Did Your Accident Cause Whiplash?
Posted on November 21, 2012 Written By: iadminlaw
One of the most common injuries in car accident victims is whiplash. It’s become a common term thrown around after a rear-end collision no matter the force of the accident. Someone is bound to grab their neck and head to the doctor for treatment of the injury. What exactly is whiplash and how do you know for sure you have it from an accident?
Cervical Herniated Nucleus Pulposus (Photo credit: neckandback)
In truth, whiplash is the laymen’s term for a number of neck injuries sustained by rapid acceleration and deceleration. “Whiplash” has little meaning on its own. The term didn’t even exist before cars became common transportation. Before the rise of car accidents, the same injury was described as railroad spine. It applied to passengers in a train accident and the dynamics are largely the same.
It’s estimated that over a million whiplash injuries occur every year. There’s no way of telling exactly how many because people may not report the injury. It’s a non-fatal condition that can usually be treated at home with mild pain medication and physical therapy. The most severe cases, doctors may recommend a neck brace and rest before returning to normal daily activities.
Statistics show that of the whiplash injuries reported, Caucasians report the most out of all demographics. They account for 66 percent of all whiplash injuries. 27 percent of whiplash injuries fall to African Americans. No other group covered more than 10 percent. Of the whiplash victims, four out of five are likely to recover and be completely free of symptoms within a year of the accident.
The good news is that while not every accident is preventable, whiplash injuries are easily eliminated or subdued by head restraints. You probably refer to them as the head rest in your car. Proper adjustment of your head restraint to specifications of your body greatly reduces the strain on the neck and spine. Additionally, slower crashes are less likely to cause whiplash. It’s unlikely that anyone hit going under 15 miles per hour will suffer whiplash, at least not anything severe.
While whiplash is very common in rear-end collisions, it’s possible for people to suffer whiplash in other ways. Falling from any height, like from atop a horse or stool, may cause whiplash among other injuries. Those who headbang to metal rock may suffer minor whiplash as well.
Are you suffering from a severe whiplash injury? Speak to the Accident Attorneys’ Group today to learn more about filing a personal injury claim. Visit our website today.
