Whiplash: Important Facts to Know
If you’ve been rear-ended in a car accident, you may find yourself waking up the next morning aching from head to toe, unable to turn your head. If you think you may have developed whiplash in your car or truck accident, read on to learn some important facts about the condition, and what you should do if you believe you have whiplash.
*Whiplash occurs when the head is whipped backward and forward suddenly. This occurs often in rear-end car accidents, but it can also happen when someone is punched in the head or incurs a sports-related injury, such as being tackled in football.
*When the head moves rapidly in this manner, ligaments, nerves and muscles in the neck can be torn and damaged. Additional injuries to the back and neck can also occur, including chipped bones in the neck and damage to discs in the spine.
*Symptoms of whiplash include stiffness through the neck and shoulders, headaches, and stiffness in the jaw. In more severe cases, victims can experience trouble with their vision, ringing in the ears, and weakness in the limbs.
*The symptoms of whiplash do not always occur immediately. While the most severe cases of whiplash often present symptoms quickly, many people walk away from accidents believing they’ve escaped unharmed, only to wake up in pain the following day. Since mild concussions can also result from the sorts of accidents which cause whiplash, and both conditions require treatment, delayed-onset symptoms are another example of why its important to seek medical care immediately after any accident.
*In order to diagnose whiplash, doctors may administer a visual inspection of the injured areas, as well as an X-ray to check for bone damage, an MRI to examine injuries to soft tissues, and possibly a CT scan if the doctor believes you may have also experienced a concussion.
*While most cases of whiplash will resolve in a matter of weeks, sometimes long-term symptoms can result. Doctors will typically treat whiplash with a combination of rest, ice, over-the-counter or prescribed pain medication, and possibly physical therapy.
*Some individuals may experience chronic neck pain after a case of whiplash, making it all the more important to seek medical attention and follow doctors’ recommendations for treatment to prevent long-term effects. These medical expenses are recoverable in a claim for damages, and a skilled personal injury attorney can help you recover fully for the costs of your care.
To ensure that all of your expenses from a car or truck accident are fully recovered from the responsible party, contact the skilled South Carolina personal injury attorneys at the Columbia offices of Peake & Fowler for a consultation, at 803-788-4370.