Whiplash is an injury to the neck that results from a sudden, violent movement of the head, neck, and upper back in either direction, much like the cracking of a whip. Although rear-end collisions are a common source of these injuries, they can be brought on by any kind of vehicle impact. While it is true that using a seatbelt can prevent many serious injuries, even if someone is buckled in properly, they can still suffer whiplash, so it is essential to get help from a Bellevue personal injury attorney.
Why Buckling Up Might Not Protect Against Whiplash
By the year 2022, over 92% of all Americans will have buckled up every time they get behind the wheel. However, some injuries can still happen even if you use a seat belt. While wearing a seatbelt will prevent many serious injuries, whiplash remains a prevalent problem after a car accident.
In the case of an accident while driving, the seat belt will automatically tighten to prevent the driver or passenger from being thrown from the vehicle. However, depending on the location of the hit, this may not prevent the upper back and neck from being propelled in a variety of directions. Major injuries can occur if the upper back and neck are pulled abruptly forward, backward, or side to side, like when a whip is cracked.
Whether or not they are in immediate agony, anyone who has been in an automobile accident should get medical attention as quickly as possible. Whiplash symptoms may not appear until hours or even a day after the first injury. Intense pain between the shoulder blades or in the neck, headaches, disorientation, pain or numbness in the limbs, muscular spasms, ringing in the ears, and other symptoms are only a few examples.
If you have suffered whiplash in an accident, seeing a doctor as soon as possible after the incident will help ease some of the symptoms you are experiencing.
Do You Need a Lawyer for Your Whiplash Injury from a Car Wreck?
If you or a loved one has been hurt in an auto accident in Washington resulting from another driver’s carelessness, you should speak with an attorney right once. Whiplash injuries, for instance, might make filing one of these claims extremely difficult. Insurance companies frequently deny or postpone such claims, arguing that the injured party’s injuries are not as serious as they allege.
