Whiplash is a common car accident injury that can occur even in low-speed collisions.
Brookdale Health reports that approximately 10% of people suffering whiplash from a car accident will have long-term whiplash symptoms. This means millions of car accident victims living with chronic pain.
Other sources report that the percentage of people with long-term effects of whiplash is even higher. What’s true for anyone suffering from long-term whiplash is that their symptoms significantly impact their lives.
Understanding Whiplash and Its Common Symptoms
Whiplash is a soft tissue injury to the neck that results from sudden movement. When the neck is thrown at forces faster and stronger than it can withstand, the soft tissue can sustain injury.
Parts of the neck that may be injured with whiplash include:
- Muscles
- Nerves
- Tendons
- Ligaments
- Cervical discs
The human neck is small and flexible, allowing us to turn our heads in many directions. The neck contains the spinal cord and has the important task of supporting the head. But it is fragile.
A crash with a change in vehicle velocity of two-and-a-half miles per hour may produce whiplash.
How does whiplash occur?
Whiplash occurs when the neck moves violently. The neck is thrown forward and then backward or from side to side. The resulting force is more than the tissues of the neck can stand, and the tissues sustain damage. The tissues often become sore and stuff from strain and overexertion.
Immediate symptoms of whiplash
In the short term, whiplash produces any of the following symptoms:
- Pain, radiating pain
- Soreness
- Stiffness
- Reduced mobility
- Bruising, swelling
- Tenderness, sensitivity
- Weak muscles
- Headaches
- Abnormal vision
- Dizziness, cervical vertigo
Along with whiplash, a cervical disc may be out of alignment or a neck vertebra may be fractured. Musculoskeletal and neurological injury will be apparent in severe cases. Whiplash can cause neurological problems.
Understanding Long-Term Whiplash
Long-term whiplash lasts more than three months. Initially, after an injury, it can take some time for whiplash symptoms to appear. With treatment, pain and stiffness usually subside. If a person still has the effects of whiplash three months after the initial injury, it is characterized as long-term.
How does long-term whiplash feel?
Long-term whiplash may mean stiffness and soreness. The person may have chronic pain in the neck area and a reduced range of motion. However, there are other symptoms that may indicate long-term whiplash, such as headaches, trouble sleeping, and emotional impact. If a person changes their posture or favors the neck for a prolonged period, it can lead to complications in the upper body, including shoulder and back pain.
Who will experience long-term effects from whiplash?
Clinical prediction of long-term whiplash identifies the following risk factors:
- Severity of initial pain
- Cold pain threshold (temperature where a person feels pain instead of just cold)
- Neck mobility and range of movement
- Age of person
- Gender of person
- Headache
- Post-traumatic stress syndrome
- Excited state, hypervigilance
Medical researchers say there is still a lot to learn about why some people suffer from long-term whiplash while others make a full recovery. They think that multiple biological, psychological, and social risk factors impact the long-term prognosis of whiplash injury.
The Importance of Early Diagnosis and Treatment for Whiplash
Early diagnosis and treatment of whiplash may help to minimize symptoms. Remember that a person may suffer from whiplash even when the accident seems relatively minor. A person may think they are okay only to have symptoms develop in the days following the accident.
To diagnose whiplash, healthcare providers will ask about the accident and what happened.
They will evaluate range of motion, sensitivity, strength, and feeling. Imaging scans like x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs don’t show whiplash, but they can rule out other things that may be causing pain.
Timely assessment can rule out other causes of pain that may need medical intervention. Early treatment focuses on pain management. The goal is then to restore range of motion.
The amount of rest will depend on the severity of whiplash symptoms and any additional injuries. Rest is important, but there is a point where it’s important to begin moving. Hot and cold applications can provide relief as can medications, relaxers, and numbing shots.
Healthcare providers direct exercise and physical therapy. Stretching can help. The application of heat may help with stretching.
How To Prove the Severity of Whiplash in a Legal Claim
Proving the severity of whiplash in a legal claim takes a combination of medical and factual evidence. Medical evidence can explain the evaluation and diagnosis. In addition, witnesses can testify to how the person’s life has changed and the limitations they now have. The injured person can speak about their pain levels and daily symptoms. Your lawyer can guide you through how to keep a pain and activity journal to document whiplash and other injuries.
Seeking Compensation for Ongoing Medical Treatment for Whiplash
Compensation for the long-term effects of whiplash after a car accident may include ongoing medical treatment. To the extent that the person has medical expenses or lingering symptoms, they may seek future compensation. The person may claim costs of medical care likely to occur in the future. A claim may also include the totality of pain and suffering and emotional anguish. A lawyer can assist you in pursuing compensation for ongoing medical treatment for whiplash.
Talk to a Lawyer
Do you have long-term effects of whiplash after a car accident? You may qualify for compensation through a car accident claim. Talk to lawyer Robert “Bobby” Jones of Bobby Jones Law. See how our legal team can help. Contact us now.
