Whiplash after a car accident can have long-lasting effects. Although most whiplash injuries heal within a few months, the headaches, neck pain, and other residual conditions can last for years or even be permanent. These long-term effects can impact your daily life, diminishing your ability to engage in enjoyable activities or even maintain employment at the same level as before the whiplash injury.

What is a whiplash injury?

Whiplash is an injury that often results from a car accident. Whiplash — also known as a neck strain — is damage to the soft tissue of the neck that occurs when the head and neck rapidly move in one direction and then in the opposite direction.

If you have neck pain, headache, stiffness, muscle pain, shoulder or back pain or dizziness following a car accident, you might have suffered a whiplash.

Almost any accident can cause whiplash, but it is especially common in rear-end and head-on collisions. Whiplash can occur in high- or low-speed collisions.

What are the short-term effects of (and damages for) whiplash after a car accident? 

Whiplash involves damage to muscles, ligaments, and sometimes vertebrae that can result in pain in the neck, shoulders, head, and arms.

In many cases, your doctor can treat whiplash in a few months with physical therapy, pain medication, anti-inflammatory medication, chiropractic treatment, and cervical collar. In other cases, the pain may take years to treat or just never leave at all.

What are the long-term effects of whiplash after a car accident?

The most common long-term effects of whiplash are residual headaches and chronic neck and shoulder pain.

Whiplash can contribute to:

  • Fatigue
  • Memory loss
  • Depression
  • Sleep disorders
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Certain cognitive conditions

Whiplash is also associated with TMJ (temporomandibular joint) injuries and herniated discs.

These conditions can make it difficult to perform routine daily living activities, to enjoy things you used to enjoy before the injury, or even sleep.

Maintaining gainful employment can also be challenging if you are in pain, suffering from headaches, fatigued, or having memory loss.

For some people, life is not the same after having a whiplash injury. Fortunately, if another driver’s negligent actions caused your accident, you may be entitled to compensation for the long-term effects of whiplash.

What can I recover for whiplash from a car accident?

Recoverable damages depend on the severity of the long-term injury and its impact on your daily life and employability, but will likely include:

  • Medical/treatment bills (you can also include bills for ongoing care or surgeries you may need, a doctor will have to prove you will need this care)
  • Transportation costs
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity
  • Lost business opportunities
  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • Loss of enjoyment of life

Our attorneys can help you file a claim, gather evidence, prove negligence, establish damages, and manage negotiations with the other driver’s insurance company.

Give Montero Law Center a call to schedule a free consultation in Ft. Lauderdale today: 954-767-6500.