The most common reported symptoms associated with whiplash

On behalf of Aiken and Aiken P.C. Personal Injury Attorneys posted in Car Accidents, on Wednesday, January 21, 2015

A car accident can happen in a matter of seconds on Massachusetts roadways, and a driver may not have enough time to shield their face and head before the impact. Each day, people who are involved in accidents sustain injuries, regardless of how fast a vehicle was traveling at the time of the collision. If an individual begins to have headaches, difficulty balancing when walking or standing, severe pain in the neck or back areas or dizziness, they may have received a whiplash injury. Whiplash can happen after a variety of situations, but car collisions are the most popular causes. Symptoms of whiplash could take up to 48 hours to show. One of the most common symptoms that patients report after receiving car accident-induced whiplash is a headache near the base of the skull. A person’s shoulders and upper chest could also become injured following whiplash. The extent of such an injury can vary, which makes it difficult to diagnose without a doctor’s involvement. Pain in a specific part of the body may actually indicate a problem in a completely different area that would not be noticed without an X-ray. The American Chiropractic Association recommends that patients being treated for whiplash stay as active as possible. However, if a serious injury occurs, immobilization may be recommended. This could include a neck brace that prevents further strain to the ligaments and muscles. In some cases, a chiropractor might recommend exercises or stretching methods to rehabilitate the injured areas. A collision can cause broken bones, back injuries, trauma to the brain, spinal cord issues and a number of other problems that might make it difficult for an individual to recover quickly. If a person has received an injury after a wreck, an attorney might be able to help them receive compensation. Source: American Chiropractic Association, “Whiplash,” Accessed Jan. 20, 2015