Whiplash, one of the more common injuries sustained in rear-end car accidents, can result when a person’s neck is sharply jolted forward and backward. This whiplike motion can damage disks, ligaments, bones, muscles, nerves, and tissues.
Common Symptoms of Whiplash
Whiplash symptoms can develop immediately following a car crash, or in the days that follow. They can include:
- stiffness, neck pain, and aches;
- pain made worse by movement;
- less range of motion in the neck;
- pain in the shoulders, upper-back, or arms;
- numbness in the arms;
- migraines;
- dizziness; and
- fatigue
If you believe you have whiplash after a car accident, getting an accurate diagnosis is crucial for treatment and to help ensure the fastest possible recovery from injury and return to activities of daily living. Medical providers can keep a record of your symptoms and treatment, which can be useful later on if an insurance company tries to question the severity of injury.
Compensation for a Whiplash Injury
After suffering whiplash, the injured person may find that they can no longer perform activities of daily living or engage in other activities that once brought joy. Under these circumstances, the injured person may be entitled to compensation for pain and suffering.
Some insurance companies try to claim that whiplash is a minor, self-limiting injury, but in some cases a diagnosis of whiplash may serve as a “working” or temporary diagnosis before advanced imaging studies, such as an MRI, can be undertaken. A whiplash injury can result in longstanding and debilitating pain and limitation that qualifies as a “serious injury” under New York law, warranting compensation for pain and suffering.
Hurt in a Car? Call William Mattar.
At William Mattar, P.C., our whiplash car-accident lawyers have extensive experience helping people who sustained neck or back injuries in a New York car crash receive compensation for pain and suffering. So if you were injured in a New York car crash, don’t wait; contact us today, by calling 844-444-4444 or filling out our online form requesting a free consultation.