If you experience neck pain after an accident, it could be a sign of whiplash, which is one of the most common injuries suffered in auto collisions. Whiplash can cause significant pain and decrease an accident victim’s quality of life. These injuries can leave injured people with medical bills and lost wages, for which they can seek compensation through auto insurance claims or personal injury lawsuits.
If you are suffering from neck pain after an accident, contact CDH Law, PLLC. Our Syracuse team will review your case, explain your legal options, and answer any questions you have about the legal process.
What Is Whiplash?
Whiplash is an injury affecting the soft tissues in the neck. It’s caused by excessive forces that suddenly move the head back and forth. When the head violently shakes in this way, it can stretch, sprain, or tear the neck muscles and ligaments, leading to pain and other debilitating symptoms. In extreme cases, a whiplash injury can even include broken bones in the neck.
Common Causes of Whiplash in New York
While any accident that causes the head to shake back and forth can result in whiplash, the most common accidents that cause this condition are:
- Car and Truck Accidents – Auto collisions are one of the leading causes of whiplash injuries in New York and throughout the country. This injury is especially common in head-on and rear-end collisions and can even occur in relatively low-speed accidents.
- Bus Accidents – While car and truck accidents are more common, bus accidents can also result in whiplash for passengers. Injury cases involving public transportation can be more complex than those involving personal vehicles, so working with an experienced lawyer is crucial.
- Train Accidents – Many train accidents involve striking an object on the tracks, and passengers can experience whiplash caused by the initial collision.
- Bicycle and Pedestrian Accidents – Cyclists and pedestrians struck by cars can also suffer whiplash injuries, either from the initial impact on the vehicle or the secondary impact on the pavement.
Whiplash Injury Symptoms
The best way to determine whether you’re suffering from whiplash is to seek a diagnosis from a medical professional. You should seek medical treatment for whiplash if you experience any of the following after an accident:
- Neck Pain – The most common symptom of whiplash is neck pain, particularly when moving your head.
- Shoulder and Back Pain – The pain caused by whiplash injuries can extend down to the shoulders, back, and sometimes upper arms.
- Limited Neck Mobility – Many car accident victims suffering from whiplash report limited neck mobility. This reduced mobility can make it challenging to perform daily and work activities.
- Numbness in Arms and Shoulders – Some victims report numbness or a tingling sensation in their arms and shoulders resulting from whiplash.
- Headaches – Neck injuries like whiplash can cause headaches that typically start at the base of the skull. In severe cases, these headaches can become chronic and require long-term treatment.
- Dizziness – Along with headaches, whiplash can result in dizziness. However, this symptom may also be a sign that you suffered a traumatic brain injury, such as a concussion. In either case, it’s essential that you seek immediate medical treatment.
Treatments for Whiplash
After suffering a whiplash injury, some of the most common treatments doctors will prescribe beyond icing the affected area are:
- Neck Brace – A neck brace can prevent you from causing further injury and promote healing by limiting your mobility.
- Anti-Inflammatory Drugs – One of the leading causes of pain and discomfort associated with whiplash is muscle inflammation. Anti-inflammatory drugs can help victims manage their pain.
- Muscle Relaxers – If your neck muscles are tensing up and causing pain as a result, muscle relaxers can be effective at mitigating this symptom.
- Physical Therapy – Attending physical therapy sessions can promote healthy soft tissue healing and reduce the chances of secondary injuries.
- Spinal Surgery – In severe cases of whiplash, spinal surgery may be necessary. This is most common if the whiplash resulted in broken bones, complete muscle or ligament tears, or damaged nerves.
Proving Whiplash After a Car Accident
To prove you suffered a whiplash injury in a New York car accident, your attorney will help you collect the following evidence:
- Documented Symptoms – You should have medically documented symptoms of your injury. When you seek initial medical treatment, a doctor, nurse, or other medical professional will note your symptoms in your medical records.
- Documented Treatments – The medical treatments you underwent to heal your injury or lessen your symptoms should also be in your medical records. These records are crucial for establishing that your injury was severe enough to require treatment.
- Pain Journal Entries – One of the best ways you can directly impact your case is to keep a pain journal. In this journal, write down your daily pain levels, how your injuries impede your daily activities, and your healing progress. Your attorney can use these journal entries to demonstrate the seriousness of your injuries.
- Medical Testimony – In some cases, your attorney may hire a medical professional to testify about your condition. While medical records are often sufficient for whiplash cases, if there are any disputes about the validity of your injuries, a doctor’s testimony may be necessary.
- Medical Imaging – Doctors can use MRI machines to take pictures of the soft tissue in your neck, showing any trauma to these tissues caused by whiplash.
Contact Our Syracuse Car Accident Lawyers
Were you injured in a car accident in New York? Are you experiencing neck pain resulting from the accident? Contact CDH Law PLLC, for a consultation with an experienced car accident injury lawyer.
Our team can assist you with all aspects of your injury case, from identifying the liable parties and gathering supporting evidence to represent you in negotiations with the insurance company or at trial.
Carden Dotzler Hammond, PLLC represents clients in Syracuse, Central New York, and in the following towns of Onondaga County: Camillus, Cicero, Clay, Dewitt, Elbridge, Geddes, Manlius, Marcellus, Onondaga, Salina, Skaneateles, Baldwinsville, East Syracuse, Fayetteville, Jefferson County, Liverpool, North Syracuse, and Solvay.