Whiplash is a common car accident injury. Many motorists suffer whiplash in a rear-end collision when their head is whipped back and forth due to the forces generated by the crash. Some symptoms are immediately apparent, and many motorists need time off from work. Michael J. Lichner is an experienced Joliet car accident lawyer who can help clients obtain compensation for this and other car accident injuries.
Below, we look at some of the long-term effects of whiplash. This is a tough injury to overcome, so we encourage everyone to go to the hospital for immediate treatment and then reach out to our law firm to learn more about the legal side of the case.
Whiplash Long-Term Symptoms & Consequences
Whiplash typically injures soft tissues like muscles and ligaments in the neck. They are stretched or completely torn and require rest to heal. Over the ensuing months, you can experience a range of physical symptoms and other consequences.
- Chronic Pain and Neck Stiffness
Pain in and around the neck is common. When whiplash is mild, a person could fully recover within a few months, but more chronic whiplash can lead to lingering pain and stiffness.
Whiplash treatment often consists of simply managing symptoms, so there is no easy way to speed up recovery. Continue to follow your doctor’s treatment plan, which probably includes massage and physical therapy to slowly regain a range of movement. You might also receive medication to at least blunt the worst of the pain. If you have trouble sleeping, then ask for a sleeping aid.
- Cognitive Impairments and Emotional Disturbances
Whiplash can also cause cognitive or emotional impairments, such as
- Memory loss
- Difficulty concentrating on tasks
- Mood swings
- Irritability
The violent shaking, which causes whiplash, can also lead to a concussion or other traumatic brain injury. These are serious injuries that can take years to heal. A person often struggles to handle their daily activities because their brain is not functioning properly. As with whiplash, there is no easy cure for a concussion, which can require extensive rest.
- Jaw Pain
You can experience temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain after a car accident. This is an underappreciated whiplash symptom, usually because there is no direct link between the jaw and neck.
Jaw pain makes sleeping and eating painful, but the discomfort can also impair your sleep schedule. Treatment typically involves using cold therapy to reduce inflammation, as well as heat therapy to increase circulation and promote healing.
- Job Loss and Reduced Income
Whiplash is such a significant injury that many people cannot work. They need to stay home and rest for months or years. Even a sedentary office job usually requires a person to constantly turn their head or tip their chin up and down, which is impossible with chronic whiplash.
Lost income puts intense stress on families. Those who are already living paycheck to paycheck could be pushed to the brink of homelessness if they cannot afford rent or their mortgage. Others will need to pare back on expenses and possibly need to delay retirement.
A personal injury settlement can help with financial stress. Our Joliet car accident lawyer can seek financial compensation for whiplash.
- Psychological Impacts
Some motorists struggle with long-term psychological impacts, including post-traumatic stress disorder or increased anxiety. They might relive the accident, especially at night, and be unable to sleep. A lack of sleep also tends to make physical and emotional symptoms worse.
Remember to mention mental health effects when meeting with your doctor. Mention if you are struggling with depression or flashbacks to the event.
How to Minimize Long-Term Effects of Whiplash
A quick recovery helps accident victims maintain financial stability and improves their relationships. However, there are mistakes that many accident victims make that are critical to avoid.
Receive medical treatment quickly. Untreated whiplash is more likely to result in long-term symptoms. You should go to the hospital immediately after an accident and return to the hospital if your condition worsens.
Remember to rest. Soft tissue injuries won’t improve simply by taking a pill. Instead, patients need to rest so as not to stress their muscles.
Ease back into everyday life. As your pain decreases, you might be tempted to throw yourself back into work or hobbies. Take it slow. You don’t want to aggravate the existing strain in your neck muscles, which can lead to continuing pain.
Eat nutritious meals. Maintaining good overall health is important for preventing infections, which can delay the body’s ability to heal itself.
Bring an Injury Claim for Whiplash
This is one of the most important steps to take. A whiplash settlement can help with the financial stress that many motorists feel. For example, you might lose your job because your whiplash is too painful. You deserve compensation to help pay the bills that are piling up on your kitchen table.
We can seek compensation as you try to get a handle on the long-term effects of whiplash. A settlement might cover:
- Ongoing medical treatment or rehabilitation
- Lost wages and loss of earning capacity
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
Generally, the more serious the injury, the more compensation you should receive. However, some insurers dismiss the severity of whiplash, and they might not offer much for pain and suffering. We can help you document how your life has been thrown upside down after the accident.
Remember to save all pain medication bottles, which provide some proof of the pain you experienced. We might also ask your friends or family to testify on your behalf. They can help us see how the neck injury is devastating your life.
Contact Us Today to Speak with a Will County Personal Injury Lawyer
Michael J. Lichner has the experience that injured victims require when hurt in any type of accident. Because he is part of a larger firm, he also has the resources to negotiate with any insurer in the state. To learn more or get answers to your questions, please contact us.