One significant challenge people frequently face after a motor vehicle accident is proving the extent of their injuries and damages. Often, the harm done in a crash is not easy for others to see. Unlike property damage, physical and mental damage can be invisible or subjective.
However, researchers are experimenting with a new way to scan for whiplash-associated disorders, which are among the most common and most difficult to quantify after a crash.
A new approach using conventional scans
According to reports, researchers are using conventional scans on whiplash victims to “see” inflammation and tissue injuries. But before performing these scans, physicians intravenously inject D-deprenyl into crash victims.
Together with the positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) scans, the injection made it possible to visualize lesions in the back and neck area where there was increased uptake of the D-deprenyl.
How this research can help victims
Common crash injuries like broken bones, burns and fractures can be proven with tests and X-rays or even just by looking at someone.
However, whiplash symptoms often involve chronic pain, which is a subjective condition, as well as other conditions like inflammation and tissue damage. Measuring or confirming these injuries has long been a challenge, but this research could change things.
When there are tests to confirm a person’s injuries and the long-term harm that collisions can cause, it can be much easier for victims to prove damages for legal and medical purposes.
The fact is that car crash victims often struggle to prove just how bad their injuries are after an accident, particularly when negligent parties and insurance companies are looking for any reason to downplay the effect (and cost) of an accident.
The more medical evidence a person can present, the easier it can be to pursue maximum compensation for economic and non-economic damages that often result from a serious collision.
