Can You Sustain A Whiplash Injury From A Side Impact Collision?
Copyright (c) 2011 Nicholas Jervis
If you have been injured in a side impact collision you may be wondering whether you have sustained a whiplash injury as a result of the accident, or maybe you are wondering if it is even possible to sustain a whiplash injury from a collision of this kind. After all, most of the things we see and hear about whiplash injuries usually arise from accidents that have occurred when one vehicle has collided with the rear of another vehicle (often when the vehicle that is struck is stationary or in a queue of slow moving traffic). This article looks at how a whiplash injury is actually caused, whether it can actually be caused by a side impact collision, what the main symptoms of a whiplash injury are and how long it is likely to take you to recover from your injuries.
A whiplash injury is caused during a collision which suddenly and forcefully throws the neck and head of the driver and/or passengers in the vehicle back and forth. This causes the soft-tissue and ligaments in the neck to be stretched beyond their normal range of movement which in turn causes a whiplash injury. It can be seen therefore that even a side on collision could cause the neck and head to be jolted in this way which could cause a whiplash injury. This goes to show that it is not just 'rear end shunt' accidents than can cause whiplash injuries and it is a very real possibility that they could also be caused by side impact collisions.
A whiplash injury may present itself as pain and stiffness in your neck and shoulders, restricted movement in your neck, headaches, nausea, dizziness and pins and needles. If you experience any or all of these symptoms you should visit your GP or Accident & Emergency Department as soon as possible so that, hopefully, anything more serious than whiplash can be ruled out and you can obtain advice on how to properly treat your whiplash injury to maximise your chances of making a full recovery.
The length of time it takes you to recover from your whiplash injury will depend on how severely you have been injured. Some people recover from fairly minor whiplash injuries within a few weeks or months of the accident whereas those who suffer from more severe whiplash injuries often take a year or two to make a full recovery. In some rare cases, sufferers are left with persistent symptoms that are likely to be permanent.
If you have been injured in an accident, whether it was a side impact collision or any other type of road traffic collision, it is important that you seek medical attention as soon as possible. If are not at fault for the accident, you deserve to be compensated for your injuries and you should contact a specialist whiplash claims solicitor as soon as possible.
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