How to Recognize the Signs of Whiplash from a Car Accident

 Posted on January 21, 2020 in Personal Injury

You are sitting in your car on the way home from work. The traffic is terrible today, and you are crawling along at a snail’s pace. You stop for what seems like the hundredth time in the past five minutes and take a deep breath. Suddenly, the car behind slams into you, sending your head flying forward, only to snap backward and then upright again -- a classic case of whiplash. According to Harvard Health Publishing, more than one million Americans experience whiplash injuries each year. Although whiplash is thought to be one of the less serious types of car accident injuries, it can cause a person to experience immense pain and discomfort.

What Is Whiplash?

Whiplash is a common neck injury that occurs when your head is suddenly and forcefully thrown forward and then backward. When the neck extends past its normal range of motion, which it usually does during a whiplash injury, the bones, discs, nerves, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage that are located in the neck can become damaged or strained. The most common way whiplash occurs is during car accidents, although you can sustain a whiplash injury from other activities, such as contact sports, physical abuse, being hit in the head, or even a hard fall.

Symptoms of Whiplash

A person may not always immediately experience the effects of whiplash injuries. Sometimes, it can take up to 24 hours for injuries to fully develop and symptoms to appear. Some of the most common symptoms of whiplash include:

• Neck pain and stiffness

• Headaches, especially starting at the base of the skull

• Difficulty moving and/or loss of range of motion of the neck

• Tenderness or pain in the shoulders or between the shoulder blades

• Blurred vision

• Dizziness

Although those symptoms are the most common ones associated with whiplash injuries, some people can experience other, more serious signs that can last for a long time, such as:

• Ringing in the ears

• Difficulty sleeping

• Irritability

• Difficulty concentrating

• Memory problems

• Chronic fatigue

• Pain or numbness in the arms or hands

Contact a Bloomingdale, IL Personal Injury Attorney

Most people have heard of whiplash, but many people do not know how extensive the effects of the injury can be. At the Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices, we do know how a whiplash injury can affect you for months or even years after your injury. Our skilled DuPage County car accident injury lawyers are equipped with the knowledge and savvy needed to help you obtain fair compensation for your injuries. To schedule a free consultation, call our office today at 630-932-9100.