Understanding Auto Accident Whiplash

One of the most common injuries resulting from a car accident is whiplash. The term is so common that many people assume this is a minor injury, but any damage to the spine should be taken seriously. Recovery from whiplash may take years, and up to 20 percent of people with this injury live with chronic pain for the rest of their lives.

Whiplash occurs when the head moves quickly in one direction and then immediately recoils. For instance, if you are driving and get rear-ended — one of the typical car accidents in New York — your head might whip forward and back with so much force that the soft tissue in the neck, including muscles and ligaments, is damaged.  Facet joints and spinal cord discs can also be injured.

Bruising, inflammation  and neck pain are standard whiplash symptoms. However, people with whiplash also experience:

• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Memory problems
• Blurred vision
• Ringing in the ears
• Depression
• Sleep disturbances

If your whiplash resulted from an auto accident that was caused by a reckless or negligent driver, you might be able to claim compensation. The insurance company representing the other driver may deny that your debilitating symptoms are related to whiplash, so make sure you have an experienced New York auto accident lawyer who can make a convincing case.

Rich & Rich, P.C., understands how serious a whiplash injury can be and will fight to help you secure the maximum compensation you are entitled to receive after your New York car accident.