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Whiplash is one of the most common conditions experienced after a road traffic accident. It occurs when the head suddenly jolts forward and backwards, causing pain in the neck and often the shoulders and back too. There are a lot of myths concerning whiplash, which we aim to clear up below.
Whiplash only happens in road traffic accidents
This is one of the most common myths that people make when it comes to whiplash. They believe that it is an injury that can only be sustained in a car crash. This could not be further from the truth. It can happen as a consequence of any accident that causes the head to jolt back and forward in a violent manner. This could be anything from a sporting injury to an accident in the workplace. Slip, trips and falls can also cause whiplash too.
You cannot make a claim for compensation if you have sustained whiplash
Unfortunately, there have been a lot of fraudulent claims for whiplash over the years. Because of this, there has been a lot of information on the news regarding a crackdown when it comes to whiplash claims. Mistakenly, people now believe that whiplash is something you cannot claim for. Can you still claim compensation for whiplash? Absolutely! You simply need to be able to show that the accident you were involved in was not your fault.
Whiplash symptoms are evident immediately
This is one of the more dangerous myths to believe because you can assume that you are fine when really you aren’t. In fact, whiplash symptoms very rarely show themselves straight away. It will often take a few hours and sometimes even a few days for you to experience symptoms, which is why it is a good idea to see a doctor straight after any type of accident just to be certain. Some common symptoms are as follows:
- Neck stiffness and pain
- Headaches
- Shoulder stiffness and pain
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Arm weakness
- Arm pain
- Jaw pain
Whiplash is a minor injury
Last but not least, like most injuries, whiplash can actually vary in severity significantly. Some people only suffer from minor whiplash and they will make a recovery within a matter of days or weeks. There are then individuals that actually suffer life-long problems due to whiplash, so it can impact people in different ways.
As you can see, there are a number of different myths when it comes to whiplash. However, you now know the truth from the fiction. This is a condition that can range in severity considerably, and it does not only happen as a consequence of road traffic accidents, either. If you think you could have suffered whiplash, make sure you see a doctor sooner rather than later.