Top Whiplash Injury Lawyers Serving Houston

Why Whiplash Causes Pain

Whiplash is an injury to the soft tissues in your neck and shoulders. We see this injury most commonly in rear-end collisions. When a car is hit from behind, anyone sitting in the car will be thrown forward due to the forces generated. Their head can stretch much farther than normal, before quickly rebounding back. This sharp snap back is like the crack of a whip, which is where the name “whiplash” comes from.

The violent forward and back motion pulls and tears the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and nerves in your neck. Motorists might feel an immediate searing pain, or the pain might slowly emerge over the following 24-48 hours.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the main symptoms of whiplash include:

• Neck stiffness
• Restricted range of motion
• Neck pain
• Spasms
• Anxiety
• Tiredness
• Headaches

In very violent accidents, a motorist could also suffer a cracked cervical bone in their neck. This type of injury can also put pressure on nerve roots which branch off the spinal cord. Any vertebral fracture is serious and must be addressed before additional problems occur. If you have suffered an injury, our Houston whiplash injury lawyers can protect your rights.

Treating Whiplash

The treatment will depend on the severity of your symptoms and the damage to your neck. When a bone is cracked or displaced, a patient might need surgery.

For moderate or mild whiplash, your treatment will likely be conservative and include:

• Rest
• Ice or heat
• Soft massage
• Painkillers
• Steroid injections

Historically, doctors would immediately immobilize the neck with a big brace to prevent you from turning your head. A patient would wear this brace for months. Today, a doctor will still immobilize your neck for a brief period of time but will quickly try to reintroduce movement as soon as possible. Light massage can help deal with neck stiffness and reduce pain.

Neck stiffness and pain are serious problems with whiplash. It can be nearly impossible for people to drive, work, or even sleep while lying down. Our Houston whiplash injury attorneys see many clients who need to sleep sitting up.

Accidents Which Cause Whiplash

Various accidents lead to this injury:

• Car wrecks. In addition to rear-end collisions, we see whiplash with side-impact collisions, rollovers, and sideswipes. A motorist’s head can whip back and forth or side to side in all these accidents, leading to whiplash.
• Truck accidents. A collision with a truck might cause very serious whiplash, including cervical fractures.
• Slip and falls. A person can suffer whiplash when they fall and strike their head on the ground. Their head might rebound, causing tears in the soft tissue of the neck.
• Sport injuries. A person playing football, soccer, hockey, or basketball could suffer whiplash due to contact with another play or after falling.
• Violent attacks. A victim might suffer whiplash when they are punched and fall backwards, or if someone hits them in the head with a baseball bat or other heavy object.

Any traumatic accident could result in a whiplash injury. You should try to document your accident as best you can, with photographs using your phone. Also speak to witnesses who can provide their own perspective on what happened. If you are in too much pain, of course, then you should head immediately to the hospital in an ambulance. Following that, our Houston whiplash injury lawyers can work with you directly.

Compensation for Whiplash Injuries

Whiplash leaves many motorists in considerable pain, and they deserve compensation for their suffering. At The Stano Law Firm, our Houston whiplash injury attorneys will jump in to assist those struggling with whiplash injuries by reviewing the evidence and estimating a fair amount of financial compensation.

Call our Houston whiplash injury lawyers to schedule a consultation. We typically seek damages for:

• Medical care. You can seek financial compensation for surgical costs, doctor’s visits, MRIs and other diagnostic tests, prescription medication, and neck braces. Our clients should also seek damages for rehabilitation, like physical therapy or massage.
• Property damage. Your car was probably damaged heavily in an accident, so you can seek the cost of repairs.
• Lost income or wages. Whiplash is often so debilitating that people cannot work, at least while the pain is most intense. You could lose out on months of income as you either rest at home or attend physical therapy.
• Pain and suffering. In addition to physical pain and discomfort, there are also psychological effects from whiplash. You might suffer from depression or anxiety and become irritable with your family. Many people slip into a funk because they can’t enjoy their regular hobbies due to elevated pain.

In our experience, insurance companies try to minimize the amount paid for pain and suffering to anyone suffering from whiplash. They might allege you are pretending to feel more pain than you really are. We will rely on medical records to show the full extent of your whiplash injury, including damage to your cervical bones.

We also recommend that you carefully document your pain, disability, emotional distress, and things of that nature. The key is to ensure that you have a detailed record of how you are feeling as you deal with whiplash.

Contact Our Houston Whiplash Injury Attorneys Today

The Houston whiplash injury lawyers at the Stano Law Firm can help with all sorts of car accident injuries, including whiplash. Once hired, our personal injury lawyers will help document your out-of-pocket expenses and collect other relevant evidence. We always have an eye toward negotiating a settlement for our clients with the person ultimately responsible for the accident.

Contact us today. A Houston whiplash injury lawyer can meet for a consultation to discuss your legal case.