What are the Symptoms of Whiplash?

Whiplash is one of the most common injuries suffered in car crashes, particularly in rear-end collisions. It is also a serious injury that can cause accident victims to suffer from chronic pain for months, and sometimes even years after a crash. While whiplash does have the potential to be a serious injury, it is not always easy to detect immediately after an accident. As such, it is important that all car accident victims understand the symptoms of whiplash so they know when they can seek damages for the injury.

What is Whiplash?

Whiplash is a common injury sustained in car accidents. The injury is the result of the neck moving back and forth in rapid succession while the rest of the body remains still. This causes damage to the tendons and ligaments in the neck. The injury earned its name because the neck moves back and forth like the cracking of a whip.

What are the Symptoms of Whiplash?

Whiplash symptoms may not always appear right away, but they do usually tend to present themselves approximately 24 hours after the accident, although sometimes it may take longer. The most common symptoms of whiplash are as follows:

• Pain and stiffness in the neck
• Increased pain when the neck moves
• Limited range of motion in the neck
• Headaches that typically start where the neck meets the skull
• Numbness and tingling in the arms
• Tenderness or pain in the shoulders, arms, and upper back
• Dizziness
• Constant fatigue

Although these symptoms of whiplash are serious, they have the potential to become even worse.

Symptoms of Severe Whiplash

When a person suffers from severe whiplash, it can cause them a great deal of pain for a long time. Most cases of whiplash will clear up within a couple of weeks, but severe whiplash can last for months or years after the accident that caused it. Some of the symptoms of severe whiplash include:

• Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears
• Blurry vision
• Concentration issues
• Memory problems
• Sleep issues
• Anxiety and depression

Severe whiplash symptoms are more likely to occur if the symptoms started quickly after the accident, and if they were intense at the time. People are more likely to experience severe whiplash symptoms if they are older, have experienced whiplash before, if they have a pre-existing condition, and if the accident occurred at a high speed.

Our Illinois Whiplash Lawyers Can Help with Your Case

Whiplash has the potential to become a serious injury, but it can be difficult to prove in order to recover the full damages you deserve. At Brassfield & Krueger, Ltd. our Rockford whiplash lawyers can investigate the accident and collect the evidence necessary to prove your injury and build the strongest case possible. If you have been hurt, call us or fill out our online form to schedule a free case review with one of our skilled attorneys and to learn more about how we can help with your case.