So, what sort of injuries do people get if they are involved in a road traffic accident? Whiplash is the most common type of injury, and one of the most frequent types of injury we see here at The Injury Lawyers. It can affect anyone – men, women and children. But what exactly is whiplash? What are the symptoms of whiplash? How can you recover from whiplash? Is there any treatment or medication to help your recovery? As we are experts in whiplash personal injury claims, we are here to help you. Here is a quick guide to the ins and outs of whiplash:
What is whiplash?
Whiplash is a term used to describe a soft tissue injury that can affect your neck, shoulders and back. The injury is caused by a sudden movement of the body forwards, backwards or sideways. It is this sudden movement that causes damage to your ligaments and tendons in your neck, shoulders and back area, causing severe pain and in some cases immobility in the affected areas.
For example, when you are involved in a road traffic accident it is often the impact of the colliding vehicle that will cause your body to jolt forward and ‘whip’ backwards again causing you whiplash injuries.
Whiplash does not only occur if there has been a severe accident. Whiplash injuries can also occur in low speed collisions. You also might think you feel fine after a road collision, but sometimes whiplash injuries can develop over night.
What are the symptoms of whiplash?
The vigorous movement of your body can cause a lot of pain, stiffness and loss of movement. Some of the most common symptoms of whiplash injuries are:
- Neck, back and shoulder pain and stiffness
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Arm pain
- Pins and needles sensation
Whiplash can affect people in different ways – some people are unable to take part in certain activities due to the pain and restriction of movement that the injury can cause. Some people complain of restless night’s sleep, and it can affect individual’s ability to drive, complete everyday simple tasks, and cause problems going to work. The list is endless; whiplash really can have a huge impact on someone’s life. That is why you should make sure that you have an expert whiplash solicitor to help you get the maximum compensation that you deserve.
How can you recover from whiplash?
In order to recover from whiplash, a medical professional will often provide pain killers and advise for someone to undertake a course of physiotherapy or osteopathic / chiropractic treatment. This can help accelerate the healing process and help you back on your feet in order to live a normal life again.
The recovery process from whiplash often depends on the individual as everyone’s injuries are different. Remember, your injuries won’t just heal overnight; it will take time for the pain to go away and for you to completely recover from whiplash.
Here at the injury lawyers we understand the importance of getting back to a normal way of life; after all, with our busy lives, no one has time to be unwell. That’s why we offer no cost private physiotherapy and osteopathic or chiropractic treatment for all our clients. Obtaining this kind of treatment though the NHS can often be delayed due to the long waiting lists, which is why we offer our service to help you feel more comfortable and help you feel like you again in a much quicker timeframe.
If you have been involved in road traffic accident that was not your fault, and you have been injured as a result, don’t hesitate to contact The Injury Lawyers to not only get the maximum compensation you deserve, but to help you recover from your whiplash injury and help you back on your feet again.