Whiplash injuries result from a sudden jerk to your neck, often from an accident. The neck was not designed to take impacts from thousand pound plus vehicles. The neck is fragile and injury from even low speed auto accidents if very common. Anyone that says you can’t sustain a serious injury from a low speed auto accident doesn’t know what they’re talking about – I’ve seen it countless times.![Nebraska Whiplash Lawyer Beck & Beck]()
Often, doctors in the ER or even your primary care doctor may diagnose you with whiplash, when in reality the injury is much more severe – a herniated disc. An MRI is required to see the true severity of the injury to your neck, yet many doctors will refuse to order one until other conservative measures are tried. Often these conservative measures take 6-8 weeks to be fully completed, when your doctor could easily have ordered an MRI to determine the severity of the injury before conservative treatment.
We always recommend asking your doctor to order an MRI if you have significant neck pain. It often allows the medical professionals to skip the conservative measures they know won’t work… since they can see the actual problem on the MRI results. An MRI will determine if there is a herniated disc, something that conservative measures such as physical therapy rarely resolves. A herniated disc often requires surgery to repair, so request an MRI from your doctor before you embark on 6+ weeks of conservative treatment. If the doctor is confident the MRI isn’t needed, feel confident in their advice.
Symptoms of Whiplash
Symptoms of whiplash don’t always appear right after a crash. After a crash, adrenaline often floods your body and pain is blunted. This is a natural reaction of the human body. This results in many people refusing medical treatment at the scene since they feel ok. Often, after a few days, the pain starts.
Common whiplash symptoms are:
- Neck pain and stiffness
- Loss of range of motion
- Pain while turning your head
- Headaches
- Upper back, shoulder or arm pain
- Dizziness or fatigue
- Blurry vision
- Ringing of the ears
- Difficulty concentrating
Most of the time, whiplash resolves within a few weeks, but it can last months in severe cases. Physical therapy and chiropractic treatment are commonly the first step toward recovery from a whiplash injury. If you have a herniated disc, the symptoms will often not be resolved by conservative measures.
Herniated Disc Symptoms
- Tingling in your arms, hands, legs, buttocks or feet.
- Shooting pain in your arms, hands, legs, buttocks or feet.
- Numbness in your arms, hands, legs, buttocks or feet.
- Burning pain in your arms, hands, legs, buttocks or feet.
- Electric Shock type pain in your arms, hands, legs, buttocks or feet.
- The symptoms worsen with specific head positions or activities.
- Neck stiffness.
Serious Complications From Whiplash
Some whiplash cases can last many months, or even years if not properly treated early after the crash. Long recovery times are especially common if you’ve suffered a neck or back injury in the past. Complications can include:
- Severe neck pain
- Headaches
- Shooting pain, burning pain, tingling or numbness in your arms, hands, legs, feet.
Whiplash is one of the most common injuries after an auto accident. Unfortunately, these neck strains and sprains aren’t seen in x-rays or CT scans… an MRI is what is needed. These injuries can be difficult to prove to an insurance company. If you were hurt due to the carelessness of another driver, their insurance company will downplay the seriousness of a whiplash injury. This can make recovering fair compensation challenging. Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place for help.
Beck & Beck has helped countless people with whiplash injuries over the years. We’ve seen the pain our clients have endured due to these often downplayed injuries. We know these aren’t minor injuries, like the insurance company would like people to believe. We’re ready to help. Find out how we can help you get the medical treatment you need to recover and evidence needed to prove your case.
Are You Suffering From Whiplash Following A Nebraska Car Accident?
If you've been injured in a Nebraska car accident and are suffering from whiplash you should speak with an experienced whiplash lawyer as soon as possible. Please feel free to contact us online or call our office directly at 308.222.5625 to schedule a free consultation. We help whiplash victims throughout the state of Nebraska including North Platte, Omaha and Lincoln.
