(877) 761-5059
Whiplash injuries are some of the most common injuries suffered in motor vehicle accidents. In the U.S., nearly 1 million people suffer whiplash injuries in car accidents every year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Whiplash can occur in high-impact and low-impact collisions. If you or a loved one have been injured in an automobile accident, contact the personal injury attorneys of Edwards & Patterson Law today.
Whiplash commonly occurs in car accidents in which your car is rear-ended or a side-impact crash in which you collide with another vehicle. Some whiplash injury victims assume that their injuries are not severe and therefore they do not seek immediate medical attention. However, whiplash injuries are often quite serious. In 75% of whiplash cases, the symptoms can last more than a period of six months.
What Is Whiplash?
Whiplash is a broad term for a neck injury that results when a person’s head and neck experiences a rapid forward and backward movement caused by a sudden stop or the impact of an auto accident. The swift motion can cause hyperextension of the neck’s soft tissue. The whip-like effect can also cause damage to neck muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
Whiplash can cause sensitivity and stiffness in the neck area, as well as excruciating pain lasting weeks, months, or longer. The pain that an individual suffers when engaged in essential daily activities may become unbearable, and a person may be unable to work for a long time. While whiplash is not a life-threatening injury, it may lead to a prolonged period of partial disability in the neck area.
Recovery from whiplash injuries can take a long time. In some instances, whiplash victims will recover within a span of three months. Severe whiplash cases can last for a year or more or can result in a chronic pain condition that may last for years.
What are the Symptoms of Whiplash Injuries?
One important note about whiplash injuries is that they do not always appear right away. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports: some pain may be experienced immediately, serious neck injuries may not show up until days after an accident.
The common symptoms of whiplash injuries may include:
- Acute neck pain (dull and aching pain)
- Tightness and stiffness in the neck
- Headaches and concussions
- Fractures of the spine
- Problems with equilibrium and balance
- Dizziness
- Problems with memory
- Back problems
- Jaw pain
- Difficulty concentrating
- Blurry vision
- Tiredness
- Ringing in the ears
- Insomnia or trouble sleeping
- Numbness or weakness in the arms or legs
If you have a whiplash injury, you should be referred to a medical specialist, such as a chiropractor or neurologist, for treatment. Medical treatment for whiplash can include muscle relaxants, injections, the use of a brace or cervical collar, physical therapy, acupuncture, and massage therapy, among others.
How Serious Is a McAlester Whiplash Injury?
Some whiplash injuries may seem minor due to the lack of any visible symptoms. Whiplash can have severe and long-lasting effects. In severe whiplash cases, where muscle or ligament damage is extensive, cervical traction and even surgery may be necessary.
Chronic neck and back pain, herniated discs, TMJ disorder, degenerative disc disease, cervical spondylosis, chronic vertigo, osteoarthritis, and even brain damage can result from whiplash, especially if it is not diagnosed and treated right away.
If you have chronic pain or significant physical problems for many months or longer due to your whiplash injury, you could face a lifetime of medical bills and treatment, not to mention lost work and income. If your whiplash case is severe enough to have caused permanent and catastrophic damage, you will require even more expensive, ongoing care that you are entitled to be compensated for by any liable parties.
How Do You File a Whiplash Injury Claim?
Depending on the nature of your injury, victims who suffer whiplash injuries can make a recovery with time and effective treatment. However, whiplash may place substantial limitations on you and often prevent you from working for a significant amount of time. You may incur medical costs and other expenses through no fault your own due to the injuries from a car accident.
Some people are not sure if they should pursue a whiplash injury case. The fact is that your whiplash injury has the potential to cause pain and make it difficult to meet the demands of your daily life.
You have the right to pursue financial compensation for your injuries if another party is responsible for the accident. You may be entitled to economic and non-economic damages including your medical expenses, lost income, as well as pain and suffering.
If your whiplash was caused by someone else, it is vital that you contact an attorney to go over your case before speaking with the insurance company. Insurance companies may try to offer a quick settlement for your McAlester, Oklahoma whiplash injury, but it may not be the fair amount that you are owed.
When hiring a lawyer for your whiplash case, your legal counsel will determine the seriousness of your injuries and who should be held liable for your injuries. Your lawyer can work with you to gather information and evidence such as photos, police reports, medical records, witness statements, and other documentation that will prove your case.
Please note, the state of Oklahoma places a time limit on how long you may take to submit a personal injury or wrongful death claim. This law is known as the Statute of Limitations. For Oklahoma, that time period is two years. Two years may seem like a long time, but for your personal injury attorney to gather all the facts, documentation, statements, etc., for your case, two years can go by quickly. So, time IS of the essence
Contact Our McAlester Whiplash Injury Attorney Today
At Edwards & Patterson Law, our experienced McAlester whiplash injury attorneys are prepared to investigate your whiplash accident injury claim. We will fight on your behalf to hold any appropriate parties accountable for your injuries so that you can focus on your health and recovery.
Our law offices are located in Tulsa and McAlester, and we serve clients throughout the surrounding areas of Oklahoma. Contact us by filling out a contact form, chatting with us live on our site, or calling us today for a free and confidential consultation.
