When a Floridian is in a car accident, there are times when a possible injury might not be clearly evident. Accident victims might not even feel the need to go to the hospital. One serious injury that might not be obvious is whiplash. It is important to understand the symptoms as it can result in hefty medical expenses and long-term problems. It’s possible that these aftereffects might not show themselves for up to a full 24 hours or longer, so those who have been affected need to be on the lookout for them.
If there is an auto accident and the victim experiences a forceful back-and-forth motion of the neck, it can result in whiplash. This frequently occurs when the car accident is of the rear-end variety, but it can happen in other crashes as well. While many might feel the pain and symptoms immediately, there could be a delay. This is why it is imperative to be cognizant of any pain that might arise after the accident.
A person who has whiplash might suffer from stiffness or pain in the neck area. There might be pain when moving the neck and a reduction in range of motion. There can be headaches beginning at the base of the skull. There could be pain or tenderness in the arms, upper back or shoulders. A victim might experience fatigue or dizziness. Other issues that might arise include blurred vision, ringing in the ears, problems sleeping, feeling irritable, having trouble concentrating, memory issues and feeling depressed.
Those who have been in an auto accident often don’t realize how injured they are until well after the incident occurred. Simply because they didn’t feel the pain immediately does not mean there was no injury. In fact, some serious injuries do not manifest themselves until later. One of those injuries can be whiplash. Those who have been involved in an auto accident should take the steps they need to understand how to move forward with pursuing compensation.
Source: mayoclinic.org, “Whiplash Symptoms,” accessed Sept. 21, 2015
