In America, we love the automobile. As a nation, we own about 140 million cars, or about one car for every two people. Not surprisingly, car accidents are frequent in the United States. Statistics vary, but some say that one in every three people will be involved in a car accident at some point in their lifetime. While each car accident presents a unique set of facts and circumstances, there are some common injuries that a car accident victim may suffer. Whiplash, for example, is one of the most frequently experienced injuries after a car accident. Most people have heard of whiplash, but many do not fully understand what a whiplash injury is and how it is caused.
The Human Spine
One thing that makes humans so unique among the animal kingdom is our ability to walk upright. Your spine is largely responsible for that ability. Along with helping you to walk upright, your spine also allows you to bend forward and backward. Your spine also protects the spinal cord, nerve roots and some of your internal organs. Your spinal cord, in turn, is responsible for sending and receiving messages to your brain and providing sensory receptors for your body. Finally, your spine acts as a shock absorber in the event your body experiences a jolt or impact. While the human spine is incredibly strong and resilient, it does have its limits.When your spine is flexed beyond its limit, you experience what is referred to as a “whiplash” type injury.
Whiplash in Medical Terms
Most people think of a whiplash injury as what happens when your neck is thrown forward or backward in a car accident. That isn’t far from accurate in medical terms. In medical terms, whiplash is a hyper-extension of the spinal column. The victim may be first pushed or accelerated forward, pushing the body forward; but the head remains behind momentarily, rocking up and back, and some muscles and ligaments may be stretched or torn. These muscles, in a reflex action, contract to bring the head forward again, to prevent excessive injury. There may be overcompensation when the head is traveling in a forward direction as the vehicle decelerates. This may rock the head violently forward, stretching and tearing more muscles and ligaments.
Although a whiplash injury can occur from a number of different types of activities or accidents, car accidents are by far the most common cause of a whiplash injury. Whether the car is struck from the front, back or side, the chance of your neck being thrown forward or backward at a high rate of speed and/or violently is great.
Whiplash Treatment
One reason it is so important to have a thorough examination done immediately after a car accident is that some injuries don’t present obvious symptoms. A whiplash injury, for example, will often not exhibit symptoms until the next day. Whiplash itself is typically not a life-threatening injury,but other injuries to your spine can be. Whiplash injuries will generally heal within a few weeks to months with proper rest and medical treatment. Failing to seek treatment, however, can make your whiplash injury worse and create problems down the road. In some cases, a whiplash injury, left untreated, can lead to degeneration of the disc located in the spinal column or to herniation of the disk. Surgery could be needed in the future and/or the patient could experience permanent nerve damage as a result.
If you have been involved in a New York or New Jersey car accident, and you think that you may have suffered a whiplash injury, make sure that you have a physician examine you as soon as possible. Follow all medical advice and treatment following your examination.
The car accident lawyers at Ginarte Gonzalez Winograd L.L.P., are dedicated to helping accident victims who have been injured by the negligence of another person. With seven offices conveniently located in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, we have an office near you. Contact the firm today by calling 888-446-2783 for your free consultation, or fill out our online contact form.