Whiplash Injuries

In an eight year study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) it was noted that more than 800,000 whiplash injuries occurred each year of the study, with a combined cost of care amounting to more than $8 BILLION dollars per annum.

The corresponding insurance claims accounted for more than 70 percent of all bodily-injury claims, with 43 percent of all medical costs specifically being associated with whiplash injuries during this same period of time.

Needless to say, one of the most common injuries sustained by drivers and passengers is whiplash – also known as a neck sprain, which is a soft tissue injury to the neck region.

If you or someone you love has suffered a whiplash injury due to an accident that was caused by another person, the victim may be eligible to receive compensation for their injuries – including any associated medical costs, rehabilitation costs and other related expenses.

To find out how our personal injury lawyers in Mobile can help, simply fill out the Free Case Review form to the right.

Whiplash Symptoms

Resulting from the sudden jerking of the head, whiplash injuries usually involve straining the muscles and ligaments in the neck and upper back area.

In most instances, accident victims will generally experience whiplash injury symptoms within 24 hours of sustaining the injury. However in some cases, the whiplash symptoms of an injury victim may go away – only to reappear a few days later.

Some common symptoms of whiplash injuries include:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Jaw pain
• Neck pain and stiffness
• Ringing in the ears
• Visual disturbances
• Irritability
• Trouble sleeping

While these are just some of the symptoms that victims have suffered, it’s important to note that there are also some more-serious symptoms that should be treated immediately.

Some of those symptoms may include:

• Tingling in the legs
• Tingling or numbness in the arms
• Pain when moving the head
• Pain that spreads in to the shoulder or arms

These symptoms may be an indicator of a serious personal injury that requires prompt treatment by either a hospital, ER or other certified medical practitioner.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Whiplash

Due to the different levels of damage that a victim can sustain in this type of injury, the treatment prescribed often depends on the severity of the injury. In fact, most whiplash injuries cannot be detected by standard X-rays, which generally requires the doctor to order a CT scan or an MRI to properly diagnose the injury.

With this in mind, if a patient has a mild whiplash injury a doctor may simply advise a patient to use an over-the-counter medication to relive the pain. However, if a patient has a severe case of whiplash a physician may recommend a prescription medication.

Other treatments used to treat whiplash injuries include:

• Physical therapy
• Heat
• Ice
• Injections
• Ultrasonic treatments

In the past, most doctors advised their whiplash patients to wear a soft foam collar to immobilize their neck however, recent studies have shown that immobilizing the neck may actually prolong the healing process. As a result, some medical professionals now believe that wearing a soft foam collar for an extended period causes the neck muscles to lose strength.

Contact a Mobile Whiplash Injury Attorney

Many whiplash injuries can often take 12 months or more to fully heal. Here at Citrin Law, we understand that during this time, injury victims often have to pay for the costs associated with the treatment of the injury – which can also include lost wages, medication costs and access to specialist equipment used in the rehabilitation process.

With this in mind, we also strongly believe that the negligent motorist responsible for the injury should be held both liable and accountable for the injury.

Having won hundreds of millions in verdicts and settlements for our clients, the attorneys at our firm have the experience and resources to fight for your MAXIMUM injury compensation.

Our main office is located in Mobile AL, and we proudly provide cost-effective legal counsel to injury victims in:

• Mobile County
• Baldwin County
• Coastal Alabama
• the Florida Panhandle
• the Mississippi Gulf Coast

To discuss your legal options, contact us today at 251-888-8888. We have staff ready to take your call and after collecting some initial details about your incident, you will be quickly connected to one of our lawyers – it’s that easy.

Alternatively, please fill out the Free Case Review form at the top of this page.