In many accident situations, and especially in the area of Car Accidents, Whiplash Injuries, which have recently been more commonly referred to as soft tissue injuries and bone misalignment, can develop. These injuries are often accompanied by headaches and, in a percentage of cases, by Temporo Mandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ), which is a misalignment of the jaw after whiplash and often can be identified by the jaw clicking.
Whiplash Injuries are caused by the unnaturally fast acceleration of body parts in an accident. Whiplash Injuries result from the operation of Physics. Force equals mass times acceleration. Different areas of our body weigh more than others, or have more mass. For example, the head is a very heavy part of the body that is placed on a relatively light neck area, and consequently the force exerted can be different, causing not only misaligned jaw problems, but also soft tissue or muscle damage in the neck and upper areas. Obviously injuries develop not only from motion but also from collision within the car.
It is easy to quantify a broken bone. If a leg is broken it requires certain treatment and there is a certain general recovery period. Soft tissue injuries or bone misalignment aren’t as easy to quantify – outwardly the person may look fine, there is no cast, but internally the pain can be great and the recovery extremely long. In some serious cases the injury victim may never have a complete 100% recovery but may plateau at a percentage lower than this.
Treatments vary with different physicians having their own treatment prejudices. Painkillers and muscle relaxants may be prescribed and the physician may also prescribe physiotherapy, massage therapy, chiropractic treatments or acupuncture.
Whiplash Injuries are very real and are very painful and must be treated seriously by both injury victims and medical professionals.
As with any injury, medical treatment must be obtained in a timely manner. Of equal importance is the need to follow up on the medical treatment so that:
1) you are treated properly and;
2) there is a proper record.
Additionally, a law firm should be retained as soon as possible to deal with the insurance company and ensure the case progresses properly. A law firm should be retained because we have extensive experience in this area and know the issues that must be dealt with.
