Whiplash

Your neck is an extremely vulnerable area of your body, where the ability to move flexibly is paid for by a lack of protection. Whereas most of your spine is secure within your torso, the uppermost section, known as the cervical spine, is exposed and prone to injury. Broadly, whiplash is the term given to the condition one suffers from after sustaining an injury to the soft tissue of the neck (which includes muscles, ligaments and tendons). Your doctor may also refer to it as cervical sprain, cervical strain or hyperextension injury. It is caused when sudden or violent movements force your neck to move beyond its normal range of motion. Usually this will mean your head and neck move in a quick backwards-and-forwards motion, mimicking the movement of a cracking whip, but side-to-side injuries are just as likely to occur and can be equally as damaging.

Instances of whiplash may vary in severity and are not solely caused by car crashes. As well as cropping up in sports circles and in cases of assault, non-acute forms of whiplash can also occur, caused by repetitive strain injuries such as continually holding a phone between your ear and shoulder.

Whiplash in car accidents

With Britain labelled the ‘whiplash capital of Europe’ it is no surprise that over 200,000 people in this country claim insurance for the condition every year. The most common cause behind their claims is that of road traffic accidents, and within this, being rear-ended by another car. Perhaps the reason this is so common is because you don’t have to moving at particularly high speeds to have a collision serious enough to cause whiplash. Travelling as slowly as 15 mph can produce enough energy on impact to still cause you considerable damage. Added to this, wearing a seatbelt will not necessarily prevent the victim from getting whiplash, although in the event of a crash it is obviously preferable to be wearing one!

Being hit from behind, as a result of tail-gating or lack of due care and attention causes the most whiplash cases where the direct impact of a car colliding with the rear end of you vehicle causes your body to move forward and your head to move backwards in a movement known as hyperextension. Stretched between the two, the normal C-shape of your spine is distorted into an S-shape where both ends of the spine are stretched beyond their usual range of motion. When your forwards momentum stops, usually as a result of the combined force of braking and your seatbelt, hyperflexion occurs. Here, your head is thrown forward against your chest, which exacerbates the damage already done to the over-stretched ligaments and tendons of your spine. The same effects can be experienced in any kind of car collision, where sudden movements force your body to act in ways it is not accustomed to.

Whiplash in sports injuries

Whiplash is not just confined to those who are involved in car accidents. It can also occur when people participate in sport. For example, in sports such as rugby or American football, the hyperextension and hyperflexion of the spine that occurs in car accidents is mimicked when a player is tackled by two players simultaneously, one in front and one from behind. It is estimated that 5% of all injuries sustained whilst playing rugby affect the neck. Similarly, in motor racing, the extreme speeds at which drivers travel and high risk of collision mean whiplash is a frequent cause for concern for those on the racing circuit. Although whiplash should not be dismissed if it happens at slow speeds, its consequences can be much more severe if a vehicle is travelling extremely fast. In sports such as ice hockey, players may be travelling up to 40kmh when they’re skating, which is faster than the speed at which a car may be rear-ended. Allowing for weight differences, the impact of an ice-hockey collision can easily cause whiplash in the same way as a car accident.

In boxing, a fighter is braced for impacts but this can actually make the effects of whiplash much worse. The neck muscles responsively contract and combined with the backwards momentum of the neck cause responses in the body similar to those experienced in a car accident. If a fighter receives an upper cut punch they may also clench their teeth together, the impact of which can cause a delayed reaction whereby the vascular bed on which the teeth rest is destroyed, causing damage and even death to your teeth.

Symptoms of whiplash

Although you may suffer aching or soreness immediately after you suffer the impact that has caused your whiplash, symptoms can take more time to develop. Bruises especially will not appear straight away. It is well to be aware that the sooner your symptoms develop, the more likely it is that your injury is a serious one. Possible symptoms include the following:

• Pain and stiffness of the neck which may extend up the back of the head and down to the shoulders. It is difficult to turn or bend the neck.
• Tingling or numbness in the arms down to the hands
• Persistent headaches, dizziness, blurred vision or pain when swallowing
• Tiredness
• Tinnitus or ringing in the ears
• Lower back pain
• Sometimes, whiplash may also cause poor concentration, irritability and memory loss

Even if you are not displaying these symptoms, but have been in a situation where you may have been at risk from whiplash, it is worth going to see a doctor and getting checked out, as they will be able to conduct a much more thorough examination.

Whiplash Syndrome

The continuation of any of these symptoms beyond a few weeks is known as whiplash syndrome and is the result of damage to the nerves (neuropathic pain). In extreme cases, symptoms may continue for years and cause the sufferer continual discomfort. It is important to alert your doctor if you are experiencing this.

Treating Whiplash

Neck injuries can be very serious indeed, and a doctor should be consulted as soon as possible after the injury occurs. If the doctor is unavailable, it may be necessary to visit the Accident and Emergency department of your local hospital, or, if the situation calls for it, to ring for an ambulance. As the consequences of an untreated neck injury can be extreme, it is not a waste of the emergency services’ time or resources to do this, but only if it is not possible to reach a doctor where you are. Whilst going to see a doctor, it is important to move the head as little as possible so get someone to give you a lift, or use public transport. It is highly inadvisable to use your car! Once you have been seen by a doctor, it is likely that you will have to wear a neck collar, but you may also be given some exercises to do, to ensure that your head and neck movement does not seize up completely. Painkillers may also help to reduce the discomfort of whiplash, but again, it is advisable to consult a doctor before you take these. Do not attempt to self-treat yourself, as you may end up making things worse.

Preventing whiplash in future

In car accidents, it is hard to prevent whiplash because the crash is unexpected. However, precautions taken before beginning your journey can greatly reduce the severity of a potential neck injury. You should always wear your seatbelt and ensure that any passengers are also belted in. It is essential that the headrest of your car seat is correctly adjusted for your height. Your headrest needs to be a close as possible to the back of your head and the upper middle part should be in line with your eyes or the upper parts of your ears. As this does not allow your head to relax back, the adjustment will potentially make your journey more uncomfortable but it will go a long way towards preventing the more serious consequences of whiplash.

Seeking legal advice or compensation for your injury

Having sought the advice of a doctor you should then contact a solicitor to see if you are able to make a claim for compensation from the person responsible. Macks Solicitors are a well established firm that specialises in personal injury claims and are happy to give expert advice on making a claim for whiplash compensation without obligation. If you were the driver of a vehicle that was involved in a car crash caused by someone else or if you were injured as a passenger, even if the driver of the vehicle you were in was at fault, you can make a claim for compensation.

If your injury was the result of an accident at work , playing sport, a slip, trip or fall or an assault and you think someone else was to blame you have nothing to lose by seeking legal advice. Macks Solicitors have recovered millions of pounds in compensation for clients who have been injured through no fault of their own.

Making a Whiplash Claim through Macks Solicitors costs Nothing

Macks Solicitors act for clients on a No Win No Fee agreement. Clients receive the whole of their compensation without any deduction and any costs are recovered from the other party. In the unlikely event a claim fails all costs are written off.

Contacting Macks Solicitors couldn’t be Easier.

Simply complete the online claim form on www.mackssolicitors.co.uk and you will be contacted as soon as possible by a personal injury solicitor or dial Freephone 0800 652 4321 or 01642 252828 .