What Are the Signs that I Have Whiplash from My Motor Vehicle Accident?

So you were involved in a serious accident involving a motor vehicle and you are feeling pain to your neck. Although it could be numerous conditions or injury there is a risk that you may have sustained a whiplash injury. There are well over a million and half documented cases of whiplash reported every year in the United States. If you did suffer a whiplash injury you may be able to get compensation for your monetary, pain and emotional losses. The Westchester County personal injury attorney firm, Law Offices of Spencer M. Fein, P.C. has firsthand experience in handling cases in which their clients sustained whiplash injuries. We know how such an injury can affect the simplest of everyday activities. The firm has diligently fought insurance companies to hold their insureds responsible and give our clients their desired outcome.

What Exactly Is Whiplash?

When one’s neck experiences a violent and sudden backward and forward jerk movement a common injury called Whiplash may occur. You may hear doctors call this a soft tissue injury. What that means in the muscles and/or ligaments of the neck extended beyond their normal range of motion. Such injuries can have a wide range of severity, but in most circumstances there has been soft tissue and/or damage to the structural parts of the neck. As for recovery from such injuries that varies for each individual. A day, a month, a year or a lifetime are all possibilities. The neck and spine are complex structures and when an injury occurs it can be hard for a person to navigate their recovery. At the Law Offices of Spencer M. Fein, we have been helping Briarcliff Manor and other New York accident victims navigate these waters for years.

After a motor vehicle accident it is always advisable to seek medical attention. A victim may not be aware that they have even sustained a whiplash injury as they don’t really understand what symptoms would persist. Medical professionals can perform physical examinations and diagnosis of a whiplash injury

Some common symptoms of a whiplash injury are:

• Spasms

• Neck soreness and pain

• Back, arm or shoulder pain

• Radiating pins and needles down your arms

• Lack of full range of motion

• Numbness in arms

What Do I Do if I Think I Have Sustained a Whiplash Injury?

If after a motor vehicle accident you think you may have sustained a whiplash injury it is important to immediately seek medical attention. It is vitally important for one to properly take care of one’s health and seeking a doctor’s help will ensure the best possible outcome. Additionally, documentation of your symptoms and medical conditions will be critical if you are going to seek damages from the person who caused the accident. Medical records are one of the most important documentary evidence an attorney will use to establish your case. Thus, it is or crucial important for you to save all medical records that come into your possession so you can provide such to your attorney. It is also crucial that you keep a list of the names of the medical professionals and diagnostic imagining centers you receive any treatment with so your attorney can request the medical records from such visits.

Besides receiving your medical attention it is also important to make notes as to how this injury is affecting your everyday life. People have a tendency to forget how they were affected as time passes and their symptoms start to subside. Thus it is important to take notes while the symptoms persist so as your are able to truly show how this injury has affected your life. Little things we take for granted that we do daily can cause pain to a person who sustained a whiplash injury. Taking a shower, brushing your teeth, food shopping or driving a car are just a few examples of such activities. Again, it is important to write these issues down when they occur so you don’t forget them. In our experience as motor vehicle accident attorneys in Westchester County, New York, clients who write down how their injury has affected their daily lives tend to have the most successful outcomes to their cases.

Also, one should document any out of pocket expenses or loss of income they incur due to their injury. Such out of pocket expenses may be transportation to medical appointments, cleaning professionals for instances where your injury prevents you from cleaning and car rental costs while your car is being repaired to just name a few. One should keep receipts and invoices for any and all out of pocket expenses to be able to establish the losses. One should also keep all documentation showing that they lost time from work and income due to the accident. For the best outcome this should include doctor’s notes that establish one is unable to work due to their injuries.

If you believe you may have sustained a whiplash injury due to the negligence of another in a motor vehicle accident it is imperative that you contact an attorney immediately. An attorney will help you navigate the process for you to receive the compensation you deserve. If an attorney is retained early on after the accident it usually allows them to obtain the best outcome for their clients. At the Law Offices of Spencer M. Fein, P.C. we have been helping such victims from White Plains, Ossining, Mt. Kisco, Yonkers as well as throughout other towns and cities located within Westchester County and all over the state of New York with their cases for whiplash injuries. At the Law Offices of Spencer M. Fein, located in Briarcliff Manor, New York, we represent those victims harmed due to the negligence of other. Feel free to contact us today for a free consultation.