The most common type of spinal injury sustained in an accident is called a “whiplash injury.” Suffering a whiplash injury after an accident can be a very serious medical condition despite what some people or insurance adjusters might believe. If you’re experiencing symptoms of whiplash after an accident, working with an experienced Colorado Springs car accident attorney increases the chances that you’ll be able to receive critical compensation that you’ll be able to use to pay expensive medical bills.
A whiplash injury is also referred to as a neck sprain or neck strain depending on the severity. It’s where the cervical vertebrae actually sustained soft-tissue injury. This type of injury typically causes headaches and stiffness and sometimes other associated pain. It can also cause cognitive issues. Whiplash is defined as an injury caused by a severe jerk to the head, typically in a motor-vehicle accident and can even happen in slow speed car accidents. When the head is jerked in this manner, damage can occur in the discs between the vertebrae because the muscles and ligaments in the neck are forced beyond the normal range of motion.
Some of the ways you can identify if you have sustained a whiplash type injury after an accident is that you are experiencing headaches, back or shoulder pain, or even dizziness. Some individuals even experience difficulty sleeping, concentration, memory loss, blurred vision, tingling in the arms, shoulders and back, jaw pain, fatigue and even depression. These symptoms do not always become symptomatic until several days after an accident.
It typically takes most people a couple of months to recover from these symptoms after treatment. Every person heals differently. A physician will typically recommend physical therapy, massage and perhaps chiropractic adjustments. A physician may even prescribe muscle relaxers or some type of pain management medication to provide comfort.
What is most important is that you take care of your health and follow all of the recommendations of your doctor so that you can get back to life before the injury. Getting a favorable settlement for your injuries is crucial to being able to pay all of your medical bills without coming out of your own pocket so make sure to speak with an attorney. If you are still in the research phase, you can read our guide on typical car accident settlement amounts to get a ball park idea of what your settlement amount may look like.
We serve clients injured anywhere throughout the state of Colorado, but we focus on residents of these areas: Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, Fountain, Briargate, Monument, Black Forest, Pueblo, Canon City, Larkspur, Security-Widefield, Peyton, Castle Rock, Teller County, El Paso County, Elbert County, Park County, Douglas County and beyond.
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