Have you ever had pain in your neck or back after a forceful fall or accident? This pain was more than likely whiplash—a term that covers a broad range of spinal and neck injuries, mostly related to the soft tissues. This is very common after a rear end collisions, as the force sends your neck forward, then it jerks back suddenly in a “whip” maneuver.
This extreme jerking can result in an enormous amount of pain and discomfort. There are other names for whiplash that are commonly used, especially in the courtroom, such as hyperextension or hyperflexion, neck sprain or strain, myofascial injury or cervical sprain or strain.
Whiplash can be a very serious injury and should not be taken lightly. At Heuser & Heuser, your Pueblo personal injury attorney, we want you to be knowledgeable about personal injuries that you received in an accident, especially if you are pursuing a claim. Here is some helpful information on whiplash injuries.
The Causes of Whiplash
Though whiplash is one of the most common injuries seen as the result of a car accident, it does not take such a great force to cause the injury. In fact, whiplash can be caused by relatively minor impacts such as falls or sports injuries. Other ways that whiplash can be caused include:
- Vehicle accidents that are not rear end collisions
- Rough contact sports such as soccer, football or hockey
- Skiing, snowboarding or equestrian accidents
- Assaults that include pushing from behind or shaking
- In children, also known as “shaken baby syndrome”
- Stress injuries at work caused by a repetitive behavior
- Slip and fall accidents
There is a common misconception surrounding the occurrence of whiplash that this only happens to those who are in high impact accidents. As you can see from the circumstances listed above, this is simply not true. This form of personal injury can be caused by a number of accidents and actions.
The Severity of Whiplash
Too many people who have whiplash go home and heal on their own with little to no treatment beyond pain management. This has led to the widespread belief that whiplash cannot be a serious injury. However, contrary to popular belief, whiplash varies a great deal in its severity.
Those who have whiplash, especially after a forceful impact such as a car accident, should always be checked out by a physician. Whiplash injuries can come with so much damage that the pain is chronic. When left untreated, soft tissue injuries can ultimately become irreversible.
The Symptoms of Whiplash
You might not realize that you have whiplash immediately following a car accident. In fact, the pain of this common injury might not commence until you wake up the following morning. The most common symptoms of whiplash include:
- Pain and stiffness in the neck
- A decrease in your range of motion
- Persistent headache or dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Back pain, shoulder pain or arm pain
- Sleep disturbances
- Cognitive abnormalities
Seek Compensation for Your Injury
Were you in an accident that led to a painful whiplash injury? We can help you pursue your claim. For more information, visit our areas of practice page or contact a representative with Heuser & Heuser, your Pueblo personal injury attorney, today!
