Neck Injury From San Diego Auto Accident

Neck injuries are very common in San Diego auto accidents and often take days or even weeks before the injured driver begins to feel that something is wrong. This makes it difficult to be sure what caused the neck pain if it does not surface until days later.

How Whiplash Manifests

Whiplash manifests itself in different ways, such as a stiff, painful neck,

headaches, upper back and shoulder pain, and fatigue. For anyone injured in a car accident who has experienced whiplash as a result of the collision, even if you feel fine, seek medical attention right away. Seeking medical care quickly is the best way to avoid the risk of injuries becoming even more serious.

Symptoms displayed by the body after being in a San Diego auto accident most often center around the spine. In disturbing the spine, the upper neck is directly affected and can result in various symptoms, such as:

• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Numbness and/or tingling in the arms
• Headaches, most often originating at the base of the skull
• The range of motion for the neck is decreased or absent
• The pain in the neck gets worse when the neck is moved
• Pain and/or tenderness in the arms, upper back, or shoulder
• Anxiety or depression manifests itself
• Difficulty sleeping
• Vision is blurred
• Issues with memory
• Ringing in the ears
• Irritability
• Inability to concentrate for long

The C1 Atlas and its Relevance to Whiplash

The impact of a car accident involves the whole body, Whiplash injuries involve the musculoskeletal system. The C1 also referred to as the Atlas, is the top bone in the neck, the upper cervical spine. Being involved in a collision can knock this bone out of alignment. An out of place Atlas bone is called an Atlas subluxation and causes the head to tilt to one side, your pelvis to distort and twist and, one shoulder to be higher than the other.

When injured, the tissues in the fragile neck, which include ligaments, muscles, and, tendons rip and tear as the neck whips and jolts forward and backward. Over time, as the rips and tears start to heal, scar tissue forms. Having the neck aligned after an accident can prevent it from becoming permanently locked out of place and let the healing continue. Whiplash is a serious injury, but there are many myths surrounding it.

Whiplash Neck Injury Myths

There are many common whiplash myths that have arisen over time as people often do not understand the nature of what is also called a “silent and unseen” injury. Those myths include, but are not limited to:

• The crash only resulted in soft tissue injuries
• Whiplash injuries do not affect the lower back
• There was minor damage to the vehicle which means little or no injuries for the driver and passengers
• No one complained at the time of the accident, so the injury is minor
• Whiplash is like a soft tissue injury and can heal fully in 6-8 weeks
• Whiplash injuries rarely require more than two months or so of chiropractic treatment to realign the spine
• It is a minor injury but the claimant wants a large settlement and the symptoms are likely to vanish after settlement
• High head restraints mean it is virtually impossible for whiplash to happen because the neck cannot be hyperextended
• The claimant had preexisting degenerative disc disease in that area and the pain is due to that condition and not related to whiplash

Contact the Levinson Law Group Today

If you or a loved one were involved in a car accident and sustained a neck injury, reach out to the Levinson Law Group attorneys right away. At the Levinson Law Group, our dedicated team of car accident lawyers is here to help. If you have questions about the recovery process, we can answer them. We make sure you are informed so you can make the best decision for yourself and your family.

When you decide to work with the Levinson Law Group, we are in your corner throughout the entire process. To learn more about your options, call the Levinson Law Group at 760-512-8088. We accept cases on a contingent fee. That means that if there is no recovery in your case, you pay no fee. And in most cases, we even advance the costs.