conditions. Though the majority of victims are able to make a full recovery, a small percentage are saddled with life-long, costly disabilities. If you have suffered any form of neck injury, immediately consult a physician.
Should you be diagnosed with whiplash, treatments are available to help cope with any pain or discomfort associated with the condition; these range from mild pain relievers, heat packs, or wearing a soft color which will lift some of the pressure that the head applies to the neck area.
If you have been the victim of an auto accident and are experiencing symptoms of whiplash or any form of injury, consult qualified personal injury attorney Barry P. Goldberg today.
