No two car accidents are alike, and there are an endless number of factors that lend to each specific injury that someone sustains in a car accident. In fact, it is likely that every person involved in a single car accident will suffer from completely different sets of injuries. However, that does not mean that there aren’t some injuries that are more common than others. You may not be surprised to find out that whiplash is the most common injury in a car accident, especially if you have ever been in a crash yourself.
Sometimes after accidents, people feel like they should just “deal with it,” and that trying to seek compensation for their injuries is not necessary. This is certainly not the case, and it is why car insurance companies exist to begin with. There is no reason that someone should have to suffer their injuries without any sort of compensation if someone else caused it, which is why firms like Grossman Law Offices take things like whiplash so seriously when they are dealing with insurance companies.
Whiplash: Almost Unavoidable In a Car Crash
Imagine sitting in a desk chair, relaxing and minding your own business, when someone comes up behind you and kicks the chair forward as hard as they can. Since it is highly unlikely that you are tensing your neck while you are sitting there quietly, minding your own business, it means that your head is going to snap back and forth, and could cause some strains and muscle tears. Obviously, you would blame the person who kicked the chair for your injuries.
This type of injury is called whiplash, and it’s extremely common in car accidents. When a car hits your vehicle, you are subjected to rapidly changing G-forces which will cause your entire body to be thrown in one direction or another. In many cases, your head will jerk down and back (in an s-curve) before snapping forward again, and it is in this crucial moment that whiplash injuries occur.
This can happen at any speed and from any angle, and it may not show up on standard medical tests. Just because it won’t show up on an MRI, though, does not mean that you should not fight for the money you deserve for your injuries. If you suspect that you are suffering from whiplash even after a 5 mph collision, make sure that you get the help you need.
Symptoms of Whiplash
There are a variety of symptoms that come along with whiplash, but below are some of the more common things to look out for:
- Neck pain
- Stiffness
- Headaches
- Jaw pain
- Eye aches
- Shoulder pain
- Numbness or tingling in the arms or hands
- Discomfort while laying down
- Inability to sleep
In many cases, treatment for whiplash involves wearing a neck brace to keep it upright, in addition to applying ice or heat treatments, gentle movement or massages, shots or anesthetics, and physical therapy. Letting your injuries go untreated can cause permanent, long-term damage to your neck, your nerves, and your mobility, so get to your doctor immediately.
It’s also very important that you see a doctor immediately so that you have established medical records of this injury. These records will become very helpful if you ultimately decide to file a lawsuit.
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