Diagnosing Chronic Whiplash Injuries | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

One of the most common types of car accidents is a rear-end crash. It is not uncommon for these accidents to result in whiplash injuries to occupants of the vehicle. Whiplash injury can happen even if the vehicles are traveling at speeds as low as 10 mph. It is not so much the impact of one vehicle smashing into the back of the other as it is the jerking of the victim’s neck and head that causes the strain to the ligaments and muscles.

It is that jerking motion of the head and neck, to the back and to the front, which causes the ligaments and muscles to be stretched beyond where they are meant to be. This jerking motion can also cause damage to a victim’s cervical muscles, discs, intervertebral joints, and nerve roots.

In many cases, whiplash injury is temporary, however, in approximately 25 percent of whiplash injury cases, the victim suffers long-term chronic and debilitating pain. In some cases, this pain can last for years. It is not uncommon for insurance companies to accuse long-term whiplash sufferers of trying to perpetrate fraud and to be faking their injury. But science and technology have developed ways that can help ensure whiplash victims receive the treatments and financial compensation they deserve.

 

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One of the issues with diagnosing whiplash injuries is that there are no visible signs of injuries. This is compounded by the difference in healing between whiplash and other sprains and strains that affect other parts of the body, which usually heal quickly compared to the areas affected by whiplash. Unfortunately, many doctors do not fully understand if whiplash injuries are causing the victim’s chronic pain. This is where recently developed diagnostic tools can help.

Utilizing MRIs

Studies have found that using advanced MRI imaging on whiplash victims who suffer from long-term pain can detect the presence of any muscular changes. These studies have found that whiplash victims who suffer from pain lasting more than two weeks have fat infiltrating the muscles in their neck which can cause rapid atrophy, causing the long-term pain. Utilizing MRIs for whiplash diagnosis can not only help the victim when it comes to treatment for the physical aspect of their injury but can also help with the often-emotional impact chronic pain sufferers also often deal with, which is especially common when the pain they are suffering does not respond well to different medical treatments they receive.

This information can also help a victim when it comes to receiving the financial compensation they deserve for their accident injury since this medical documentation makes it more difficult for the insurance companies to dispute whiplash victims’ claims.

Let a Carolinas Injury Attorney Help

If you have suffered whiplash or any other injury caused by the negligent or reckless behavior of another driver, contact a North Carolina car accident attorney to discuss what your legal options may be. Our NC personal injury attorneys have successfully represented many clients who were forced to deal with painful injuries and long recoveries due to another person’s negligence. Contact our office today at (833) 997-1774 to schedule a free case evaluation.