Common car accident injuries include whiplash, soft tissue injuries, and headaches. Since these common car accident injuries result from many everyday auto accidents, it is important to know what they are, how they present (as in what symptoms are associated with them), and what sorts of medical treatment is needed after a car accident to deal with them.
What is Whiplash?
Whiplash is probably the most well-known and common car accident injury. While not a formal medical term, it is a lay term for soft tissue injuries (that is injuries to muscles, ligaments and tendons) of the neck (including neck vertebrae and neck disks), as well as the nerve roots that branch out of the neck into the spinal cord.
Whiplash is caused by a sudden deceleration or acceleration of a car in an accident. When this happens, a person’s neck snaps back and then forward, damaging the soft tissues. Symptoms of whiplash can develop right after an accident or they can take a day or two to present. And, while some people may heal from whiplash in just a few weeks, for other people whiplash can take months to heal.
Symptoms of whiplash include neck pain, back pain, stiffness, shoulder pain or stiffness, dizziness, headache or even an itching or burning sensation around the neck, shoulders or arms. In severe cases, whiplash can cause memory loss, sleep problems, fatigue, difficulty concentrating or depression.
Headaches Caused by Car Accident Injuries
It is common to have a headache after an auto accident. If, however, you have a car accident headache that does not go away after a day or two, it is important to seek medical attention. An auto accident headache that does not go away can be a sign of an internal injury that needs observation.
Soft Tissue Injuries Like Sprains and Strains
Soft tissue injuries to the muscles, tendons and ligaments of the neck, arms, legs and torso are very common car accident injuries. A soft tissue injury can range from a light bruise to a deep tear of the soft tissue, and how it is described in medical terms differs depending on the part of the body that is injured.
Symptoms of tendon, muscle and ligament injuries include muscle pain, muscle aches, joint pain, limited flexibility and limited range of motion following a car accident. Like whiplash, symptoms can manifest immediately or a day or two following an auto accident. Likewise, soft tissue car accident injuries can heal quickly if they are primarily bruises, or they can take months to heal if they involve severe sprains, strains or broken limbs.
Get a Free Consultation with Milwaukee Car Accident Attorney
If you or someone you know is suffering from any of these common car accident injuries, seek the advice of a qualified legal expert. Milwaukee auto accident lawyer Karl Gebhard offers free legal consultations. And, because Karl works on a contingency basis, he will not accept any fees for his legal services until he successfully wins a case.
For your free consultation, call today at 414-873-6550.