What are Whiplash Associated Disorders?
What are whiplash-associated disorders? What treatment options are available for injured motorists? Whiplash related disorders can be caused by rear-impacts or side-impacts. They include damage to the spine, joints, muscles, ligaments, and bones. They also include damage to the structures of the nervous and vascular systems. Individuals and their attorney can pursue neck injury compensation when an automobile accident causes a whiplash-associated disorder. This compensation can be used to cover expenses related to physical therapy, surgery, and impact to quality of life.
Whiplash in the United States
There are approximately 120,000 cases of whiplash in the United States every year. This is an incidence rate of about 30 per 10,000 people which makes it one of the most common auto accident injuries. Of those who suffer injuries, up to 40% may report chronic damage that does not resolve with treatment.
Risk Factors for Whiplash-Associated Disorders
Risk factors for the development of whiplash-associated disorders include the severity of the impact, pre-existing neck pain, gender, and age. Women and younger drivers are more likely to develop the injury. Whiplash injuries that persist for longer than 3 months are considered chronic injuries. These individuals often require extensive therapy and treatment for their chronic whiplash-associated disorders.
Defining Whiplash-Associated Disorders
Whiplash-associated disorders are a combination of symptoms that are rated on a scale from Grade 0 to Grade 5. Grade 5 injuries are the most serious and often require surgical intervention to treat. These injuries can cause muscle stiffness and tenderness. They may also include neurological damage, or damage/dislocation of bone. For example, up to 50% of patients with cervical facet joint injuries experience upper spine pain and headaches. Similarly, 60% experience chronic neck pain and lower cervical spine joint pain.
Individuals can also suffer injuries to the dorsal root ganglion and cervical ligaments. It is also common for damage to occur to the intervertebral discs. This damage is often missed and radiographic examinations may miss up to 90% of these injuries during initial diagnosis. When they occur, they cause radiating pain that is severe and debilitating.
Brad Pistotnik Law is an accident attorney with attorneys, lawyers, and abogados who represent clients in Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas, Florida, Missouri, and Illinois seeking neck injury compensation. Whether the accident occurred in Wichita, Liberal, Garden City, Funk, Axell, Wilcox, Atlanta, Amherst, Riverdale, Eddyville, Willow Island, Cozad, Orafino, Pleasanton, Elm Creek, Kearney, Gothenburg, Ong, Oak, Nelson, Campbell, Upland, Kenesaw, Shelton, Alda, Waco, Utica, York, McCool Junction, Geneva, Western, Bruning, Hebron, Dorchester, Aurora, Lindsborg, El Dorado, Eureka, Derby, Andover, Wellington, Harper, Anthony, Stafford, Larned, Haviland, Coldwater, Protection, Council Grove, Hutchinson, Lyons, Sedan, Altamont, Oswego, Edna, Foraker, Grenola, Howard, Bartlesville, Delaware, Centralia, Welch, Miami, Chtopa, Columbus, Thayer, St. Paul, Girard, Pittsburg, Caney, Copan, Dewey, Dodge City, Cimarron, Sublette, Plains, Meade, Ashland, Buffalo, Laverne, Beaver, Tyrone, Hooker, Jetmore, Kiowa, or elsewhere in these states, our accident attorneys can help you pursue the neck injury compensation you need to recover from your personal injuries.
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