Neck pain is one of the most common injuries caused by car accidents. If you suffer from this pain after a vehicle accident, you could be suffering from whiplash, also known as Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD). Did you know that if your vehicle accident was work-related, you could receive workers’ compensation for your whiplash?
What is Whiplash?
Whiplash is an injury commonly linked to rear-end car accidents. In these types of accidents, your body is suddenly propelled forward but kept restrained by your seatbelt. Your head, however, keeps moving, causing a whip-like effect. This leads to torn or sprained tendons, muscles, and ligaments in the neck and shoulders. Although whiplash is most common in rear-end car accidents, it can happen in any type of vehicle crash.
What Are the Symptoms of Whiplash?
Immediately after a car crash, you may not even know you have whiplash. You may not feel any pain in your neck or shoulders at all. This is because the adrenaline and cortisol in your blood mask the pain. This is why whiplash is dangerous: although you don’t feel the pain, you still have damage to your muscles and ligaments. When the adrenaline and cortisol eventually leave your bloodstream, you will experience swelling, pain, and a limited range of motion. Other common symptoms of whiplash include:
- Stiffness
- Soreness in the jaw
- Dizziness/vomiting
- Weakness in arms
- Blurred vision
- Ringing in the ears
- Back pain
Since you could experience delayed pain after a car accident, make sure you accept medical care from paramedics. If they advise you to go to the hospital, follow their advice even if you think you’re okay.
How to Get Workers’ Comp for Whiplash
Getting workers’ comp for your whiplash can be tricky. In Massachusetts, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance, which drivers are required by law to carry, will cover your injuries. If your medical bills surpass a certain amount of money, workers’ comp could potentially pay for the rest. In order to have the best chances at succeeding in your workers’ comp claim, you should:
- File a workers’ comp claim ASAP
- Seek medical attention right away from a doctor that accepts workers’ comp insurance (makes sure you see a doctor you trust)
- Gather medical documentation (ER admission forms, medical charts, blood tests, doctors’ notes, etc.) to use as evidence
- Understand that your employer may have a “preferred medical provider” that you’ll need to see
Contact a Massachusetts Workers’ Comp Attorney
If you’ve suffered from whiplash, or any other form of vehicle accident injury, you could be entitled to workers’ compensation. Proving that your car accident was work-related will be your biggest obstacle in the process. That’s why working with a knowledgeable workers’ comp attorney is essential. At Powers & Caccavale, we know what it takes to win cases and get the maximum benefits possible for our clients. Contact us today by filling out our free case evaluation or by calling us at (617) 379-0016.