Whiplash: The Basics
Whiplash is one of the most common injuries sustained following a minor to severe car accident. If you’ve been injured in accident and think the driver may have faulted you, the most important first step is to contact a dedicated Texas personal injury attorney immediately. The sooner you have the assistance of a qualified professional on your side, the easier your case will be. Regardless, whiplash, or even a suspected case of it, is worthy of a second look. According to a Hillsboro, Texas chiropractic clinic, the term whiplash was “coined by Dr. Harold Crowe back in 1928.” This may be surprising, considering the speed at which vehicles could travel in 1928, but it goes to show that it’s not an injury reserved for only the most severe of car accidents. Whiplash, as defined by Dr. Crowe, is used to refer to “the hyperextension/hyper flexion injury of the neck, and the resulting symptoms of his injury—sustained from a motor vehicle accident.” Symptoms of whiplash, according to Hillsboro Chiropractors, include (but are not limited to):
- neck pain
- cervical muscle spasms
- dizziness and balance problems
- blurred visions
- shoulder and interscapular pain
- hand and finger pain
- chronic headaches (including migraines and muscle-tension headaches)
- lightheadedness
- post-traumatic depression and cognitive problems
While whiplash often has a reputation as an injury claimed by those who don’t really need treatment, it’s a serious injury and can have lasting effects for up to six months, in 75 percent of cases, according to Hillsboro Chiropractors. This can rack up a hefty bill for the patient involved. Additionally, according to Hillsboro Chiropractors “whiplash victims lose an average of 8 weeks of work.” This puts accident victims in a particularly bad situation. If you or someone you know has sustained whiplash in a car accident or suspect that you might have, the most important first step is to seek the counsel of a lawyer. Don’t go through it alone. Contact an experienced Texas personal injury attorney today.
