Whiplash in Tennessee Car Accidents– More Serious Than You Think
There are millions of car accidents occurring throughout the nation each year. Most of them result in minor injuries, or whiplash. Whiplash is defined by the Mayo Clinic as a neck injury, which occurs by a forceful, rapid, back and forth movement of the neck. It typically occurs when you are rear-ended, because your head and neck tend to be the parts on your body that are unrestrained during an accident. However, whiplash is also the most ignored injury, since people tend to underestimate its seriousness. It is also estimated to cost billions in medical expenses every year.
There are a plethora of symptoms of whiplash, including:
- Headaches;
- Pain in the shoulders;
- Pain in the arms;
- Nausea;
- Dizziness;
- Fatigue;
- Back pain;
- Muscle spasms; and
- Difficulty sleeping.
Symptoms usually appear within 24 hours following the accident, and it can also have long term effects such as chronic headaches or back pain. The range of injuries for a whiplash injury is very broad, and may be misdiagnosed due to its nature as a soft tissue injury. For example, a whiplash injury will not appear on an X-ray and may not appear clearly on an MRI. Thus, it may appear that a person’s body is physically fine, but they may still be feeling significant pain and complications.
What Are the Damages Available?
Like any other accident, the damages you are entitled to are dependent on your medical and treatment costs, financial losses, and lost wages or work time. A whiplash diagnosis and cost of treatment often depends on the severity of the injury. There is no standard damage award for whiplash, and there is no magic formula for determining your damage amount.
Tennessee is a fault state in terms of accidents, meaning the defendant who caused the accident or your injuries will be liable for your damages. If your insurance company refuses to cover the medical care costs until you can sort it out with the defendant, you may also have to file a suit against your insurance company. In Tennessee, the statute of limitation for car accident injuries is one year, or three years if there is vehicle or property damage.
Call a Tennessee Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyer Today
If you have been injured Tennessee car accident, you should contact an lawyer immediately. You never know when slight neck pain turns out to be something far more serious, like a herniated disk or a spine injury. At the law offices of Calhoun Law, PLC, we utilize accident reconstructionists and other specialists as necessary to prepare and present a persuasive case that documents our client’s injuries and the defendant’s fault. If you are suffering neck, back, or head pain from a car accident, contact us today for a free and confidential consultation.
