If you have been injured in an auto accident, especially an accident in which you have been rear-ended, it is likely that you have experienced whiplash. Whiplash is a neck injury caused by a rapid back-and-forth (or side-to-side) motion of the head, like the cracking of a whip. The medical term is cervical acceleration-deceleration (CAD) syndrome, and the symptoms of CAD syndrome are called whiplash-associated disorder (WAD). WAD symptoms vary, depending on the severity of your injury and any pre-existing conditions. But no whiplash injury should be taken lightly or ignored.
Whiplash symptoms
In Florida, your PIP insurance requires that you see an approved medical provider within two weeks of your accident in order to receive coverage from your auto insurance. You should always receive a thorough examination after an accident, even if you feel fine immediately afterwards. Symptoms of whiplash may not appear immediately, as your adrenaline is likely elevated for the first day or two. But after a few days, you may begin to feel tightness in your neck or any of the following common symptoms: