St. Petersburg Accident Blog

Compensation for Whiplash Resulting from an Auto Accident

Car accidents can result in major damage to the vehicles involved and can potentially cause serious injuries.  If you have been in an auto accident in Florida, you understand the pain and frustration of dealing with the aftermath.  When you are injured in a car crash, you may be forced to take time away from work, which can lead to financial troubles.  Injuries also cost money to be treated.  One of the most common types of injuries associated with auto accidents is whiplash.  If you have sustained a whiplash injury, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.

Whiplash involves an overextension of the neck, which can lead to torn or stretched muscles or ligaments.  It is usually caused by being struck from behind, such as in a rear-end collision.  According to MedicineNet.com, “More recent studies investigating high-speed cameras and sophisticated crash dummies have determined that after the rear impact the lower cervical vertebrae (lower bones in the neck) are forced into a position of hyperextension while the upper cervical vertebrae (upper bones in the neck) are in a hyper flexed position.”  Some whiplash injuries will heal quickly, while others can take months to recover. 

Symptoms of whiplash can take days to surface and may include pain and aching in the neck, back or shoulders, sensory disturbance to the arms and legs, headache, fatigue, jaw pain and ringing in the ears.  Usually a whiplash injury causes only minor pain, but in some instances, it can result in a severe disability caused by restrictive head movement or of the cervical spine and may cause persistent pain.

If a doctor diagnoses you with whiplash, after conducting an x-ray or other imaging test to rule out bone fractures, he or she may recommend a soft cervical collar.  Your doctor might also recommend bed rest, neck rest and medication to manage the pain.

The expenses associated with whiplash can add up quickly.  If you have been in a rear-end collision caused by another driver that resulted in whiplash, contact the Law Offices of William K. Saron at (866) 836-4947.  You may be able to recover damages for your injury.

The article, Whiplash Injury Caused by an Auto Accident – Symptoms and Treatment, has more information on this topic.