Whiplash injuries normally occur when a sudden movement occurs in your neck which causes it to move sharply. This movement can be forward, backwards, left or right. It is common for the injuries to occur as a result of an accident involving a car; however they can occur in other accidents such as sporting injuries or slips and trips.
What happens to my neck if I have whiplash?
When your neck has moved sharply, the tendons and ligaments in the neck can be damaged. Remember, your neck connects your head to your body so the tissue needs to be strong and flexible – but it has a limit.
It can take a long time for you to notice the symptoms of whiplash, in some cases it may take as long as 12 hours to develop. This means that the pain may not be noticed until a long time or in some cases the day after the accident.
What is the cure for whiplash?
To be diagnosed with whiplash it is common for you to explain your symptoms to a doctor. Scans of the affected area on the neck are not usually required; however, if your neck deteriorates scans or tests may be necessary to see if there are any other problems with your neck.
Whiplash is an injury which will generally heal itself after a period of time. Keeping your neck moving regularly can help to keep it agile and reduce the symptoms. Painkillers usually help to manage the pain from whiplash and the doctor can prescribe strong painkillers if the pain persists. It is rare, but possible, that whiplash can develop into chronic whiplash if it lasts for over six months. This is agonising and can cause extreme discomfort.
Are all whiplash claims false?
This is absolutely not true. Perhaps the media has warped the view of whiplash injuries in this country and inflated how many false claims have been made. However, most whiplash claims are genuine and it is a genuine injury!
Whiplash can cause extreme discomfort with most of life’s everyday routines and have a knock on effect on working or looking after children. You are therefore entitled to claim for the pain, suffering, loss of earnings, medical bills and more from the negligent Defendant. Do not think that you are taking money directly from the Defendant’s pocket; they are usually insured and the claim can be made against the insurer. Insurance is not an impoverished business, it is highly lucrative and they have usually set aside money to cover the cost of your claim and more. And after all – insurance is there to insure people!
REFERENCES:
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/whiplash/Pages/Introduction.aspx
