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Whiplash injuries are some of the most commonly sustained injuries, particularly in car accidents where someone was rear-ended. Despite their prevalence, the seriousness of whiplash is often underestimated, and so many victims ignore their symptoms or put off getting medical help.
However, whiplash can have major long-term physical, emotional, and financial consequences that might heavily impact your quality of life. For this reason, it’s important to have a better understanding of the condition and the legal options available to you.
Whiplash is a type of neck injury that’s caused by a sudden and forceful back-and-forth motion of the head, resembling the cracking of a whip. This violent motion can stretch and damage the neck’s soft tissues in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Though it’s usually classified as a soft tissue injury, it can cause debilitating symptoms and, in severe cases, long-term health issues.
Whiplash is most commonly associated with car accidents, but it can happen in other scenarios, too. Some of these include:
Whiplash injuries can occur at any speed. Even low-speed car accidents can generate enough force to cause serious damage to a person’s neck.
Signs of whiplash can include anything from mild discomfort to severe chronic pain and disability. Many victims feel fine immediately after an accident, only to experience symptoms hours, days, or even weeks later.
Symptoms can include:
Symptoms can persist for weeks, months, and even years after the accident that caused the injury. Your recovery time can depend on how badly you were hurt and the quality of the care that you received afterward.
An early diagnosis is important for managing and treating whiplash effectively. After a car accident or any incident that might have led to whiplash, you’ll want to get checked out by a doctor, even if your symptoms are mild or non-existent.
Your doctor has several ways to figure out whether you’re suffering from whiplash. Some of their methods include:
Treatment plans can vary depending on the specifics of the injury. In most cases, recovery can take place at home with a combination of medical guidance and at-home remedies.
Over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen and acetaminophen are usually the first line of treatment. Severe cases might require prescription strength painkillers or muscle relaxants. A physical therapist can also design exercises to restore range of motion, improve neck strength, and prevent further damage. Spinal adjustments can also help.
At home, it might help to use ice packs for the first few days, followed by heat packs to reduce the swelling and improve circulation. Rest is also important during the early stages of recovery, and a neck brace or collar might help provide temporary relief, though prolonged use isn’t recommended.
Most people are able to recover within a few weeks. Others, unfortunately, experience chronic pain and mobility problems that need long-term care. Persistent symptoms might be a sign of “chronic whiplash,” which requires specialized treatment and management.
The aftermath of whiplash extends beyond the initial physical pain. The injury can lead to significant medical costs, including doctor’s visits, diagnostic tests, physical therapy, medications, and sometimes surgery. For those without good health insurance, those costs add up and quickly become overwhelming.
Many victims aren’t able to return to work immediately after their injury. This leads to a loss of income, especially for those with physically demanding jobs or roles that require sufficient neck mobility. Chronic pain and limitations could also cause anxiety, depression, and frustration. Such an injury can also put a strain on personal relationships and affect overall quality of life.
If your whiplash injury was caused by an accident that involved someone else’s negligent or reckless behavior, you may be able to recover compensation for your losses. Under Washington law, you can file a personal injury claim to seek reimbursement for costs related to your injury. This includes:
For a personal injury claim to be successful, you need to be able to prove negligence on the part of the at-fault party. You can do that through evidence like police reports, witness statements, medical records of your injury, photos and videos of the accident scene, and expert testimony if needed.
The legal system can be confusing and complicated, so victims benefit greatly from hiring skilled legal counsel. An attorney can handle all negotiations with insurance companies, make sure the paperwork is done correctly and on time, and represent your interests in court if a fair settlement can’t be reached and the case goes to trial.
The state of Washington operates under a pure comparative negligence rule for personal injury cases. This rule allows those who have been hurt to recover payment for their injuries even if they’re partially responsible for the accident, though their percentage of fault will reduce the amount they get.
Under this system, a court or insurance company goes over the actions of everyone involved in an accident to assign a percentage of fault to each one. Here’s an example:
This approach ensures that everyone is held accountable for their role in an accident while still allowing anyone who was injured to pursue some level of financial recovery.
Whiplash may not be life-threatening, but it can still cause a lot of problems. If you’ve suffered such an injury in an accident, contact Davis Law Group Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers today at (206) 727 4000 for a free consultation of your case. Our team is ready to fight to get you the compensation you’re entitled to receive.
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