Philadelphia Rear-End Collision Lawyer
If you have ever been a passenger or driver involved in a rear-end collision in Philadelphia resulting in stiffness and soreness to the neck, back, and or shoulders, then you have experienced soft tissue damage, often referred to as whiplash. Whiplash is primarily a neck injury that occurs when sudden movement forces the head backwards and then abruptly forward, pushing your neck muscles and ligaments beyond their normal range of motion. While some rear-end collisions are more serious than others, you do not have to be traveling at high speeds for injury to occur. In fact, the excessive soreness and stiffness often associated with soft tissue injuries can take several hours to days before it fully present itself. This is why it is so important to be checked out by a medical professional shortly after being involved in a car accident, even if there was no physical damage to your vehicle. According to the pioneers who legitimized the whiplash syndrome, Arthur C. Croft, and Stephen M. Foreman’s 2002, Whiplash injuries: the cervical acceleration/deceleration syndrome, spinal cord injuries account for approximately 6,000 deaths in the United States each year and about 5,000 whiplash injuries per year result in quadriplegia. After a Philadelphia rear-end collision attorney at Rosenbaum and Associates can help guide you in seeking compensation for the treatment required to help rebuild your life.
What Causes Soft Tissue Injury
Whiplash– a soft tissue injury, while it may sound benign, can take several months to years before fully healing. Whiplash is a term used to describe the hyperextension and hyper flexion of the spine, neck, nerves, and ligaments. In rare cases, soft tissue damage without proper treatment may fester and permanently affect a person’s range of motion and everyday life. When a car is rear-ended the impact of the crash jolts the car forward while the body stays in a fixed position, often resulting in the passenger and or driver clenching and assuming a rigid stance, only to further be injured. More severe trauma to the body can result in brain injury as the body is violently thrown and jostled. Whiplash and neck injuries are commonly associated with rear-end collisions, but whiplash injuries can result from a multitude of actions such as, playing contact sports like football, hockey, and soccer or skiing and snowboarding accidents. Soft tissue damage may also result from intentional assaults and child abuse as evident in the baby-shaking syndrome. Whiplash may result from repetitive stress injuries from work, as well as slip and fall accidents that can occur in homes, stores, and improperly maintained sidewalks.
Symptoms and Treatment of Whiplash or Soft Tissue Damage
Symptoms of whiplash may present itself in a multitude of ways, the most common being neck pain and stiffness, headaches that just will not subside, pain in the upper shoulders or between the shoulder blades. A few more symptoms include, blurred vision, lower back pain, pain or numbness radiating down your arms, as well as, dizziness, intense fatigue, and a difficulty concentrating and or remembering. Treatment for soft tissue damage has progressed as the results from physical therapy have helped to shorten recovery time. The treatment of whiplash and soft tissue injury use to solely include immobilization of the neck area and medications to help with the pain, treatment has progressed to include ice and heat treatments, physical therapy to help improve movement to the injured area, possible prescription medication depending on the extent of the injury, with possible further rehabilitation.
Contact a Philadelphia Rear-End Collision Attorney
Especially prudent before accepting a settlement offer from an insurance company, consult with Philadelphia personal injury attorney about your best legal options. If you would like more information please contact Rosenbaum & Associates online or call 1 800 7 LEGAL 7 for a Free Case Evaluation.