What You Need to Know about Auto Accidents and Whiplash
Auto accidents of all types can cause serious injuries. Even a minor accident can result in unexpected and long-term side effects. Whiplash is one of the most common injuries that occurs in auto accidents.
In this blog post, the attorneys at Worby Vecchio Edelman, LLP in White Plains, NY, discuss whiplash injuries that result from auto accidents.
What Is Whiplash?
Whiplash is an injury that occurs when the neck suddenly jolts backward or forward due to the force of a sudden and violent impact. This motion can move and stretch the muscles and ligaments in the neck beyond their normal range of motion, causing temporary or lasting damage.
Like any other kind of strain-related injury, the severity of whiplash can vary from case to case. Some whiplash injuries heal in just a few days. However, more significant injuries can result in damage that can take years to heal.
For some victims, whiplash injuries can leave them with lifelong injuries that can drastically impact the quality of their life.
Symptoms of Whiplash
The most common symptoms of whiplash are difficulty moving the head and neck pain. Other symptoms include:
- Tinnitus (ringing in your ears)
- Jaw pain
- Shoulder pain
- Back pain
- Stiff neck
- Lack of balance
- Dizziness
- Headaches
These symptoms are also indicators of other major injuries that can occur in an auto accident, so it is important to seek medical attention immediately.
Proving Liability for Whiplash Injuries from Auto Accidents
If the car accident occurred because of another person or party’s negligence, you should seek legal guidance to obtain compensation for the damage to your vehicle, lost wages, other hardships and, most importantly, for the injuries you have incurred.
In many cases, whiplash injuries occur when a driver or passengers are rear-ended by another vehicle. The driver of trailing vehicle is often at-fault for rear end car accidents. A rear end accident may be caused by another driver:
- Driving distracted, such as talking or texting on a cell phone, adjusting the stereo system, looking at the navigation system, or interacting with other passengers
- Feeling fatigued
- Driving under the influence
- Operating the vehicle in a reckless manner
Heavy traffic and vehicle problems such as poorly functioning brakes can also contribute to rear and accidents.
When you meet with one of our attorneys for a case review, we will request the police report, talk to witnesses, and use experts in the field to reconstruct the accident to determine why the accident occurred and who is at fault. Then, we will gather the necessary evidence and present it to the court. If we do not obtain a fair settlement offer from the other driver’s insurance company, we are prepared to go to court to fight for your right to reasonable compensation.
Contact Our Practice
Having successfully recovered more than $1 billion for our clients, you can rest assured that we have the skill and expertise to help you obtain fair compensation for your injuries.
For more information about your legal rights and options, contact our team of injury and accident attorneys at Worby Vecchio Edelman, LLP by calling our office in White Plains and Westchester County at (914) 686-3700. You can also contact us online.
