After a crash, it might seem like you’re a little sore. Then months go by, and your neck and shoulders just can’t get any relief. Because of a belief that the insurance industry started, many people live with untreated whiplash. When you’re in an accident if you experienced whiplash on any degree, then you need to get treatment.
Not treating your whiplash can lead to negative long-term effects. They can have a complete impact on your overall health and lead to lifelong discomfort.
What is Whiplash?
Nearly everyone has experienced whiplash after a crash. Your head moving forward at an accelerated rate and then back again to its normal position, is whiplash. The weight of your head, however, moving in that motion can cause extreme pain and trauma to the soft tissue of your neck. Even your shoulders can feel the impact.
But what happens if you feel fine? That doesn’t mean that you don’t have whiplash, which is why the insurance company’s fight it so harshly. Soft tissue damage may take days or weeks to show symptoms of pain.
What you need is for a medical professional to diagnose your whiplash and create a treatment plan. Then you need to have an attorney present that diagnosis and treatment plan to your insurance company.
Impact of Untreated Whiplash
There are many injuries that get worse over time, and whiplash is definitely at the top of the list. The most common side effects of untreated whiplash include chronic neck pain and issues with neck stiffness. Typically, the soft tissue here didn’t have any chance to heal, which means that it has ongoing pain.
In addition to chronic pain are other unexpected symptoms, including vertigo and headaches. Vertigo is the sensation of spinning while the rest of the world spins around you. It impacts each person slightly differently. Some people faint, while others feel sick or lose their balance. It’s a debilitating condition that can make it impossible or unsafe to drive or travel.
Headaches are other issues, although they don’t seem like the biggest obstacle in daily life. It a headache comes from neck damage it may last for months rather than a few hours. Over the counter medication will usually not have an impact on these headaches.
Unfortunately, when you start experiencing these symptoms of untreated whiplash, it may seem that things are too far gone. Your accident may have been years ago; the statute of limitations may be long gone.
Disc and Vertebrae Issues
Without treatment, whiplash can lead to degenerative disc disease. This condition happens when the discs between each vertebra begin to breakdown much faster than they would with typical age. The effect is numbness, weakness, and debilitating pain.
In addition to degenerative disc disease, you may experience vertebrae misalignment. The misalignment of vertebrae makes it nearly impossible for the victim to have a full range of motion. This could impact where the spine meets the skull, or between any other connecting points between two vertebrae. The C1 and C2, however, are most common because they have the widest range of motion and experience the most significant impact from whiplash.
An Atlanta Automobile Accident Attorney Can Help
Many people don’t report whiplash or see a doctor for it because the common belief is that it’s a fake injury. People complain about whiplash when they’re looking for a cash grab. That’s not a fair association, and it’s not realistic either. What has happened is that many people go so long without getting their whiplash treated that they have little chance to recover physically or financially.
An Atlanta car accident attorney can help you safeguard your financial ability to recover while you focus on your physical recovery. Medical bills or medical debt shouldn’t stop you from getting medical help. With an attorney handling your case, you can arrange for your medical bills to wait for compensation before the collection begins. Your attorney can also help show the insurance company what you’ll need for medical treatment in the future.
Contact A Car Accident Lawyer in Atlanta
When you’re ready got seek compensation for your whiplash injury, contact The Weinstein Firm. Our firm has helped the victims of auto accident injuries for years. We cater to the Atlanta area and are confident that we can help you build a strong case.
To fight for maximum compensation with a skilled injury attorney by your side, contact The Weinstein Firm. Set up a consultation by requesting contact online, or by calling our offices directly.
