Whiplash injuries and car accidents

On behalf of Aiken and Aiken P.C. Personal Injury Attorneys posted in Car Accidents, on Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Following a car accident, many Massachusetts residents may experience a number of injuries, including whiplash. Whiplash most commonly happens to people whose stationary vehicle has been rear-ended by another vehicle. The force of such an impact can cause the victim’s upper and lower neck bones to move past their normal range of motion. While the upper neck bones move one way, the lower neck bones move another way, resulting in the victim’s cervical spine becoming S-shaped. Whenever whiplash takes place, the cervical vertebrae’s soft tissue, which consists of muscles, facet capsules and ligaments, become damaged by being strained and pulled. Fatigue, dizziness, tinnitus, headaches, stiffness and pain in the neck, back, shoulder and arm are some of the general symptoms of whiplash. Some whiplash victims who are not properly treated may suffer whiplash-associated disorder, a severe, chronic condition that includes symptoms such as stress, insomnia and depression. While whiplash is not life threatening, it may cause a person to be partially disabled. Recent figures estimate that $30 billion is spent annually in the U.S. to due to whiplash. Some of these expenses include litigation, sick leave, medical care and disability. An auto accident can lead to serious injuries and financial losses for those who have been involved. However, if the victim’s injuries were the result of a negligent driver, an attorney may be able to help the victim pursue damages through a civil court action. By analyzing information found in the police report, witness statements and accident reconstruction data, the attorney may be able to support the plaintiff’s claims of driver negligence. If the defendant is found to be at-fault in causing the crash, the court might award the plaintiff damages stemming from the accident, such as income losses and medical expenses. Source: MedicineNet.com, “Whiplash“, November 29, 2014