Auto collisions cause MVA whiplash injury, also called cervical acceleration-deceleration (CAD) injury. This injury can involve crushing damage to the vertebrae, such as fracture or chips, however it usually refers to injuries to the intervertebral discs and the soft tissues of the neck. The soft tissues are the muscles, tendons and ligaments that support the head up. Whiplash or cervical acceleration-deceleration injury causes damages such as medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering.
It may be helpful to understand some of the symptoms of whiplash: neck pain or neck pain that travels down the arm (radiculopathy), headaches, low back pain (LBP), jaw pain and dizziness.
Ninety percent of patients involved in whiplash type accidents complain of neck pain. This is by far the most common symptom. The pain often spreads into the upper back, between the shoulder blades, or down the arm. Neck pain that goes down the arm is called radiculopathy.
Low back pain (LBP) can occur as a result of a whiplash injury. Source Eorthopod.com.
Jaw pain as a result of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) injury can also cause painful headaches. The TMJ is formed by the bone of the mandible (lower jaw) connecting to the temporal bone at the side of the skull. The TMJ is a hinge joint that allows the jaw to open and close and to move forward, back, and sideways. Pain in this joint in called temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD).
Dizziness is quite common with a sense of lost balance being reported. It is caused by an injury to the joints of the neck called facet or zygapophyseal joints. When dizziness is reported, it should be distinguished from vertigo (also known as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), which results from an injury to the inner ear.
Other symptoms often reported include, but are not limited to: shoulder pain; numbness or tingling in the arms, hands, legs or feet; facial pain, fatigue, confusion, poor concentration, irritability, difficulty sleeping, forgetfulness, visual problems, and mood disorders.
It is not uncommon to have a delay in symptoms. It is actually more common to have a 24 to 72 hour delay as opposed to immediate symptoms or pain. Likely due to the body taking 24 to 72 hours to develop inflammation. Disc injuries may take weeks to months to manifest.
Simply because there is little or no damage to your car does not mean that you were not injured. If there is little or no damage to the car, the force is not absorbed but transferred to the driver or passengers, potentially resulting in greater injury.
McCormick Law Office attorneys get the best results in MVA whiplash cases when the symptoms are documented and consistent with the injury.
