How To Deal With Whiplash After Car Crash

whiplash injuries from car crash

Whiplash is usually an injury to the neck at the soft tissue where the neck bends.

Whiplash occurs when you are thrown forward like in a car accident, or being hit from behind, or from the front like in football.

Any car accident can result in serious injury, so if you were rear-ended, hit at a stop sign, t-boned, or even hit head on you always want to call The Richard Harris Law Firm for help.

Whiplash is a really common injury during a car accident and you might not notice the symptoms until much later, sometimes it can take 24 hours or more to notice.

That’s why seeking medical attention immediately after a car accident is important.

You may have sustained injuries that are not outwardly visible or injuries that you don’t feel yet.

If you got whiplash in a car accident you will definitely know it after a while.

Whiplash can be very painful and take a long time to heal.

You might be a passenger in an Uber ride and get smashed from behind, next thing you know you’re in the hospital.

Whiplash is a serious injury and requires immediate medical attention.

Common Signs of Whiplash

Whiplash symptoms might not be immediately noticeable but they will show usually within 24 hours of an accident.

Here are the most common signs of having whiplash –

Headaches- Sometimes they are like the worst headache you have ever had, the worst migraine. They can start at the back of your neck at the base of your skull.
Neck Pain- Have you ever had a pinched nerve in your neck? The pain is something else. You also might have a stiff neck or pain in the upper shoulder area.
Range of motion loss- If you can’t turn your head fully to one side or both without severe pain. If you can’t bend forward or put your chin on your chest you have lost some range of motion due to swelling.
Steady or increasing pain- Whiplash is not always immediately noticeable but as time goes on you might notice that your pain gets worse over time. That’s why whiplash sneaks up on people after an accident.
Dizziness and fatigue- Having whiplash may cause you to feel dizzy and tired or even nauseous. When your neck is sore or you have a pinched nerve from whiplash it can cause you to feel sick.
Soreness of the neck and shoulder area- The upper shoulder and chest area can become sore and stiff after whiplash.

Always seek medical attention right away after an accident.

You may not think that you’re hurt but injuries can show up later.

After you get medical attention you need to hire an experienced injury attorney.

Contact Richard Harris today, we are Nevada’s most experienced whiplash law firm.

Treatment for Whiplash Injuries

Treatment for whiplash can vary depending on the severity of the whiplash.

But one thing is always for sure, that seeking medical attention immediately after an accident is very important.

The medical bills can pile up and you don’t want to deal with the insurance adjuster while you are in the hospital recovering.

A doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory medications or advise you to use over the counter pain relievers for pain and swelling.

Doctors may suggest you rest at home for a few days to allow healing.

Exercise after whiplash is not recommended.

If your whiplash is an extreme case a doctor may suggest physical therapy or even have you wear a cervical collar to immobilize the area.

Also in more severe cases pain medications will be prescribed to treat nerve pain.

Long-term effects from whiplash are common, you may have pain that is ongoing if you have whiplash.

Seeking medical attention right away can prevent long term medical issues from whiplash.

When you start to include lost wages, pain and suffering, and overall discomfort, whiplash can become a serious injury.

Also having a legal team that understands whiplash incidents can get you the medical treatment you need for whiplash accidents

what doctors can do after whiplash

After a Whiplash Injury What Will Doctors do

Whiplash is actually the forward motion of being thrown forward by force at a high rate of speed.

When this happens there is a specific injury known as whiplash associated disorder (WAD).

When you have whiplash or WAD x-rays do not show whiplash because whiplash is a soft tissue injury.

Whiplash can be diagnosed by more extreme tests like an MRI but usually doctors do movement tests to diagnose whiplash.

Once they have established that you have whiplash or WAD, doctors can advise treatment.

The most common treatments for whiplash are:

Massage therapy- to relieve knots and pressure in the neck area

Physical therapy- an instructor will train you to strengthen and stretch the affected area over a period of time
Chiropractic treatments- this is usually to get you out of severe pain or when you can’t relieve the pain.
Stretching- Yoga or stretching can improve whiplash and can be done at home with self care. Doctors can give you whiplash specific stretching techniques.
Injections- epidural or steroid shots can be prescribed to temporarily relieve pain. Help block the receptors in the muscles.
Wearing a collar- wearing a neck brace might not be the coolest thing around but it reduces movement and allows the neck to heal.
Pain medications- doctors will prescribe anti-inflammatory medications for whiplash but they reserve pain medications for the most severe cases.

Treatments for whiplash do depend on the severity of the injury.

Having a legal team with experts in whiplash accidents, to help guide you through the process of getting the compensation you deserve can help make healing a much easier process.

Call Richard Harris Law Firm today for a case review.

How Long Does Whiplash Last

Whiplash can last a few days or a lifetime depending on the severity of the injury.

Most whiplash is diagnosed by an MRI or a doctor’s exam.

The whiplash itself may heal but having whiplash can cause long term medical effects such as chronic pain, headaches, pinched nerves in the shoulders and a bunch of other long term issues.

Most whiplash victims will recover from their injuries within a few months, but 25% of whiplash accident victims will have long term effects.

If you suffer from migraines before an accident you need to be especially careful after an accident.

Chronic migraines or daily headaches are common after an accident and most are due to a neck injury like whiplash.

What is my Whiplash Injury Worth

Settlements for any accident are based on many factors including the severity of the accident and injuries.

How negligent the other party was also plays a factor.

Do you require long term medical care or can you no longer work?

These are all questions that need to be answered to determine the maximum settlement you may receive.

Since much is based on the severity of the injury the following are some guidelines to go by when it comes to compensation:

Mild whiplash – with no permanent injury or long term effects.
More serious whiplash- this involves long term treatment but not permanent damage.
Extreme injuries with long term effects and treatment.
Nerve damage or disc damage- what if you don’t even have whiplash? What if it’s something more severe then the settlement could change drastically depending on the actual injury.

Only an experienced legal team can give you an idea of what you might receive in compensation.

Call Richard Harris today for a case review.