Whiplash Injuries
There is a myth out there that whiplash isn’t a serious injury. It is. Whiplash inflicts direct harm on the muscles, tendons, ligaments, discs, and bones in the neck, shoulder, and upper back.
While the range of severity varies from one case of whiplash to the next, it isn’t uncommon for victims to face long-lasting disruption in their day-to-day lives. The pain, suffering, medical expenses, and emotional distress can be substantial. And because those damages are typically incurred as the result of someone else’s negligence, victims are often entitled to financial reimbursement.
Unfortunately, the “whiplash myth” is perpetuated in part by insurance companies. Why? They’re the ones with a legal responsibility to pay for those injuries. They hope to reduce the number of whiplash claims by stigmatizing the injury and making victims feel silly for taking action. Don’t fall for those tricks.
Whiplash is a real and medically verifiable injury. The condition causes hardship of varying degrees, and that hardship usually warrants financial compensation.
At Tucker Lawyers PC, we understand how serious a whiplash injury can be. If you’ve suffered a soft tissue injury in the neck, shoulder, or upper back, you need a legal advocate who believes in your case.
Our New York City whiplash injury lawyers will fight for you. We care about how much money you recover. It’s our job to maximize that dollar amount. Call us today and get free consultation from our skilled car accident advocates in queens.
What Is Whiplash?
The Mayo Clinic defines whiplash as “a neck injury due to forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck, like the cracking of a whip.”
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) further define the condition as a “soft-tissue injury… characterized by a collection of symptoms that occur following damage to the neck, usually because of sudden extension or flexion.”
Whiplash may involve injury to multiple or numerous body parts, including:
- Ligaments
- Bones
- Joints
- Tendons
- Discs
- Intervertebral fibrocartilage
- Cervical muscles
- Nerve roots
- Spine (in severe cases)
- Arteries (in severe cases)
- Eyes (in severe cases)
- Head or brain (in severe cases).
Whiplash is most often caused by rear-end vehicle accidents but can appear in many other contexts as well. Common causes of whiplash include:
- Auto accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- School sports injuries
- Assault and battery
- Domestic abuse
- Slips and falls
- Other falls
- Roller coasters and other theme park rides
- Any trauma to the head, neck, shoulder, or back.
As New York City whiplash injury lawyers, we have helped people with a wide range of whiplash complications. We understand that soft tissue injuries affect different people in different ways. Sometimes, people refer to these accidents with different terminology.
You might have heard whiplash referred to as:
- Neck sprain
- Neck strain
- Whip crack injury
- Cervical injury
- Cervical acceleration-deceleration (CAD)
- Whiplash-associated disorders (WAD).
Symptoms of Whiplash
Common symptoms of whiplash include:
- Neck pain (especially pain that grows worse)
- Neck stiffness (reduced range of motion in neck)
- Shoulder pain
- Back pain
- Headache (often starting at the base of the skull)
- Dizziness
- Muscle discomfort or tenderness / sore back, shoulder, and neck muscles
- Prickling, tingling, or burning sensations (paresthesias)
- Tingling or numbness in the arms
- Fatigue.
Less common symptoms of whiplash include:
- Memory loss
- Difficulty concentrating
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Nervousness
- Irritability
- Sleep problems
- Severe mobility problems
- Vision loss or blurry vision
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Stroke.
The symptoms of whiplash are not always immediately apparent. In some cases, they make take days or even weeks to appear. That’s why it is so important that you seek immediate medical attention after any auto accident, fall, or suspected injury.
WARNING: Some whiplash symptoms, including neck pain and stiffness, may indicate an unrelated condition called meningitis. Similarly, symptoms like numbness and blurry vision may indicate stroke, which can in some cases be caused by a neck injury. These are both life-threatening emergencies and require immediate medical attention.
Whiplash Is Serious.
If you’ve suffered a soft tissue injury and someone else’s negligence is to blame, you are entitled to financial recovery pursuant to New York personal injury law. The value of that compensation may be much more than you realize.
After any accident involving the head, shoulder, or neck, you should seek immediate medical attention. Once you’ve been treated, please give our office a call right away.
Our New York City whiplash lawyers are ready to represent you with no up-front or out-of-pocket costs. We don’t get paid unless you recover compensation. Call us today.
Managing Attorney John. J. Tucker, Esq.
John has personally handled thousands of clients who were victims of another’s negligence and fights relentlessly for their rights. John enjoys bringing closure to a client’s matter so that the injured party can move forward with their life. His background enables him to evaluate complex liability related claims and bring resolution to claims in a record time frame. [ Attorney Bio ]