Whiplash is a soft tissue injury that commonly occurs after a car is rear-ended in an accident. It happens when the head and neck are jerked forward from the impact and then back to a sudden stop. Whiplash is the term for when the muscles, tendons and the ligaments in the neck are stretched during this trauma. These neck sprains and neck strains are also called hyperflexion or hyperextension.
What Are the Common Symptoms of Whiplash?
- Pain or stiffness in the neck
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Fatigue
Less Common Whiplash Symptoms Are:
- Problems concentrating
- Problems with memory
- Ringing in the ears
- Chronic neck and/or shoulder pain
How Long Does It Take for Whiplash Symptoms to Appear After a Car Accident?
After a car accident, you may not immediately experience the symptoms of whiplash for a variety of reasons. You may have had an injury to another part of the body that has drawn your focus. Perhaps the adrenaline rush from the accident delays the effect of the injury. But, most people who have experienced a whiplash injury will begin to feel the effects later on that evening or by the following morning. In rare cases, the symptoms take a few days to show up.
How Do I Get Diagnosed with Whiplash After a Car Accident?
If you have experienced any of the above-referenced symptoms following a car accident, you should make an appointment with a doctor who specializes in car accidents immediately. Your general family doctor is not the appropriate person to treat you after a car accident. Family doctors normally do not handle auto accident cases and are quick to downplay the injury causing significant damage to your case and a delay of treatment. If you have any questions about what type of doctor to go to, call a personal injury attorney for guidance.
How Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Handle a Whiplash Injury Case After a Car Accident?
Whiplash after a car accident is quite common but also needs to be managed correctly. Since whiplash injuries are soft tissue only, they typically do not show up on diagnostic tests such as X-rays or MRIs. Thus, the only evidence to base diagnosis and treatment of the injury is the reported symptoms of the patient/client. This certainly does not mean that whiplash injuries are not serious or do not have value, it means that your lawyer needs to monitor the case closely to make sure you do not run up extraordinarily high medical bills that may not be able to be recovered. With only a whiplash injury, the insurance adjuster may scrutinize the claim more closely, so all of the boxes need to be checked. In other words, the client must have sustained a legitimate impact from a car accident, received medical treatment soon after the accident, and followed through on a set plan of medical treatment. If the client falls short on any of those areas, you can expect that the claim will suffer in value accordingly.
If you have been involved in a car accident and either been diagnosed with whiplash or have experienced any of the symptoms of whiplash, please contact an experienced personal injury attorney who routinely handles car accident cases. Your health and your financial well being are too important not to take the situation seriously.
Do You Have Whiplash from a Car Accident? Contact a Personal Injury Attorney
If you or a loved one have whiplash from a car accident, then you should take the proper measures to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve. Contact St. Petersburg Personal Injury Attorneys McQuaid & Douglas today and speak with an attorney. For over 60 years our firm has been successfully helping people who have been injured due to someone else’s carelessness. We have been nationally ranked for decades by US News and World Reports as a Tier 1 law firm, which is the highest ranking that can be received. Sean McQuaid and Jonathon Douglas have dedicated their careers to continuing the firms legacy of superior legal representation.
Remember that we never charge a fee, unless we win. Call us today at 727-381-2300 so that we may answer your questions, help you navigate the complexities of insurance claims, and recover the compensation that you deserve.
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St. Petersburg Personal Injury Attorneys McQuaid & Douglas
5858 Central Ave suite a
St. Petersburg, FL 33707
(727) 381-2300
