Even if people involved in a car accident in New York appear unhurt in the immediate moments after the impact, they might still have serious soft tissue injuries. Whiplash describes one of the most common forms of soft tissue injuries associated with motor vehicle accidents. The forces transferred into people’s bodies during the collision of vehicles jolt their bodies. In the case of whiplash, the forward snap and backward recoil of the head stretches or tears ligaments, muscles or tendons in the neck.
Injuries to these types of tissues occur in other areas of the body as well. Physicians often have trouble diagnosing soft tissue injuries because the damage does not show up on an X-ray like a broken bone. Victims might not experience symptoms like pain and swelling for hours or even days after the car wreck.
Cases of whiplash could also include symptoms like headache and dizziness. Damage to the neck tissues could lead to long-term problems like herniated spine discs, shoulder pain and burning sensations. Some people report trouble like fatigue, depression and memory loss.
When negligent drivers cause car accidents, injury victims have a legal right to pursue financial damages. The representation of an attorney may positively impact the process of creating a personal injury claim. An attorney might organize evidence about the person’s medical condition and gain medical testimony attributing the cause to the car accident. Furthermore, an attorney may strive to document the other driver’s reckless actions, like texting, drinking or speeding, which could legally justify a claim for compensation. Initially, an attorney might approach the responsible party’s insurance company and request a settlement for the victim’s medical bills and lost income. If an insurer attempts to dodge responsibility, then an attorney may opt to take the case to a jury trial.
