In a motor vehicle accident or an unexpected fall, whiplash can be a serious and debilitating injury. People who are dealing with this condition should consult a Lafayette auto accident lawyer at our firm for guidance.
Whiplash involves the stretching and tearing of neck muscles and tendons caused by a sudden jolt in the neck and back after an extreme back and forth motion, usually happening in a rapid, unexpected set of circumstances that doesn’t give an individual adequate time to brace themselves. In addition to deep, gnawing pain resulting from the neck strain itself, whiplash can cause microfractures of vertebral end plates, as well as separation of intervertebral discs from vertebral end plates. The microfractures originally sustained from whiplash can be exacerbated through further trauma, leading to much more significant injuries and increased hospital bills. Though most whiplash symptoms are treatable and curable within weeks, some whiplash cannot be treated and can result in disability. While many whiplash injuries are caused by motor vehicle accidents, any sudden force applied to an individuals head, causing it to jerk and strain the neck muscles, may result in whiplash. Whiplash can be distinguished from the related condition of neck sprain. A neck sprain occurs when the ligaments—tissues that connect bones to each other—are torn. Unlike neck sprains, whiplash is a neck strain, which happens when the muscles or tendons of the neck are damaged, instead of the ligaments.
Based in the Lafayette area, the auto accident lawyers at Broussard, David & Moroux represent people injured in motor vehicle accidents and slip and fall accidents and can work with you to ensure that you receive the just compensation you deserve for your injury. If you or a loved one suffered whiplash in an accident and the injury has become disabling, you should speak with an attorney to learn about your legal rights.
Different people respond differently to whiplash, and different circumstances cause different degrees of whiplash severity in individuals. The proper treatment for whiplash in one person might entail simply icing the affected area and waiting for the muscles to heal themselves. Others, unfortunately, may have to undergo more extensive medical and chiropractic treatments for their whiplash. In more severe whiplash cases, treating the condition may require missing work and losing out on wages. This, coupled with burdensome medical bills, can create a financial nightmare for individuals already operating under the stress of physical injury.
Although whiplash is often a minor injury, chronic whiplash can indicate severe back and neck injury after an accident. Symptoms of minor whiplash include neck pain, headaches, dizziness, and blurred vision. However, symptoms of more severe whiplash include all of the above symptoms in addition to concentration problems, memory loss, ringing in ears, irritability, and insomnia. After a motor vehicle accident or slip and fall accident, it is important for an individual to seek medical attention immediately. The next step is to consult our Lafayette auto accident attorneys to explore your options.
If you incurred medical costs in the treatment of your whiplash, you may have legal rights to recover compensation from the actor who caused your injury. For questions, call us at 888-337-2323 (toll free) or 337-233-2323 (local). You can also contact us online for answers to your questions or to schedule a free consultation with an auto accident attorney in the Lafayette area.