Injuring your neck can be one of the most difficult injuries to overcome, because of the importance your neck plays in your body’s overall activity. A neck injury claim can be necessary for multiple types of neck injuries, but all of these injuries are important to recognize because of the area they affect. Simply put, you can’t do much without your neck, because of its relationship to your spine and your overall mobility. Protecting your neck is essential to your health, mobility and daily life.
One of the most common neck injuries you might encounter is whiplash.
Whiplash is defined as a neck injury caused by a sudden distortion or a severe jerk to the neck during an accident. One of the most common situations which whiplash can arise from is during motor vehicle accidents, but it can also occur as a sports injury, or even during a simple slip and fall. Car accidents are the most common situation for this injury to occur because of the way vehicles connect. Specifically rear-end collisions due to the way your neck is thrust forward when being hit from behind, in combination with high adrenaline and a stiffened neck in response, sets the stage for potential whiplash injury.
How will I know I suffered a whiplash related injury?
At times it can be difficult to figure out if you have suffered whiplash. This is because of the fact that the injury can happen in the blink of an eye, and symptoms don’t always appear until far down the road. Again, the adrenaline rush you feel during the accident can mask the immediate pain and it may take up to 24 hours for the effects of a whiplash injury to present themselves. This can make for a confusing time when figuring out if you have suffered an injury, because while you might not feel it immediately, it is still doing damage on your body regardless. If you feel like you might have suffered a neck injury, whether or not you feel it, it’s important to get it checked out by a doctor as soon as possible.
What are some of the symptoms of whiplash?
The symptoms of whiplash are complex and can be very serious. They will vary depending on the conditions of the injury. Some of the main symptoms that might arise for whiplash injuries are:
- Neck pain of all kinds (tenderness, stiffness, aches and pains)
- A lack of mobility (being able to look left and right)
- Numbness (not only in your neck, but other parts of your body)
- Lightheadedness, dizziness, problems with balance
- Issues with vision and cognitive problems
How is whiplash treated?
In 75% percent of patients, it has been reported that symptoms can last for up to six months after the original neck injury occurred. Depending on the severity of your injury, treatments for whiplash can vary wildly. The two main pillars of treatment are pain management and physical therapy. Both courses of action are necessary, because effectively controlling the pain of a whiplash injury is just as important as maintaining the structure of the neck altogether.
Why should I file a neck injury claim?
A neck injury such as whiplash can result in missed work, costly physical therapy sessions, or other types of mental/physical suffering. The first (and smartest) thing you can do after incurring an injury such as whiplash is to contact a Toronto personal injury lawyer. Any type of neck injury should be taken seriously and understanding your legal options is an important step in the recovery process. Meeting with an expert and finding out whether a neck injury claim is feasible is imperative.
If you are worried about a recent neck injury, contacting Sokoloff today will set you up on the path to pain-free success. When your first consultation is free, making the choice to contact Sokoloff is never a pain in the neck.
Sources:
http://www.backclinicsofcanada.ca/article/what-is-whiplash/
http://www.dcdoctor.com/pages/rightpages_healthconditions/autoinjuries/injuries/ai_inj_whiplash.html
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/whiplash/basics/definition/con-20033090