One of the most common injuries a person can suffer in a car accident is whiplash. This type of injury occurs when the head is jolted forward and snaps back or even severe sideways movements, damaging tendons and ligaments located in the neck.

Common symptoms of a whiplash injury include:

• Neck pain and stiffness
• Loss of range of motion with neck movement
• Tenderness or pain in upper back, shoulder, or arms
• Numbness or tingling in the arms
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Dizziness

After a car accident, whiplash symptoms can take up to 12 hours to develop. While these symptoms may get worse for a few days after the injury occurs, the average recovery time is approximately 32 days. Milder cases are usually treated with paracetamol or anti-inflammatory pills.

Long Term Effects of Whiplash

Many people who have suffered a whiplash injury discover that they get better without any lasting damage; however, there are others with symptoms which last much longer than they anticipated.

According to several studies, 12% of whiplash sufferers were suffering from chronic whiplash. This condition often last for six months or more.

The prolonged neck pain experienced by those with chronic whiplash can make doing normal day-to-day activities much difficult. They may encounter issues at work or that they can’t participate in leisure activities they enjoy regularly. Furthermore, chronic whiplash can result in severe psychological issues as well, such as depression and anxiety.

Due to the serious potential life-changing consequences of whiplash, it is imperative to see a medical professional immediately after the accident. If your car collision in New Jersey was caused by a negligent driver, contact our Bergen County personal injury attorney at Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law for a free case evaluation today.