The human body can endure many physical stresses and tests, but car accidents often push victims to the limit of pain and injury. When a Louisiana resident is involved in a motor vehicle accident, they may suffer a range of harm that can last from hours to the rest of their life. Practically any part of a person’s body can be harmed in a vehicle crash, but often the neck and spine suffer trauma from the violent impacts involved in most vehicle collisions.
One neck injury – whiplash – is common to vehicle accident victims. This informative post will offer information about whiplash and the legal rights victims may have following their vehicle crashes. No part of this post should be read as legal or medical advice. Personal injury attorneys can answer any vehicle accident questions that arise from the contents of this post.
What is whiplash?
Whiplash is an injury to the neck. It happens when the neck is forced or whipped in different directions. When a vehicle comes to an abrupt stop due to a crash, a victim’s head may move forward and backward, causing stress and strain to the connective tissues of the neck as it works to stabilize the head.
Whiplash can be major or minor. Some whiplash victims may recover from their harm quickly and suffer no lasting effects. Others may live with long-term pain that prevents them from living their lives fully following their car accidents.
What symptoms can whiplash cause in victims?
Whiplash can cause more than just pain. It can cause a range of symptoms that can drastically impact the quality of a victim’s life. Some whiplash symptoms include:
- Numbness
- Dizziness
- Concentration and focus problems
- Sleep problems
- Fatigue
An individual who has suffered whiplash in a car accident may have options to seek compensation for their losses. Following an accident, it is important that a victim is assessed by medical professionals for injuries like whiplash. When they are stable and ready, they can choose to contact their trusted personal injury attorneys for support and guidance on how to protect their rights to compensation for their losses.