The Most Common Head and Neck Injury Caused by Car Accidents

If we were to ask you to name the most common type of car accident injury, what would you guess?

While there are countless injuries an auto accident victim can sustain, whiplash sits atop the list.  Commonly associated with an image of someone wearing a neck brace, the effects of whiplash are often minimized, especially by insurance companies.

For this reason, it is advised that you always consult with an experienced whiplash attorney who can advise you on the steps you need to take to help ensure your injury claim is not dismissed or rejected.

What is whiplash?

When a car accident victims head snaps forward or backward in a quick, unexpected fashion and then is snapped back again in the opposite direction, whiplash is often the end result.

The sudden back and forth motion places stress on the muscles and ligaments in the neck, causing them to tear, stretch, or be strained.

The resulting pain and stiffness in the soft tissues of the neck will vary greatly depending on the severity of the crash, ranging from minor to debilitating. However, in almost every instance, the injury leaves a person with a degree of pain and suffering that decreases their ability to perform everyday activities.

Common whiplash causes

The type of car accident most responsible for a whiplash injury is a rear-end collision, however, it is also possible for a victim to suffer this common neck injury by being t-boned, hit head-on, or side-swiped.

It is also important to note that whiplash is not exclusive to auto accidents. Bolton Law Group has also helped several whiplash victims who sustained their injury due to slip and falls or nursing home abuse.

Whiplash symptoms

To anyone who has never suffered from the effects of whiplash, the seriousness of the injury can sometimes be misunderstood.

In reality, whiplash can cause significant pain and sometimes mask or signal undiagnosed injuries that are even more traumatic and debilitating in nature.

The most common whiplash symptoms include:

• Neck pain
• Headaches
• Shoulder pain
• Jaw pain
• Arm pain

In some instances, the more serious effects of whiplash do not present immediately and are either hidden by the effects of adrenaline, or simply have a delayed response.

In the event that a car accident victim experiences any of the following head and neck symptoms, it is critical that they seek immediate medical attention:

• Labored breathing, coughing, or producing secretions from the lungs
• Headaches and or general discomfort
• Radiating, dull pain from the neck to the arms
• Feelings of tiredness, lethargy, fatigue, nausea, or lightheadedness and dizziness
• Inability to move your head without experiencing discomfort
• Trouble with bladder or bowel control
• Confusion or loss of memory
• Tenderness and pain in the chest, arms, shoulders and upper back
• Tingling and numbness in one or both arms, often a signaling nerve damage
• Extremity weakness, e.g., arms, hands, or legs

Seeking medical treatment for whiplash

Boulton Law Group regularly speaks to people who suffer from the effects of whiplash, and surprisingly, a number of victims delayed or have yet to seek medical treatment.

No matter the severity of a whiplash injury, we strongly advise car accident victims to be checked out by a doctor. In addition to risking your health, not treating for whiplash jeopardizes the potential for a car accident injury claim.

The type of treatment required to resolve the effects of whiplash will always be unique to your symptoms. In most instances, a doctor will treat whiplash with one of the following:

Pain medication – If the whiplash is considered minor, the doctor may advise you to use a common over-the-counter pain reliever to help reduce inflammation. For more severe cases of whiplash, a victim may be prescribed a prescription-strength pain reliever.

Physical therapy – Prescribed physical therapy can be one of the most effective ways to reduce or eliminate the negative effects of whiplash. Most importantly, physical therapy aims to permanently correct the problem versus only providing temporary pain relief.

In addition to its ability to help whiplash victims, physical therapy properly documents your treatment for the insurance company’s review when it comes time for the attorney to settle your claim.

Neck collar/brace – Commonly prescribed by doctors, neck collars help to stabilize a whiplash victims neck and minimize the risk of further damage. The support provided by a neck collar allows the ligaments and muscles to strengthen in the neck and properly heal.

Hiring a whiplash injury attorney

Due to the large number of whiplash cases and the subjective nature of the injury, it is extremely difficult to obtain the compensation you deserve without an experienced personal injury attorney on your side.

Attorney Boulton has more than 25 years’ experience advocating for whiplash victims. In addition to settling clients’ whiplash cases, he has also tried several high-profile accident cases that involved whiplash injuries.

Boulton Law Group believes no one should be denied award-winning legal representation based on their financial situation. For this reason, we offer all whiplash victims a Zero Fee Guarantee. This means there is never a cost or fee to speak to attorney Boulton about legal advice, and should you decide to hire us, you owe the firm nothing until we win your case.

To speak to attorney Boulton immediately, you can reach him direct at 317-350-2680, or you can write to us with the details of your case by using our confidential contact form.