Whiplash is one of the most common injuries amongst people involved in serious car accidents. But what if you were driving your own car and an Uber or Lyft vehicle crashed into you? In those specific motor vehicle accidents, seek the help of an Uber/Lyft accident lawyer for a whiplash injury to determine whether you have a potential whiplash injury case to get compensated.
No matter how big or small the accident was, whiplash victims shouldn’t try to ignore their injury or disregard it as minor pain, as it may lead to severe issues later on. Here is some information on whiplash and its symptoms that you may find helpful.
What Is a Whiplash?
Whiplash injuries in the neck area results from the neck forcibly bending forward and backward (or vice versa) in a swift motion. A whiplash injury mostly occurs in a car crash, and it is one of the most misunderstood injuries and usually involves discs, muscles, tendons, and nerves in your neck.
If you have suffered a whiplash injury due to an auto accident in an Uber/Lyft ride in the Newport Beach area, it is wise for you to contact an Uber/Lyft accident lawyer in the area. Furthermore, it is always advisable to go see your doctor for three main reasons, which are:
To ensure that you have not sustained any severe neck, back, shoulder, or spinal injury that may turn into something worse
Identify the injury soon after the accident and treat it immediately to prevent long-term ailments
Include findings and treatment plan in a medical report, which will be your proof in the court of law that your whiplash injury was due to the accident
Causes of Whiplash
While there can be various jolts and jerks that can cause a whiplash injury, car accidents are the most common cause of whiplash injuries. Numerous car accidents are reported in Orange County every year, many of which result in major injuries, like whiplash. The injury is mostly a result of a collision to the rear-end of your car.
Signs of a Whiplash Injury
There are different signs and symptoms that you have sustained a whiplash injury. However, some of the most common whiplash symptoms of whiplash include:
- Neck injuries
- Shoulder pain
- Dizziness
- Lower back pain
- Pain or numbness in your hands or arms
- Blurred vision
- Ringing in the ears
- Memory issues or concentration problems
- Tiredness
- Sleeplessness
- Irritability
Sometimes other conditions may develop, which may not seem like whiplash. Still, if you notice symptoms of any other medical condition after a whiplash, it is best to seek immediate medical treatment.
It would be wise to see your doctor to treat any ongoing chronic pain you are experiencing after the accident. This will play a vital role in determining your settlement amount for a whiplash injury claim. If the damage to your neck, shoulders, head, or spine is going to be permanent, it may affect the quality of your life and ability to work.
Whiplash Diagnosis
The doctor will run a complete physical diagnosis to rule out any injuries while diagnosing your whiplash. In order to determine the whiplash and its severity, doctors may do an X-ray to get images of your neck bones and internal tissues.
For a deeper look, a doctor may order a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan to get a detailed computerized image of your neck and soft tissues around it. Similarly, a doctor may also request a computed tomography or CT scan for further detailed imaging of your neck and body’s bones, fat, muscles, and other organs.
While most people suffering from whiplash injury quickly recover within a matter of weeks, some may experience persistent discomfort and pain for months. Whiplash may cause irreparable nerve damage, even displace your discs or cause herniated discs.
If you have experienced whiplash in the last couple of weeks or months, it is time to contact your healthcare provider and speak to them about the issue. If the issue does not improve or continues to get worse, then report it to your doctor and personal injury lawyer as well.
However, do not forget to keep a detailed record of your correspondence with the doctor. The sooner you contact the doctor after the whiplash, the easier it will be for you to prove that the neck injury is due to a whiplash during a car accident. This will help you file a legal injury claim and claim your insurance coverage.
Why Contact an Uber/Lyft Accident Lawyer For a Whiplash Injury?
Whiplash injury victims should plan on filing an injury claim for injuries sustained in a car accident in Newport Beach, California using the legal services of a professional whiplash injury lawyer. Experienced personal injury lawyers will not only work to hold the driver at fault accountable, even if it means pursuing a personal injury lawsuit, but you also receive the full and fair whiplash injury compensation that you deserve that will help you pay for medical bills, lost wages, and other financial expenses.
