Whiplash

Huntsville Whiplash Lawyers

Experienced advocacy for rear-end car accident victims

It’s maddening. You’re waiting for the light to change or for your turn to proceed through an intersection – and wham – a careless driver just struck the back of your car. Even at small speeds, rear-end collisions can cause whiplash and other soft tissue injuries. Many people use the word “whiplash,” but medically, these are cervical soft-tissue injuries caused by rapid acceleration and deceleration forces. Victims often need weeks or months to treat their whiplash injuries. Some victims live with chronic pain. At Martin & Helms, we hold rear-end drivers and other negligent actors accountable for your medical care, pain and suffering, and other damages. We’re ready to fight for your future.

How can we help? We can help by answering the following questions:

What is the definition of a whiplash injury?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, whiplash involves sudden movement changes that “force your neck (cervical spine) and upper spine to move in ways that cause injury.” “Whiplash can also happen with sudden movement changes in any direction.” Normally, emergency care providers will treat the injury as a serious neck injury.

Whiplash happens when inertia causes your head, neck, and body to move at different speeds. That forces your neck to compress or extend too quickly or in ways that push the muscles, ligaments, and bones of your spine beyond what they can tolerate. The sharper and stronger the movement, the greater the force on your neck. Even weak levels of force can still cause moderate or severe whiplash.

Severe whiplash “can break the vertebrae in your neck, creating a risk of damage to your spinal cord and its network of connected nerves.”

If you are in a rear-end accident or suffer rapid back and forth movement of your neck due to any other accident, it’s best to seek immediate medical care to rule out broken bones and other causes, obtain prompt treatment, and show insurance companies your pain is real.

What causes whiplash injuries?

At Martin & Helms, we work with liability professionals and medical professionals to show the cause of your whiplash injury and the scope and severity of your whiplash injury. The most common cause of a whiplash injury is a rear-end accident. In most rear-end collisions, the driver in the rear is responsible for the accident because they were speeding, driving while intoxicated, driving while distracted, tailgating, or for other reasons.

We file personal injury claims for whiplash and other rear-end injuries. In fatal rear-end crashes, we pursue wrongful death claims on behalf of the family. We also file uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) claims if the driver who hits you does not have insurance, or the driver who hits you does not have enough insurance to pay for your full claim.

Our Huntsville whiplash injury lawyers also file claims against any other responsible defendants. Other types of vehicle accidents can also cause whiplash. Other causes of whiplash include slip and fall accidents. The defendants may include other drivers and property owners.

What symptoms do whiplash injury victims experience?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, some whiplash symptoms may appear immediately after an accident, while other symptoms may take 12 hours or more to appear. A delay of symptoms for even up to a few days is not unusual.

Doctors use a scale, called the Quebec Classification of Whiplash-Associated Disorders, to determine the severity of whiplash injuries.

  • Grade 0. There are no symptoms of whiplash.
  • Grade 1. The victim experiences stiffness when moving their neck and tenderness at the site of the injury.
  • Grade 2. The symptoms include “pain that radiates to nearby areas like your head, face, shoulder, and back,” muscle spasms, bruises, swelling, and touch sensitivity.
  • Grade 3. This grade of whiplash includes neurological symptoms “because swelling or inflammation disrupts nerve signals traveling through the injured area on the way to or from your brain.” The symptoms include numbness, muscle weakness, tingling, headaches, vision problems, difficulty swallowing, dizziness, and hoarseness.
  • Grade 4. This whiplash grade includes the symptoms from the prior grades. Generally, the neurological symptoms are more severe. Very severe neurological symptoms may indicate a fractured neck vertebra.

How do Huntsville and Decatur doctors diagnose and treat whiplash injuries?

Diagnosis of whiplash

Generally, your doctors will verify that you have whiplash by excluding other causes. The process of exclusion begins with orally questioning you about what happened. Your doctors will then conduct a physical examination that evaluates your sensitivity, symptoms, range of motion, and other factors. The diagnostic tests for whiplash may include X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs.

Treatment of whiplash

The treatments for whiplash include helping your injury heal on its own and minimizing your symptoms.

The treatments for whiplash include the following:

  • Emergency healthcare providers may use a C-collar to keep your head and neck in alignment, or they may use other forms of immobilization.
  • Some of the more common types of medications for whiplash include over-the-counter drugs “like acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or naproxen, etc.” Healthcare providers may “cautiously” prescribe strong painkiller medications, keeping in mind that these drugs pose a risk of addiction or long-term dependence. Other medications include anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxers, and nerve blocks.
  • Cold and heat therapy. The Cleveland Clinic states that cold packs during the first 7-10 days may help reduce inflammation/swelling. Thereafter, heat treatments can help damaged tissues heal and provide comfort.
  • Physical therapy. A physical therapist may help with exercises that help you regain neck function and ease your symptoms.
  • Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy. This therapy provides a mild electrical current to help manage your pain.
  • Radiofrequency nerve ablation. This treatment aims to prevent the nerves in the injury site from sending pain signals. “This treatment uses RF energy to heat the targeted nerves and intentionally damage them, so they stop sending pain signals. This can reduce pain for weeks or months.”
  • Surgery on your spine. If you have a fractured vertebra or torn ligaments, surgery may be necessary to stabilize your spine and prevent further nerve damage.

What amount of damages can I receive for a whiplash injury?

Whiplash injuries can be quite painful for weeks or months. Some whiplash victims live with chronic pain. At Martin & Helms, we demand compensation for all of your current and future:

  • Medical expenses of every type, including long-term rehabilitative therapy
  • Physical pain and emotional suffering, including the pain and anguish you experience every time you move or engage in any activity
  • Lost income, including lost benefits
  • Other damages, including prescription costs and out of pocket medical expenses such as co-pays and deductibles
  • All other personal and financial damages

Do you have a Huntsville whiplash lawyer near me?

Yes. Our personal injury lawyers meet clients at our offices located at 2317 Market Place SW, Suite A, Huntsville, AL. We also consult with clients remotely, by phone and through online video. We also arrange to meet clients who cannot physically travel at their homes or other convenient locations.

Our lawyers will prepare you for each stage of your personal injury claim.

Speak with our Huntsville whiplash injury lawyers today

Many whiplash injury claims do settle. If insurance companies fail to make reasonable settlement offers, our lawyers are always ready to argue your case before a North Alabama judge and jury. At Martin & Helms, we fight to restore your physical, financial, and emotional health. Please call us or fill out our contact form to schedule a free initial consultation. Our lawyers represent clients in Huntsville, Decatur, Madison, Athens, Harvest, Hazel Green, Meridianville, and throughout the Tennessee Valley. We represent whiplash injury victims on a contingency fee basis. This means our success depends on your success.