How to Treat Whiplash After a Car Accident
Properly responding to whiplash following a car accident means understanding how to deal with your symptoms from both a medical and legal standpoint. You must understand how to treat whiplash after a car accident and take appropriate steps to treat your injuries and seek compensation for your losses.
Since whiplash often has delayed symptoms, you need to seek immediate medical care and a thorough examination from a doctor right after a car accident. When you are involved in a collision, your body will release cortisol and adrenaline, which can mask pain symptoms and allow you to respond to an emergency. Getting prompt medical care can help you obtain a diagnosis and receive prompt treatment to prevent your injury from worsening.
Medical Treatment for Whiplash Injuries
When your doctor diagnoses you with a whiplash injury, the treatment they recommend might depend on the severity and type of your injury. Your doctor will evaluate the severity of your pain and determine what types of movements cause it to worsen. The following are some of the types of treatment your doctor might recommend:
- Physical therapy
- Therapeutic massage
- Chiropractic care
- Strengthening and stretching exercises
- Over-the-counter medications to reduce inflammation such as ibuprofen or sodium naproxen
- Soft cervical collar
- Epidural injections to block pain signals
Self-Care for Whiplash
Your doctor will provide you with specific instructions regarding how to treat whiplash after a car accident. You should follow the instructions you are given. Some examples of self-care steps to take at home that might be recommended include the following:
- Applying ice to the injured area for the first 24 hours
- Applying therapeutic heat after the initial 24 hours
- Taking ibuprofen or sodium naproxen to reduce swelling and pain
- Using a pillow that supports your neck while you sleep
- Avoiding activities that involve the injured areas
Your doctor might also recommend that you continue to use the injured area gently but avoid vigorous activities. If your doctor tells you to wear a neck brace, you will likely only be told to wear it intermittently.
Legal Steps Following a Whiplash Injury
If your whiplash injury happened in a car accident that was caused by someone else, you should schedule a free consultation with an accident attorney at Ellis & Associates. There are several reasons why you should speak to an experienced lawyer soon after an accident, including the following:
- The insurance company will start its investigation immediately.
- An attorney can review an initial offer from the insurance company to make sure it is fair.
- Working with a lawyer can help you avoid mistakes that could harm your case.
You should be careful when you are trying to negotiate a claim with an insurance company. The insurance representatives are paid to try to reduce the monetary amounts the company might have to pay to settle accident claims. You should avoid talking to the insurance companies involved in your accident until you have had a chance to speak to a lawyer. Otherwise, the company might ask leading questions that are designed to get you to say something it can use against you. Similarly, you shouldn’t agree to accept an early settlement offer without asking an attorney to review it. If you accept an offer and later learn that it wasn’t enough to pay for your losses, you won’t be able to come back and ask for more money.
Talk to Ellis & Associates
If you sustained a whiplash injury in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you should contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at Ellis & Associates. Call us for a free consultation to learn more about the remedies that might be available to you at 800-MR-ELLIS.