Car Accidents

Is Whiplash A Serious Car Accident Injury?

Even “minor” fender benders can bring about major ramifications. Over two million Americans will suffer “whiplash” injuries each year, causing persistent neck and upper back pain. One of the most common causes of whiplash injury is motor vehicle accidents.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has estimated that rear-end collisions account for 6 percent of all fatal traffic accidents, but 28 to 29 percent of traffic accidents across the board, making them incredibly common. 

If a minor fender-bender happened to you, you might think you’ve come away relatively unscathed, don’t have much to worry about, and maybe feel some relief that it wasn’t even worse. But sometimes, the worst repercussions don’t happen right away. Sometimes they linger and take some time to set in.

If you experience chronic neck or upper back pain following a motor vehicle accident, you may be entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit claim. Read on to understand more about whiplash injuries following car accidents and how referring to Austin car accident lawyers may be able to help you. 

What Is Whiplash?

Whiplash car accident injuries occur when the head and neck jerk back and forth violently in a “whiplash” motion, hence their classification. Common signs and symptoms of whiplash injuries include:

• Persistent neck pain
• Painful neck movements
• Loss of neck movement range
• Persistent headaches
• Chronic fatigue and disorientation
• Upper body soreness, tingling, or numbness
• Blurred vision
• Tinnitus
• Sleep disturbances
• Memory concentration difficulty

If any of the above describes two or more of the symptoms you experience after your car crash, then that may be emblematic of whiplash. These symptoms may If In any case, seek appropriate medical attention as necessary, as soon as possible.

Whiplash may not occur in the context of a rear-end car accident, nor any car accident for that matter. But because of the g-forces exerted on your neck and upper body when a negligent driver collides with your bumper, whiplash injuries are especially prominent in rear-end collision crashes above all others.

But how do you know if negligence contributed to your rear-end collision? If any of the following variables came into play:

• Distracted driving
• Intoxicated driving
• Drowsy driving
• Road rage
• Unsafe road conditions
• Faulty vehicle parts

The first four bullet points will fall squarely on the driver, and more often than not, they will be deemed the liable (or mostly liable) party in the event of a rear-end collision. If it happened purely due to the last two points, however, then you may be able to name negligent vehicle manufacturers or road workers as defendants in a personal injury lawsuit.

In either case, you should work with experienced Austin car accident lawyers in holding the liable parties accountable. Moreover, since Texas is a modified comparative negligence state, you may not be able to claim any compensation if you’re determined to hold over 51 percent of the liability, which is why robust, adequate legal representation is so important.

Take On Negligent Drivers With an Austin Car Accident Lawyer

Our firm is versed in handling a very wide range of cases, and rear-end collisions are no exception. If you need support with recovering from a whiplash-induced rear-end injury, we can offer that ample support.

Contact our Austin car accident lawyers at Terry & Kelly, PLLC, today to learn more.