Whiplash is one of the most common injuries motorists sustain in a Georgia auto accident. Typically, whiplash is associated with rear-end crashes.
Whiplash is a term commonly used to describe soft tissue injuries occurring to the neck and shoulders. Whiplash injuries are a type of sprain that are so named because they result from the head and neck snapping quickly backward and forwards during a car wreck.
The symptoms of whiplash may be immediate or delayed, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stoke. People involved in car crashes should seek immediate medical attention because their symptoms may be worse a few days later.
whiplash in a Georgia auto accident
Although whiplash injuries often heal in a matter of weeks, they can linger and cause other complications.
Symptoms of Whiplash in a Georgia Auto Accident
Whiplash is a very common injury in a car wreck given the effect sudden impacts have on the body. Whiplash can impact the victim’s ability to move, work and carry out everyday functions. Symptoms of whiplash can include:
- Neck stiffness
- Neck pain
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Abnormal sensations like prickling or burning
- Pain in the shoulders
- Back pain
As well as these symptoms, some accident victims suffer psychological, cognitive conditions or cannot sleep after suffering from whiplash.
Other possible complications include impaired concentration, memory loss, sleep disturbances, depression, and anxiety. These symptoms can point to a more serious underlying injury in as well as whiplash that occurred during the accident. A doctor can advise you of additional issues.
Neck pain is the most common complaint reported in as many as 90 percent of patients. This pain radiates across the shoulders. It may go up into the head, and down between your shoulder blades. Whiplash injuries typically impact all of the tissues in your neck, including discs between the vertebrae and the facet joints and, as well as all of the ligaments, muscles and nerves.
Facet joint pain after a car wreck is felt on the back of the neck, normally to the right or left. Your neck may be tender to the touch.
Disc injuries from whiplash and other neck injuries may cause chronic pain and require surgery. The outer wall of the disc is called the annulus. It is made up of bundles of fibers that often tear during a whiplash trauma. The tears can result in disc degeneration or herniation. Often a herniated disk can lead result in radiating pain into the arms, upper back, and shoulders and may result in muscle weakness.
Although an insurance company may discount whiplash in a Georgia auto accident, this may be serious and cause long-lasting symptoms. Call our Newnan personal injury attorney for a consultation at (404) 913-1529.