Whiplash Injuries

When a person is involved in a car accident or other accident in which the head is tossed forward (such as a roller coaster or other amusement park ride), he or she may suffer a neck injury known as whiplash. Whiplash and whiplash-associated disorders represent a wide variety of injuries affecting the neck that are caused by or related to a sudden distortion of the neck.

Whiplash is most commonly associated with motor vehicle accidents, particularly when the vehicle has been rear-ended. However, there are a variety of other potential causes of whiplash which are completely unrelated to cars. These include falls from bicycles, being thrown from a horse, and even headbanging.

The damage done in a whiplash injury is often the result of impulsive or reflexive stretching of the spine. This requires stretching mainly the anterior longitudinal ligament of the back, which is then stretched or torn as the head is snapped forwards and then backwards – like the cracking of a whip.

Whiplash can be caused by any motion that is similar to that of a rear-end collision, in which the body is thrown forward on impact and then snapped back into place when the seatbelt catches. Contact sports, roller coasters, and a variety of other modes of transportation all can result in whiplash injuries.

Like any injury, there are a number of symptoms associated with whiplash. Some symptoms include pain and aching in the neck and back, pain in the shoulders, pins and needles feelings and other forms of sensory disturbance in the arms and legs, and headaches. These symptoms may appear immediately after the injury or several days later.

Contact Us

If you have been injured in a car accident as a result of someone’s negligence, contact the Lake Geneva car accident attorneys of Habush Habush & Rottier, S.C. at 1-800-242-2874.