Texas crash victims: When a neck injury is more than “just” whiplash

If you’ve been hurt in a car or truck crash in Houston or a nearby Texas city, you could be suffering from whiplash.  Many people don’t think much of whiplash, classifying it as a ‘minor’ injury or just a nuisance.  However, whiplash can be very serious for some auto accident victims.

What is whiplash?

Whiplash, also known as a neck sprain or strain, happens when your neck whips backwards (hyperextension) or when your neck whips forward (hyperflexion).  Most whiplash cases happen in car crashes and affect nearly 2 million people in the U.S. every year.

How and when do you know if you’re affected?

The trick with whiplash is that it can take time to develop – you may not know right away that you have a problem.  This is why after a car accident it is so important to see a doctor if your neck was involved in any way.  Even though you feel fine, you could have damage that will show up in a few days, weeks or months later.

If your symptoms show up later, it can be very difficult to get the insurance company to cover your medical bills.  They’ll state that your pain is not related to the car wreck, and they’ll deny your claim.  Not only that, but if you don’t get timely care for a whiplash injury, you can end up with long-term bone, neck, or spinal cord damage.