Nearly every day, we hear stories about people who sustain serious injuries in auto accidents across the U.S. The most common forms of injuries that accident victims sustain are fractures, lacerations, concussions, head and neck trauma, and a variety of soft tissue related injuries. In general, many individuals fail to appreciate the severity of soft tissue damages – including whiplash – which can be serious and life threatening if not immediately treated. Unfortunately, whiplash occurs for a variety of reasons during a car accident, even when someone is wearing his or her seatbelt. However, the severity of the whiplash depends upon the type of crash and the amount of force generated as a result. For instance, a rear end collision involving high speeds typically result in cases of whiplash that are severe enough to disable a person for weeks. Conversely, a side swipe accident involving lower speeds may leave a person with a stiff neck however, they are able usually to recover within a short period of time.
In general, whiplash is a form of soft tissue damage that occurs when a vehicle is struck during an accident, causing a person’s head to rapidly move back and forth, much like the snap of a whip. Oftentimes, people are unaware that they sustained a whiplash-related injury since it takes time for the initial trauma and shock of an accident to subside. Otherwise stated, it is not uncommon for people to start feeling the effects of their accident within hours if not days following an accident. As a seasoned Mississippi auto accident lawyer that has represented numerous whiplash victims, they often tell me that they did not realize just how badly their neck was injured until they woke up the next day.
As noted above, whiplash can be a serious injury and often manifests itself in a variety of different ways. For instance, there are many symptoms which indicate that a person is suffering from whiplash. Being aware of these symptoms may help mitigate the risks should you sustain a whiplash injury. The most common symptoms of whiplash are:
- Mild to moderate head and neck pain
- Difficulty remembering
- Episodes of vertigo
- Fainting spells
- Feeling dizzy
- Feeling fatigued
- Difficulty focusing or concentrating
- Mild to severe back pain
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Radiating pains that stem from the neck and affect numerous parts of the body
- Neck stiffness
- Numbness and tingling in various parts of the body
- Muscle cramps
For more information, contact our seasoned Mississippi car accident attorneys now learn more about your legal options. We will take the time to examine the facts of your case and advise you of all of your rights and responsibilities. We look forward to providing you with superior legal representation.