Whiplash is one of the most common injuries that victims suffer in rear-end crashes. There may be a negative connotation associated with whiplash injury due to the way the victims of the injury have been portrayed in movies and television shows, often shown with a neck brace and a storyline of “faking” their injury in order to win a personal injury claim.
The truth is, however, that whiplash injuries are very real and usually very painful – even minor ones – and in some cases, the injury ends up causing long-term issues for the victim.
What Is Whiplash
Whenever there is some kind of impact or blow that causes a person’s head to whip back and forth, there is a high risk they will sustain a whiplash injury from that action. While most people think that whiplash only affects the neck, it can actually affect other areas of the body, as well, including cervical discs, the spine, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons.
Symptoms of whiplash include neck pain, dizziness, weakness and numbness in limbs, tingling in limbs, blurred vision, sleepiness, and irritability.
These symptoms may be delayed or start off as minor, so the victim does not think they have been injured. When the victim does finally receive a whiplash diagnosis, insurance companies typically try to use that delay as a way to deny the claim or offer settlement amounts far below what the victim should be entitled to.
How Common Are Whiplash Injuries?
According to national statistics, more than two million people suffer whiplash injuries each year. In fact, neck injuries are the most common injury claim reported to insurance companies and account for about 25 percent of all insurance claims paid out each year. Rear-end crash whiplash claims total about $3 billion each year. This includes costs for victims’ medical expenses, lost wages, lost benefits, disability payments, and other costs associated with whiplash lawsuits and claims.
While the majority of whiplash victims do recover, more than 40 percent of car accident whiplash victims do suffer chronic pain. Other victims suffer more serious injuries that can have debilitating effects on their life.
Diagnosing whiplash can sometimes be difficult because there are no outward physical signs. It has been recommended by multiple studies that whiplash victims who are still suffering pain two weeks following the accident should have an MRI done to see if there has been any atrophy to the neck muscles. This not only confirms the extent of the injury, which will aid in treatment, but will also help provide evidence of the injury in any future personal injury claim the victim files against the party responsible for the accident that caused the whiplash.
Let a Virginia Injury Attorney Help
If you have suffered whiplash or any other injury caused by the negligent or reckless behavior of another driver, contact a Virginia car accident attorney from Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp to discuss what your legal options may be. Victims can be compensated for the medical expenses, lost income from being unable to work, pain and suffering, and emotional anguish.
Our 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.
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