Accident on S.R. 99 Involves Three Vehicles
Minor injuries were reported in a multiple-vehicle accident on a Sacramento highway on October 12. The collision occurred along the southbound side of State Route 99 at the Sutterville Road off-ramp around 11:02 a.m. A Ford Taurus, Toyota Camry and Honda Odyssey were involved, according to the incident report by the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
Multiple-Vehicle Accident Being Investigated by the CHP
Tow trucks were required to remove at least two of the vehicles. An individual in one of the cars reported a complaint of neck pain, and medics with the fire department were called to the scene. Information was not provided on if the patient was taken to a hospital or treated at the scene. The CHP is investigating the multiple-vehicle crash to determine which driver/drivers were at fault.
Symptoms of Whiplash in a Multiple-Vehicle Accident
Cervical strain or sprain, commonly called whiplash, is a neck injury that can occur when your head is suddenly and violently jerked forward, backward or to the side. Commonly, whiplash is caused by car accidents, but it can also occur during sports injuries, falls or other impacts.
There is no guarantee that whiplash symptoms will appear right away following the accident. Symptoms may appear immediately or may take hours or days to arise. Although many instances of whiplash resolve in a few weeks, that isn’t the case with all of them. In some instances, cervical strain or sprain can continue for up to a year or longer, causing pain, loss of the ability to move and curtailing the individual’s life. In 75 percent of the cases, their symptoms lasted for at least six months.
How a Whiplash Injury Can Become Chronic and Cause Continued Pain
Whiplash injuries can cause chronic pain in many instances. Although around 1.5 million cases are reported each year, most of them caused by traffic collisions, around 1.5 million become chronic conditions. The most common long-term effect of whiplash is neck pain that persists for more than six months. Other potential long-term effects include:
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Memory problems
- Dizziness
- Problems concentrating
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Irritability
The Importance of Seeking Medical Care After an Accident
The symptoms you’re experiencing are important to identify and treat so that you can receive proper medical care. It is important not to ignore these types of injuries. In addition, if you are involved in a traffic collision, you should seek a medical evaluation right away, even if you think you weren’t injured. Whiplash is one of the conditions that can arise later, and it may become difficult to recover compensation from the at-fault party if you wait to get that medical assessment.
Liability in a Multiple-Vehicle Accident
Liability in an accident involving multiple vehicles is more complicated than others. One of the reasons is that more than one of the other drivers may have been negligent. For example, one may have been tailgating while the other was speeding and couldn’t stop in time to avoid colliding with the other two.
In addition, roadway negligence by the government entity in charge of maintaining the road may be involved. Defects in an auto can also lead to a multiple-vehicle accident such as brakes or a tire blowout. An accident attorney will examine all facets of a collision to help you obtain the compensation you deserve from all negligent parties.
Personal Injury Attorney in Sacramento
I am Ed Smith, a personal injury attorney in Sacramento. When you need free and friendly legal advice after being injured in a traffic accident, call us at (916) 921-6400. You can also contact us online or by calling (800) 404-5400. We can review your case for free and let you know about options to recover compensation for your medical and other losses.
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Photo attribution: Image by Vladyslav Topyekha from Pixabay
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