REAR END CAR CRASH INJURIES
Rear end accidents often take victim by surprise jarring them suddenly which can result in serious bodily injuries. This makes rear-end collisions one of the most common type of auto accidents in the country and a leading cause of car crash injuries. These injuries cost Americans millions of dollars in medical fees, rehabilitation and lost wages every year. Most common injuries sustained in a rear-end car accident are whiplash, broken bones, soft tissue injury, traumatic brain injury, herniation, facial disfigurement/scarring, concussion, wrist and arm injuries, paralysis of spinal cord and brain, airbag injuries etc.
Explanation of some of the common injuries that rear-end car accident victim suffer from are:
WHIPLASH Whiplash is one of the most commonly mentioned injuries arising from a rear-end collision. “Whiplash” is a term used to describe pain and stiffness in the neck and shoulder area when the neck, shoulders, and spine suddenly and violently move, beyond their normal range. As a result of this hyperextension and hyperflexion of the neck occurs. Drivers and passengers being rear-ended are not aware of these potential accidents before it happens, so there is no chance to brace for impact. Muscles are left in a relaxed state rather than a contracted one. This allows the head, neck, and back to move more vigorously and violently increasing the chances of serious injury. Approximately 20% of all victims of rear-end accidents by National Safety Council are whiplash injuries and of those, almost 80 percent experience pain and soreness of neck lasting longer than a week. Fifty percent have pain and soreness that lasts more than a year. The extent of these injuries varies from accident case to accident case; some spinal injuries resulting from rear-end collisions demand more intensive medical treatment than others
NECK PAIN It is the most common complain of whiplash trauma which often radiates to the shoulders and to the head and up to the space between the scapulas. The most common cause of neck pain following a car accident are facet joints injuries, disc injuries and damage of the muscles and ligaments of the neck and upper back. Tenderness and pain of the back of the neck is due to facet injury and it can be palpate by physical examination. Chronic neck pain may occur after whiplash injury and is due to the torn of the fibers of the outer wall of the spinal discs. These tears, then, can lead to disc degeneration or herniation, resulting in irritation or compression of the nerves running through the area and radiating pain into the arms, shoulders and upper back, and may result in muscle weakness. Damage to the ligaments often results in abnormal movement and instability.
BACK PAIN Although most people consider whiplash to be an injury of the neck, the low back is also commonly injured as well. In fact, low back pain is found in more than half of rear impact-collisions in which injury was reported, and almost three-quarters of all side-impact crashes. This is mostly due to the fact that the low back still experiences a tremendous compression during the first two phases of a whiplash injury, even though it does not have the degree of flexion-extension injury experienced in the neck. Accidents that occur at low speeds can also cause serious back injuries. The force of impact can result in compression of the spine and the discs in the lower spinal column. The force of the crash exerts extraordinary pressure on the vertebrae. This will most likely result in soreness and even excruciating low back pain.
TREATMENTS
A common treatment for treating facet joint pain is the implementation of a simple cold or hot compress for 15 minutes 2-4 hourly. Exercise and massage has been shown to improve spasms and stiffness. The most common medical treatments include the use of NSAIDs (anti-inflammatory medications), muscle relaxants, trigger point injections and, in some cases, epidural spinal injections. These therapies should be used for short-term relief of pain, if necessary, and not be the focus of treatment. After all, a drug cannot restore normal joint movement and stimulate healthy muscle repair. Fortunately, surgery is only needed in some cases of herniated discs, when the disc is pressing on the spinal cord, and in some cases of spine fractures.
No matter what your injury or whether you have one or dozens of questions call Groth Law Firm, S.C. and one of our attorneys will listen to your concerns and answer your questions. Call or text 414.375.2030.