A whiplash injury , also known as neck sprain or strain, is a result of the sudden movement of the neck during an accident. Whiplash occurs more often in rear-end accidents where there is a sudden jolting of the neck forward and backward. This may also appear in some slip and fall accidents. Although it may seem like a simple injury, whiplash can cause some of the neck muscles and ligaments to stretch more than usual and even tear. In severe cases, whiplash can cause a spinal cord injury. It can also affect the cervical muscles, inter-vertebral joints and ligaments discs and nerve roots.
Some of the symptoms of whiplash injuries may include:
- Neck Stiffness and Pain
- Myofascial injuries or injuries to the muscles and ligaments
- Headache, dizziness and blurred vision
- Difficulty swallowing and chewing and hoarseness of voice
- Paresthesias or abnormal sensations such as burning or prickling
- Shoulder and back pains
- Irritability
Fortunately, a whiplash injury can be treated with the proper medication and the appropriate amount of physical therapy. Although whiplash injuries may not seem to be a serious injury, the victim still needs medical attention and it should not be avoided. Therapy and medications are likely needed to prevent further complications. Proper whiplash diagnosis is done by a physician with a thorough head and neck examination usually with the use of X-rays to rule out bone fractures and it may involve the use of additional medical imaging to determine if there are other more severe injuries.
About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia (VA), near the NE North Carolina (NC) border and handles car,truck,railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. Our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY.
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Rick Shapiro has practiced personal injury law for over 30 years in Virginia, North Carolina, and throughout the Southeastern United States. He is a Board-Certified Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (ABA Accredited) and has litigated injury cases throughout the eastern United States, including wrongful death, trucking, faulty products, railroad, and medical negligence claims. During his three-decade career, Shapiro has won client appeals before the VA Supreme Court, VA Court of Appeals, NC Supreme Court, SC Supreme Court, WV Supreme Court, TN Supreme Court, and three times before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, underscoring Shapiro’s trial achievements. In addition, he and his law firm have won settlements/verdicts in excess of $100 million. His success in and out of the courtroom is a big reason why he was named 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” in railroad law in U.S. News & World Report's Best Lawyers publication (Norfolk, VA area), and he has been named a “Best Lawyer” and “Super Lawyer” by those peer-reviewed organizations for multiple years. Rick was also named a “Leader in the Law, Class of 2022” by Virginia Lawyers Weekly (total of 33 statewide honorees consisting of lawyers and judges across Virginia). And in September 2023, Rick was selected as a recipient of the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) 2023 President’s Award. Although many nominations were submitted from across the country, Rick was just one of eight attorneys chosen by the prestigious National Board which certifies civil trial attorneys across the U.S. Rick was also recently named to Virginia Lawyers Weekly 2024 Virginia’s Go To Lawyers Medical Malpractice. The attorneys awarded this honor are nominated by their colleagues and chosen by a panel from the publication.
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