NYC, Bronx, Albany, Poughkeepsie and NY Statewide Accident Injury Law Blog

It's hard not to notice a whiplash injury. A whiplash will usually manifest as an extremely painful, tender and even swollen neck. You may even suffer from splitting headaches as a result of this injury, which is caused by strained, bruised and torn neck muscles from the gravitational forces involved in an auto collision. The accident doesn't even have to be a fast one for whiplash to occur. Many fender-fender benders have left vehicle drivers or passengers with whiplash injuries that take many weeks to resolve.

If you've suffered a whiplash injury in a car accident, the following treatments could help you recover in the best way possible:

• Ice your neck for 15 minutes every three to four hours for several days. Put the ice in a thin piece of cloth to protect your skin.
• Take over-the-counter painkillers, which can be enormously helpful. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen can help reduce pain and swelling.
• Don a neck brace or collar. Either can help give your neck needed support, but don't wear a brace long-term as it will result in weakened neck muscles.
• Visit a massage therapist, physical therapist or chiropractor. All three can bring tremendous relief to your painful whiplash symptoms.
• Take a rest from work. Extra rest may be required to give your body time to heal from a whiplash injury.

The last thing you want is a surgical mistake or doctor's error when receiving treatment for a medical condition. Nevertheless, these mistakes and blunders happen on a daily basis at most medical facilities. In most cases, the patients aren't hurt, or their injuries are so minor that no one pays a great deal of attention to them. In some circumstances, however, patients suffer from life-threatening injuries as a result of medical treatment mistakes.

Below are two of the most common errors that happen to patients.

Product liability cases are often brought against designers and manufacturers because of items that hurt others. For instance, a toy that cuts a child or a piece of furniture that splits and causes injury are both examples of dangerous products with defects.

Product liability laws allow people to seek compensation if they're injured by defective products or products that manufacturers knew were dangerous but did not warn against. For example, if a manufacturer knows that a product is prone to heating up, they should include a warning that it could become hot. Failing to do that could lead to burns and injuries that leave individuals with hospital bills.

When people age, it's likely that they will require some kind of care. The type of care they receive may vary, but many prefer to stay at home. Home care is a popular option because it keeps them in familiar surroundings. This is particularly helpful for those with memory loss and dementia.

Another reason people opt for home care is that they hear what nursing homes are allegedly like. There are some nursing homes that are downright dangerous for residents. Low-staffing levels mean that residents may not get the attention they need, and that leads to neglect and mistakes.