WHIPLASH DIAGNOSIS - INJURY COMPENSATION SOLICITORS
Our accident lawyers are members of the Solicitors Regulation Authority panel of personal injury experts who deal with compensation claims on a no win no fee basis. Our claims are totally risk free – win or lose there is no charge – compensation is paid in full. If you have had a positive whiplash diagnosis and a third party driver was to blame for your injury you should take urgent legal advice.
Cause of Whiplash
Whiplash is essentially a strain or sprain in the neck area. In medical jargon, it is known as acceleration-deceleration syndrome. As the medical name suggests, whiplash is sustained when the head is jerked violently in any direction (forwards, backwards or sideways), followed by a reflex recoil in the opposite direction. Car accidents are the most common cause of this injury, although they are not the only cause. A whiplash diagnosis is usually the result of a rear end shunt although frontal and side impacts are just as likely to cause this condition.
Whiplash Symptoms
Whiplash injury consists of damage to the soft tissues of the neck including discs, muscles, nerves and ligaments. Pain results from the swelling as the body responds to prevent further damage. One of the difficult issues with whiplash is that the symptoms do not necessarily manifest themselves immediately. Those suffering from whiplash may not even be aware of it, which can make whiplash diagnosis difficult. Delay in whiplash diagnosis and subsequent treatment can lead to a worsening of the condition.
The symptoms that may lead to a positive whiplash diagnosis, manifesting anywhere from hours to weeks after the injury can include :-
- pain resulting from torn muscles
- blurred vision
- headaches
- stiffness and pain in the neck
- difficulty in swallowing
- irritability
- dizziness
- chronic fatigue
- nausea
- facial pain or jaw pain
- tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- lower back pain
- pains in the limbs
- pain in the shoulder or between the shoulder blades
- numbness, burning, tingling or prickling sensations in the neck or back
Medical specialists diagnose whiplash by observing the patient’s symptoms, as well as considering the patient’s medical history and conducting physical and neurological tests.
Whiplash Diagnosis
Diagnosis of whiplash follows a physical examination by a medical practitioner coupled with an investigation into the cause and mechanism of the trauma caused by the accident. If the victim is suffering from symptoms outlined above, the majority of which came on either immediately or shortly after the accident, then there is a strong likelihood of a diagnosis of whiplash injury even though some symptoms may take weeks to develop. If the symptoms persist it is likely that a general practitioner will refer the patient to a specialist who may chose to use more detailed diagnostic techniques including x-rays, ultrasound, discography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, computed tomography (CT) scans, and electromyography. Most cases of whiplash injury involve soft tissue damage however there are some vulnerable patients who suffer serious damage to vertebrae.
Whiplash Treatment
Various treatments can be utilised following a whiplash diagnosis, ranging from anti-inflammatory and pain relief medications to yoga and physiotherapy. More severe whiplash injuries require more extensive treatments, including cervical traction, heat therapy and the use of a surgical collar. Fortunately, surgery is rarely needed to treat whiplash.
Specialist Personal injury Solicitors
Our specialist personal injury solicitors have extensive experience in whiplash compensation claims. Motor accidents are responsible for the bulk of our workload. Contact us today for free legal advice on whiplash injury claims. Simply complete the contact form or email our offices or call the helpline to speak to a specialist personal injury solicitor with no charge and no further obligation.