Whiplash is a neck injury suffered by motor vehicle drivers and passengers alike, generally following a rear-end collision. It also occurs from sports injuries, physical stress, and abuse, or even amusement park rides. While whiplash is generally considered a relatively mild condition, it may cause long-term pain.
Accident victims must be careful since symptoms of whiplash may not appear immediately following an accident. Thus, it’s vital that victims pay special attention to any physical changes for some time period, at least a few days, following an accident.
Whiplash occurs when the neck muscles suffer a strain because of a rapid movement, like the crack of a whip, backward and then forward. Whiplash results when the soft tissues of the neck extend beyond their typical range of motion. The sudden movement causes the tendons and ligaments of the neck to stretch and tear, resulting in whiplash.
In motor vehicle accidents, the impact from the car striking the back bumper propels the driver’s and passenger’s bodies forward while their heads stay in place. When the neck and head are pulled in the same direction after another second, the sudden movement causes extreme extension and flexion, which causes injury to the soft tissues of the neck.
Whiplash and other hyperextension/hyperflexion injuries may occur from incidents other than motor vehicle accidents that cause damage to soft tissues. These include:
An attorney experienced in litigating personal injury lawsuits involving all types of motor vehicle and motorcycle accidents may provide invaluable assistance to anyone involved in an accident that causes unfortunate injuries and other losses. Powell Law has litigated on behalf of those injured in all types of accidents for 111 years. If you have suffered some injury as the result of an accident, call the attorneys at Powell Law. Your consultation is free and you don’t pay unless we win your case!
