What are signs of neck injuries or whiplash after a Rhode Island car accident?

Within 24 hours of a car accident, symptoms may include: neck pain and stiffness; increased pain with neck movement; loss of range of motion in the neck; headaches (often starting at the base of the skull); tenderness or pain in the shoulder, upper back, or arms; tingling or numbness in the arms; unwarranted fatigue; dizziness; blurred vision; ringing in the ears (tinnitus); sleep disturbances; irritability; difficulty concentrating; memory problems; and depression.

Why should I see a doctor as soon as possible after a neck injury from a car accident?

You should see a doctor as soon as possible to assess your injuries because symptoms of whiplash and neck injuries may not be immediately apparent, and delaying care can leave you vulnerable to further injury. If you pursue a personal injury claim, the insurance company may argue that any delay in seeking treatment is evidence that your injury is not serious.

How are whiplash and neck injuries treated after a car accident?

A doctor may order X-rays to rule out cervical fractures and may require a CT scan or MRI to look for herniated discs or significant ligament injury, and you may also be evaluated for signs of traumatic brain injury. Treatment varies by severity and may include ice, heat, or medication to reduce pain, swelling, and muscle spasms; a soft cervical collar for a few days; and immobilization (including braces). Minor compression fractures may be treated with a cervical brace worn for six to eight weeks, while more complex fractures may require traction, potentially surgery, and two to three months in a rigid cast or a combination of treatments. After healing, doctors may prescribe stretching and movement exercises, and in more severe cases or if pain does not diminish, physical therapy may be recommended.

What compensation can I seek for a neck injury in a Rhode Island car accident claim?

Compensation can include medical bills (from emergency care to medication and physical therapy, and potentially including hospitalization and surgery), lost income from being out of work and diminished earning capacity, property damage to your vehicle, pain and suffering, and emotional distress—particularly from long-lasting or chronic pain, which can lead to depression and other emotional issues.

Neck Injuries in Rhode Island Car Accidents

Neck sprains and strains are the most frequently reported injuries from car accidents in Rhode Island and the United States. Whiplash and other neck injuries can cause long-lasting, sometimes debilitating pain. In addition to expensive medical bills, it is common for a whiplash victim to face financial hardships from being unable to work, all while suffering from a reduced quality of life.

If someone’s negligence led to your car accident, you deserve to be fully compensated for your financial loss and personal suffering. At Gemma Law Associates, our dedicated Rhode Island car accident attorneys know how insurance companies will fight claims involving whiplash and other neck injuries. And we know what it takes to fight back.

Contact our team today to set up a free consultation about your car accident claim. With more than 40 years of experience, our attorneys have helped countless crash victims recover the compensation they need after suffering serious neck injuries in Rhode Island car accidents.

What Is Whiplash in a Rhode Island Car Accident?

Medical authorities define “whiplash” as a neck injury caused by quick and forceful back-and-forth movement that stretches the neck, like when someone cracks a whip. Neck injuries such as whiplash can occur in any motor vehicle accident but most often happen in rear-end collisions.

In a rear-end car crash, the force of the impact can suddenly push a victim’s torso (and the vehicle) forward while the neck bends and stretches backward beyond its normal range of motion, then snaps back into an upright posture. The same type of neck injury may also occur in side-impact accidents and other types of collisions that force such sudden snapping of the neck.

Hyperextension of the neck can cause, in order of increasing severity:

Strains and sprains to soft tissue, primarily muscle
Nerve damage
Disc damage
Ruptured ligaments
Fracture of cervical vertebrae (i.e., a broken neck)

If you or a loved one has been involved in an auto accident, you should see a doctor as soon as possible to assess your injuries. Symptoms of whiplash and neck injuries may not be immediately apparent, but putting off going to the doctor can leave you vulnerable to further injuring yourself.

Signs of Neck Injuries or Whiplash in A Rhode Island Car Accident

Within 24 hours of a car accident, a driver or passenger who has suffered whiplash or similar neck injuries is likely to experience symptoms such as:

Neck pain and stiffness
Increased pain with neck movement
Loss of range of motion in the neck
Headaches, most often starting at the base of the skull
Tenderness or pain in the shoulder, upper back, or arms
Tingling or numbness in the arms
Unwarranted fatigue
Dizziness
Blurred vision
Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
Sleep disturbances
Irritability
Difficulty concentrating
Memory problems
Depression

Do not take a wait-and-see approach to seeking treatment for a neck injury. You may be putting your health and your financial future at risk. If you end up pursuing a personal injury claim for a neck injury after a car accident, the insurance company will argue that any delay in seeking treatment is evidence that your injury is not serious.

Treating Whiplash and Neck Injuries After a Car Accident

When you see a doctor for a neck injury after a crash, he or she may order X-rays to rule out a cervical fracture(s). The doctor may also require a CT scan or MRI to look for herniated disc(s) or significant ligament injury. You may also be evaluated for signs of traumatic brain injury.

Treatment for neck injuries can vary depending on the severity. Your doctor may recommend any of the following:

Ice, heat, or medication (over the counter or by prescription) may help reduce pain, swelling, and muscle spasms.
You may need to wear a soft cervical collar for a few days to brace and immobilize your neck if your pain is exacerbated by movement.
Even if you have suffered a cervical fracture, immobilization is the primary treatment. A minor compression fracture is treated with a cervical brace worn for six to eight weeks until the bone heals.
A more complex or extensive fracture (a broken neck) will require traction, potentially surgery, and two to three months in a rigid cast or a combination of these treatments.
Once you have healed from whiplash or a cervical fracture, your doctor will prescribe stretching and movement exercises to help restore the range of motion in your neck.
If your case is more severe or your pain does not diminish, you may see a physical therapist for help developing a more targeted exercise routine.

Most whiplash victims recover in a few months, but some cases cause pain for several months or years after the accident. Chronic pain may be more likely if the initial neck injury symptoms include rapid onset of pain, severe neck pain, headaches, and pain that radiates to the arms.

Compensation for Neck Injuries in a Car Accident: Rhode Island Car Accident Lawyers

The costs and losses suffered by those who experience neck injuries in car accidents can be extensive. At Gemma Law Associates, our Rhode Island car accident attorneys can help you demand full and fair compensation for:

Medical bills ranging from emergency care to medication and physical therapy, and potentially including hospitalization and surgery
Lost income from being out of work, as well as diminished earning capacity in the future
Property damage to your vehicle
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress, particularly from long-lasting or chronic pain, which can lead to depression and other emotional issues

Many insurance companies will balk at a car accident claim seeking compensation for whiplash or neck injuries. Insurance adjustors know it is difficult to substantiate lingering or chronic pain that you may suffer from a neck injury. Some insurers will deny your pain and make a low car accident settlement offer that comes nowhere close to covering your costs and losses.

The dedicated legal team at Gemma Law Associates will work closely with you to document your losses. Our team understands what it takes to prove the extent of your injury. We can have your medical records reviewed by specialists for second opinions on your injuries. We may also ask a consulting specialist and vocational therapist to examine you and provide a report about your injuries and prognosis, including how your injuries may adversely affect your ability to earn a living.

Developing a solid case allows us to negotiate aggressively with insurance companies for the proper compensation you need to recover after a devastating crash. It also demonstrates that our law firm is prepared to try your claim in court if the insurance company does not come to terms with proper payment to you.

Contact Our Rhode Island Personal Injury Attorneys Today

For over 40 years, the car accident lawyers at Gemma Law Associates have successfully represented accident victims across Rhode Island. We take our responsibility to our clients seriously. We treat every case with the individual attention that it deserves.

Call us today or contact us online to schedule a free case evaluation so you can learn more about how our attorneys can help with your personal injury claim. Our law firm does not charge legal fees unless and until we recover compensation for you. This means you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by talking to us about your car accident claim.

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Peter and team brought a successful resolution to my case. Throughout the different stages, Peter impressed me as a caring person with calmness and fine judgment. He put the client's interest first — there were times I didn't expect him to get back to me quickly, but he returned my call as soon as my questions reached his desk. I'm very grateful for that. I'd also like to give a huge shout-out to the team, especially the case manager, Sarah. She answered my questions with endless patience and professionalism, and treated me as a person, not just a case — with real positivity and great organization. I value clear communication, and it was a pleasure working with her. All in all, thank you, Gemma Law, for bringing a resolution to my case and helping me move on. Wishing you all the best!

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