Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the symptoms of whiplash?

There are some common symptoms of whiplash that almost all sufferers experience. Here are the most reported symptoms:

• Neck pain
• Headache
• Shoulder pain
• Anxiety
• Back pain
• Depression
• Visual symptoms
• Thoracic outlet syndrome
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Difficulty swallowing
• Pain in the jaw or face
• Ringing in the ears

2. What is the best way to treat a whiplash injury?

• Take an analgesic like aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
• Apply cold compresses or ice (wrapped in a towel) to the neck and shoulders on and off for 5-20 minutes intervals in the first 24 hours after injury.
• Try to maintain good posture.
• Avoid any type of body movement that would aggravate the neck muscles and ligaments.
• Rest.
• Make an appointment with your doctor.
• If you are unable to hold your head up, consider getting a soft, cervical collar.
• See a physical therapist about neck muscle strengthening exercises or check out the selection of exercise diagrams on this website.

Treating whiplash is entirely dependent on the severity of injury and the patient's needs. Usually, whiplash injuries rarely require surgical treatment or a hospital stay; it is more common for short-term medication to be prescribed. The best way to recover from whiplash is to seek professional assistance in order to get the best advice concerning the mobilisation of the soft-tissues of the affected areas.

3. How long does a whiplash injury take to heal?

Depending on the severity of injuries and symptoms, recovery time from whiplash can vary greatly from one person to another. Typically the symptoms will be at there worst for the first 4-6 weeks and then will subside over time.

• Mild whiplash injuries often heal completely within two to three weeks.
• Moderate whiplash injuries usually heal within two to three months
• Severe whiplash injuries may take several months or even years to completely heal.

Most people will recover fully from whiplash injuries but some, who have suffered more serious injuries, may develop long-term problems.

4. Can a low speed collision result in injury?

Yes. It doesn't matter how fast or slow you were travelling when an accident occurred. Whiplash can occur even if your car was only travelling at a few miles per hour. Many people only associate whiplash with vehicles that were travelling at high speed when in fact whiplash injuries are caused quite frequently by vehicles that are travelling at low speeds.

5. If my whiplash injury occured more than a year ago, can I still claim?

The rules state that you are allowed to file a whiplash accident claim within 3 years from the accident date.

However, it is important that injuries are checked as soon as possible after an accident occurs as permanent damage can result from whiplash. Seeking medical attention can help to not only speed up recovery, but also provide legal proof for a whiplash claim.

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