Whiplash is among the most common injuries sustained in car accidents. While it may seem like a minor injury -- and sometimes it is -- the damage it inflicts on a victim is anything but minor in some instances. When the head is violently thrown forward, back or sideways, you can severely injure the neck's tendons and ligaments, leaving you sore and making it hard for you to move about your daily life.

The length of time a whiplash injury may last following a car accident depends on a number of factors, such as your age, weight, underlying medical conditions, and the severity of the injury. According to the Mayo Clinic, whiplash usually will heal in a matter of weeks, while a more severe whiplash injury typically heals within three months. With proper treatment, an injury victim can heal quicker, but ensuring your are healed is most important.

If you've been involved in a car accident and suffered a whiplash injury, it's important that you have an experienced car accident attorney to assist you in recovering damages. Our team at Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law can provide you with the legal support you need to ensure you are successful.

What Is Whiplash?

Sudden shifts in movement can cause your neck and upper spine to move in ways that can injure you. This condition is known as whiplash and results in a type of sprain of the neck.

When a whiplash injury occurs, it's usually treated as an emergency since it involves an injury of the neck, and is handled with care until they either rule out or confirm a potentially dangerous injury and treat and stabilize it.

Whiplash can occur from various actions, some of which are as follows:

• Car accidents (most common cause)
• Contact sports (football, hockey, etc.)
• Roller coasters

Though these are the most common reasons for a whiplash injury, it can occur due to various actions, even a minor slip and fall can cause whiplash. More than 80% of car accident victims suffer whiplash and whiplash-related injuries.

In many cases, whiplash is a minor injury, with a victim may experiencing short-term symptoms like pain, discomfort, or stiffness. More severe cases of whiplash might result in chronic pain. In the worst circumstances, whiplash can be fatal or result in a severe spinal condition that could permanently disable someone. However, because of improvements in engineering and safety gear, particularly in automobiles, these are also incredibly uncommon.

Treatments For Whiplash

Whiplash injuries can be treated, but you cannot cure it directly. The aim of treatment is to minimize symptoms and promote the body's natural healing process, letting whiplash heal on its own. Certain individuals may also require ongoing medical attention for chronic issues resulting from whiplash.

The duration of recovery from whiplash is contingent on how serious your injuries are, the circumstances of the incident, medical background, and more. The majority of whiplash injuries, particularly those with lower grades, recover in a few days or weeks. It may take weeks or even months for more severe cases of whiplash to heal.

When problems result in persistent discomfort or inflammation in and around your spine, whiplash tends to linger much longer. Seeing a doctor and following their advice is important to your recovery.

You Are Entitled To Compensation For Damages Related to Whiplash

Any accident that causes sudden movement to the neck and spine increases the risk of whiplash. In a car accident, you are entitled to recover costs associated with your injuries. This includes medical costs and costs of treatment.

Since New Jersey is a no-fault state, your own insurance covers these damages, as well as your PIP insurance. However, if you've suffered serious injury due to the negligence of the other driver, you have the option to sue them in a personal injury claim for damages, especially if your own coverage isn't enough to cover all losses.

A lawyer can investigate what caused the accident, estimate the amount of damages you have, and pursue compensation on your behalf.

Car Accident Attorneys From Brandon J. Broderick Are Ready to Assist You

Suffering an injury in a car accident can have a major impact on your life. You should be compensated for this and get the very best treatment to ensure you heal fully from the whiplash injury. To help you achieve this, retaining the services of an attorney is important. The car accident attorneys at our office can assist you. Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law has been serving clients for decades. We can help you through the inconvenience and devastation a car accident injury can leave on you.

Call us today for a free consultation. We will discuss the accident, your injuries and formulate a plan to help you.