What Should I Do for Whiplash after a Car Accident?

Whiplash injuries are among the most common injuries suffered in car accidents. Unfortunately, many people do not seek treatment for their whiplash injuries immediately following an accident; they may often wait until pain or other symptoms become unbearable. By the time a person finally seeks treatment, they have likely developed complications or aggravated their injury. We wrote an in-depth blog on the most common vehicle accident injuries. Click the link to learn more about them, how they can be avoided and how a personal injury attorney can help.

How Do I Treat My Whiplash?

You can begin to properly treat a whiplash injury by treating it like any other serious medical condition and seeking prompt medical attention. It is possible for serious whiplash injuries to not cause serious pain for days or weeks following your accident. The medical reasons for this are several-fold:

• Right when you suffer your injury, your body will release hormones that will help to prevent pain in the minutes and hours following your accident and injury. However, these hormones will wear off and when they do, the true extent of your pain will start to come through
• Physical damage caused by your injury will also cause swelling, which will put pressure on the injury site, the surrounding tissue, and nerves in the area
• Without proper immediate treatment, damage caused by a whiplash injury will continue to be aggravated and made worse

This is why it is critical that you promptly follow up with your medical provider after an accident to diagnose whether or not you have suffered a whiplash injury and to begin treatment. Treatment for whiplash injuries may include:

• Massage therapy
• Chiropractic
• Physical therapy
• Stretching and strengthening exercises
• Wearing a neck brace
• Pain management with medication
• Epidural injections to block pain and allow tissue to heal

You should always follow your medical provider’s exact treatment recommendations, otherwise you may end up exacerbating a whiplash injury; for example, if you are directed to wear a neck brace for only a few hours a day, wearing a neck brace for longer than that can weaken the injured area.

What Legal Steps Should I Take after a Whiplash Injury

If you’ve been involved in an accident that causes a whiplash injury, you should contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. You may be contacted by insurance companies soon after your accident and offered a settlement with compensation. An attorney can evaluate any settlement offer you receive and ensure that you receive maximum compensation. You should never accept any “fast” settlement without first consulting with an attorney.

Although many whiplash injuries resolve within a matter of weeks or month, a sizable portion of injuries lead to chronic pain or permanent damage or complications. An attorney can ensure that the compensation you receive will cover all your medical treatment into the future and will also compensate you for your pain and suffering and lost quality of life caused by your whiplash injury.

Finally, it is important to remember other steps to take to protect your legal rights, including:

• Do not apologize for the accident
• Seek prompt medical treatment
• Follow your medical provider’s treatment schedule
• Do not sign any documentation from an insurance company without first consulting with an attorney

If you are contacted by the insurance company and have legal representation, let the insurance company know you are represented by an attorney and give the insurance company your lawyer’s contact information.

Contact a Erie Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Car Accident Case in Pennsylvania

Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to a car accident in Pennsylvania? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C. represent clients injured because of car accidents in Millcreek, Harborcreek, Fairview, Meadville, and throughout Pennsylvania. Call 814-833-7100 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 2525 W. 26th St., Erie, PA 16506, as well as offices in Meadville and North East.

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.