Every year, Austin experiences more than 12,000 car accidents. One of the most common injuries that results from these accidents is whiplash. But what is whiplash, and what sort of symptoms can you expect with it?
Read on to learn more about whiplash injuries and what you should do if you believe you’ve suffered one.
What Is Whiplash?
Whiplash is a type of soft tissue injury that is common in car accidents. This injury occurs when your head whips quickly forward, then back, straining the tendons and ligaments in your neck.
This can cause pain and a variety of other symptoms that can last for months or even years.
Whiplash injuries are most common in rear-end collisions, since the force of the impact sends your body flying forward. But you can also get whiplash from sports injuries, slip and fall accidents, and any trauma that slings your head forward at a high enough speed.
What Are the Symptoms?
The most common symptoms whiplash injury victims experience is pain and stiffness in the neck. You may have trouble turning your head fully side to side, and moving your head may be painful. You may also notice headaches and tenderness in your shoulders, back, and upper arms.
In some severe cases, you may experience dizziness, fatigue, or blurred vision. You might notice tingling or numbness in your upper arms and ringing in your ears. Severe symptoms can also include fatigue, sleep disturbances, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, and irritability.
What Complications Can You Experience?
In most cases, whiplash injuries resolve themselves within a few days or weeks. The soft tissues in your neck heal, and you recover with no lasting effects. Unfortunately, not all whiplash injuries heal so quickly.
Some whiplash victims suffer pain for years after their injury. They may never recover the range of motion they once had, and their pain could spread into their arms.
What Should You Do After You Suffer Whiplash?
If you’ve been involved in an accident and think you may have whiplash, the first thing you should do is seek medical attention. Getting to a doctor as soon as possible can help you get a proper diagnosis and make sure there aren’t additional injuries complicating your symptoms. It will also help you document the earliest stages of your injury and begin a treatment plan to get you the best outcome possible.
On the subject of documenting your injury, it’s a good idea to keep meticulous records of every stage of your injury. Keep a log of what symptoms you experience, when they start, and if and when they stop. It’s also important to follow your doctor’s orders to the letter to get the best result in both your recovery and your personal injury claim.
What Kind of Compensation Can You Get?
If you’ve suffered whiplash as the result of an accident someone else caused, you could be entitled to compensation. There are three basic types of compensation you can get in a personal injury case: economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages.
- Economic damages – This type of compensation makes up for losses that have a specific financial value. You could get economic damages for medical expenses, loss of wages, loss of future earning potential, property damage, and so on.
- Non-economic damages – These damages help to make up for losses that don’t have a particular dollar value. This may include pain and suffering, scarring and disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, and more.
- Punitive damages – These damages are rare to recover in a personal injury case since they come with a high burden of proof. They are designed to punish a defendant who acted in an especially awful manner during the accident.
A good personal injury lawyer can help you get every dollar of damages you’re entitled to.
What Is the Statute of Limitations?
You’ll have a limited amount of time after your accident to file a personal injury claim. This time limit is called the statute of limitations, and once it’s passed, you won’t be able to get your case heard in a court of law. This time limit is called the statute of limitations, and in Texas, it’s two years for personal injury cases.
The statute of limitations timeline will begin the day of your accident. And while two years may seem like a long time, it can go by faster than you realize when you’re injured. It’s a good idea to talk to a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after your injury to start work on your case.
Get the Representation You Deserve
Although whiplash often resolves within a few days or weeks, some whiplash injuries can last for years. If you’ve suffered a whiplash injury, you could be entitled to compensation.
The attorneys at FVF Law can help you stand up to the insurance companies and get the money you deserve. Schedule a free consultation with us by calling (512) 982-9328 today to get Austin’s top-rated injury lawyers on your side.