People do not need to be in serious accidents to experience the ill effects of whiplash. Even in an accident where the vehicle is traveling at 10 mph, the sudden back-and-forth movement of the head and neck can be enough to cause chronic whiplash pain. In more forceful accidents, the damage can be more severe. While many whiplash injuries clear up on their own after a month or two, some may have symptoms for several months, possibly even years after the accident.

Importance of Immediate Treatment

When you’ve been involved in an accident, and you have whiplash or suspect that you may have it, get it treated right away. People who seek early treatment for the condition have a higher rate of fast recovery compared to those who wait to be seen. Additionally, there are time constraints on accessing medical care after an accident. The earlier you see a doctor for your injuries, the better off you will be.

Whiplash Symptoms Aren’t Always Immediate

Even in the case of a severe accident, the symptoms of whiplash can take as long as 12 or more hours to manifest. When they do, they may show up in the form of:

  • Pain and stiffness in the neck and/or shoulders

  • Dizziness

  • Severe headaches

  • Jaw pain

  • Difficulty sleeping

  • Ringing in the ears

  • Fuzzy vision

  • Irritability

  • Numbness in the extremities

  • Pain in the upper or lower back

Early diagnosis may prevent some of these symptoms from occurring. Waiting to see a doctor can exacerbate the situation. Sometimes, the damage has been done to the spine that is not visible on MRI or CT scans. These tiny injuries can cause a lot of pain despite being missed by normal methods of diagnosis.

LONG-TERM WHIPLASH STUDIES

There are very few studies on long term whiplash injuries. Most of the information available is very subjective. Patients who have experienced whiplash injuries and have not healed after a few months may have pain or discomfort for a much longer period of time. This is especially true with more severe cases. Whiplash is a soft tissue injury. More extensive injury to the spine in connection with the whiplash injury can result in longer periods of healing. Studies have found those with longer histories with a whiplash injury seem to do better when they are taught skills to cope.

When you are involved in an accident that results in injuries, your life can be changed in an instant. When you are not at fault, the challenges you face can add insult to injury. Acquiring excellent legal representation to recover your losses and get fair compensation is essential.

The legal team at Frohlich, Gordon & Beason, P.A., specializes in personal injury law. We are the lawyers who care about our clients and work on their behalf to get the compensation they deserve. Call us for a complimentary consultation regarding your personal injury case. We serve the southwest Florida communities through our offices located in North Port, Port Charlotte, and Englewood.