It's one of the most common personal injury claims, so everyone should be educated on the matter.
Several misconceptions that surround whiplash feed unfortunate stereotypes and stigmas surrounding the notion of whiplash. Even though these types of accidents can occur in other ways, like contact sports, the most common cause of whiplash is car accidents.
That makes it even more important to know what to do to protect your health and financial well-being if you've suffered a whiplash injury in Savannah, GA.
In the article below, we will discuss what to do after a whiplash injury in Savannah, GA.
Table Of Contents
- What's A Whiplash Injury?
- What Are The Symptoms Of Whiplash After a Car Accident?
- Should You Always Seek Medical Treatment?
- You Need Medical Documentation
- What Are The Legal Steps To Take After Your Accident?
- Medical Services To Seek After An Auto Accident
- Make Your Chiropractor Appointment in Savannah Immediately After Your Accident
What's A Whiplash Injury?
Whiplash is a neck strain or neck sprain.
It occurs when your body or neck is jerked back and forth violently and without warning, similar to the cracking of a whip.
This typically happens when your vehicle suddenly stops, turns too abruptly, or is struck from behind.
The sudden force of an abrupt movement on the neck and head can result in stretches, tears, and injuries to the muscles and tendons of your neck.
Although a potentially painful injury, the symptoms of whiplash do not always appear immediately.
A rush of adrenaline that occurs after traumatic events like auto accidents can mask the pain of whiplash.
Many injured victims feel like they haven't been injured until hours, days, or even days later.
However, neck injuries and any type of injury after a wreck are severe, and you should take them seriously.
Always seek medical treatment after a car accident in Savannah right away, even if you feel fine.
What Are The Symptoms Of Whiplash After a Car Accident?
The pain and other symptoms of whiplash can vary in intensity depending on the severity of the injury.
Anyone who experiences these common symptoms of whiplash after a motor vehicle accident should seek medical attention immediately.
The most common symptoms of whiplash are:
- Neck pain
- A stiff neck
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Muscle spasms
- Reduced muscle strength in the neck
- Loss of, or limited range of motion in the neck
- Headaches, commonly starting at the base of the skull
- Shoulder pain
- Arm pain or numbness
- Pain in the upper back
- Tingling or numbness in the arms
More severe symptoms include:
- Blurry vision
- Ringing in the ears
- Memory problems
- Depression
- Sleep disturbances
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
What makes whiplash more complicated than other accident injuries is that they are not easy to diagnose based solely on the wide range of symptoms.
Everyone needs a medical evaluation as soon as possible to have their symptoms diagnosed.
At Arrowhead Clinic in Savannah, we offer same-day or next-day appointments, free consultations, and world-class care by experienced accident doctors.
Our experienced team can diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate auto accident injuries to help you recover quickly and completely.
Should You Always Seek Medical Treatment?
Any person involved in an accident should seek medical treatment immediately.
Even if you feel fine at the accident scene, you should visit the emergency room or seek chiropractic treatment.
Whiplash is a soft tissue injury, so symptoms are often delayed.
It's always in your best interest to visit a doctor as soon as possible for a physical examination so you can avoid the long-term effects of whiplash.
Soft tissue injuries don't show up on an x-ray or other typical imaging scans, so make sure to tell your doctor that you were involved in a rear-end collision.
When you do, they will check your neck muscles for signs of whiplash and any other potential life-altering health issues.
Your doctor will diagnose your initial injury and devise a plan to treat your symptoms.
You Need Medical Documentation
Early medical treatment makes it possible to recover both physically and financially.
Having your whiplash-type injuries documented by a medical professional immediately after a Savannah car accident makes it easier to avoid future problems with an insurance adjuster.
Having documentation of medical records and a description of injuries right after your accident will show your health insurance company that the crash was indeed the cause of your injury.
And if you have severe injuries, you've documented the early symptoms and will avoid the problems that come with delayed medical treatment.
Early treatment and medical documentation create a correlation between your accident and injuries the insurance companies need to see when they are being asked to pay for your necessary medical care.
What Are The Legal Steps To Take After Your Accident?
Everyone involved in a car accident should take advantage of a free consultation with a car accident lawyer.
Insurance companies will move fast and begin investigating your claim immediately, so you need aggressive representation that will do the same.
And always seek legal advice before accepting an insurance company's offer.
The first offer you receive is never the best.
Your personal injury lawyer knows that and will negotiate for fair compensation.
If you proceed without legal representation, it increases the chances that you'll make a mistake that costs you money.
Medical Services To Seek After An Auto Accident
Untreated whiplash symptoms can cause severe health conditions like:
- Joint dysfunction
- Nerve damage
- Sleep disorders
- Disc herniations
To treat these conditions and ensure your recovery, you should seek:
- Chiropractic Care: Chiropractic adjustments, massage therapy, physical therapy, spinal manipulations, and other chiropractor treatments will realign your cervical spine after the accident
- Soft Tissue Rehabilitation: Soft tissue rehabilitation from a Savannah chiropractor can treat the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and spinal discs affected in the accident. Electro-stimulation, trigger point therapy, and strength-training exercises can also help muscles heal correctly.
- Surgery: Surgery is always the last resort. If you seek chiropractic care soon enough, it can typically be avoided. But some whiplash victims suffer herniated discs and spinal fractures that require the help of a surgical team to readjust their spine and restore joint movement.
Make Your Chiropractor Appointment in Savannah Immediately After Your Accident
The most important thing to do if you think you're suffering from whiplash is to visit a chiropractor to start the healing process.
Your injuries can worsen each day you don't see a chiropractor.
Many victims make the mistake of ignoring their pain or trying to "wait it out" because minor pain can quickly turn into chronic pain requiring months or years of treatment.
An experienced chiropractor with Arrowhead Clinic in Savannah will assess you after your accident.
If a whiplash injury is discovered, they will design a treatment plan to get you back to your pre-accident life.
They can also refer you to an experienced personal injury attorney in the area to help you get fair compensation to help with the financial damages, like medical expenses or vehicle repairs.
Click the button below to schedule your free consultation with Arrowhead Clinic in Savannah.
References:
https://www.johnfoy.com/faqs/what-should-i-do-for-whiplash-after-a-car-accident/
https://floridaphysicalmedicine.com/whiplash/
https://www.anidjarlevine.com/faqs/what-to-do-for-whiplash-after-a-car-accident/
https://www.michiganautolaw.com/personal-injury-lawyer/whiplash-after-car-accident/
