The part of the body that contains the cervical spine and the surrounding soft tissue undergoes a whiplashing, when the neck, along with other body parts, experiences a rapid acceleration, followed by a quick deceleration. The term whiplash associated disorders (WAD) refers to all the symptoms that affect the neck, following an experience that includes whiplashing.
Canada has chosen to classify the different degrees of WAD into specific grades
• A grade of 0 indicates that the patient had no complaints regarding the neck and no symptoms of WAD.
• A grade of 1 reveals the existence of pain, stiffness and tenderness.
• A grading of 2 tells insurers that the patient had the same complaints as someone with grade 1, along with decreased range of motion.
• Grading 3 gets recorded in the medical history of a patient with the above-mentioned neck complaints plus decreased or missing deep tendon reflexes, along with weakness and sensory deficits.
• The last of the grades, #4 gets linked to a condition where the patient has all the neck complaints, in addition to a fracture or dislocation of the cervical spine.
Canada’s grading system gets used to determine how much money a claimant can ask for pain and suffering. Claimants with a grade 1 or 2 WAD can request no more than $8,579 for pain and suffering. Personal Injury Lawyer in Moncton can help claimants with a grade 3 or 4 WAD can ask for a much larger compensation package.
Symptoms associated with all 4 grades of WAD
Patient experiences some periods of dizziness. This particular symptom gets mentioned as well in complaints from those with a traumatic brain injury.
Patient’s ears do not function well, creating some level of deafness. Deafness alone does not prove existence of WAD.
Deafness accompanied by periodic ringing in the ears. The combination of symptoms serves as stronger evidence that an accident victim has sustained WAD.
Patient has repeated headaches. Like dizziness, this particular problem adds to the difficulties experienced by someone with either WAD or a traumatic brain disorder.
Patient’s memory appears to demonstrate a diminished level of functioning. For proof of this symptom, the patient may need to be tested by a language pathologist.
Patient has trouble swallowing, and at the same time complains about pain in the jaw. Realize that the 2 hinges for the jaw bone are located along the right and left side of the neck.
Do Canadian insurance companies compensate for whiplashing?
No, there is no way in Canada for an insurer to determine and categorize the extent of a whiplashing. Insurers base their promised compensation on the grade of the injured claimant’s WAD. That grade reflects the number and type of symptoms that have been experienced by the injured claimant.