By David Peel
We all have seen the loads of fraudsters pour out of their barely-tapped vehicle grabbing their necks acting as if they are in agony, and none of us buy it. As an injury attorney that sees crash victims every day, I also see other types of neck injuries from a crash: real ones.
True, the X ray might show no fractures. The Emergency Room might release you back to work. You may not be bleeding or have a broken bone or even a bruise. That does not mean all is well. The next day, when you cannot turn your head and cannot believe you are hurting, you have discovered “whiplash.”
Whiplash is the common term for “cervical strain” from cervical “hyper flexion and hyper extension.” It is pretty descriptive though. Attached to the end of whip is small string that actually breaks the sound barrier, causing the loud “pop.”
Getting hit, from the front or rear, can cause your neck to snap through a similar scenario. We were not built for that when we were created naked in a garden. This is why you should seek treatment from the Beach Pain Center Chiropractor if you have experienced an injury like this. Our necks are very flexible and our heads are quite heavy and pull the neck with it.
A rear end crash into your vehicle when you are sitting still is the classic case. You are going 0 mph until your car is hit. Lets say the at-fault driver has only slowed to 30 mph when he hits your car. Suddenly, your car goes from 0 to almost 30 mph in a spilt second. When your car moves, so will your seat, and thus your pelvis and torso. But, for just a sliver of time, your head stays still. Thus your neck is pulled backwards as your head remains in place, your torso accelerates forward violently. But for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction: now your head is thrown forward.
Biomechanical experts study whiplash injury using live human subjects and even corpses. Whiplash is real and often seems to heal less completely even than other injuries from crashes that have been traditionally viewed as more severe. It should not be forgotten that injuries can occur even on public transportation such as buses. Sadly, many people ignore their right to make a claim. In fact, commercial bus injuries should be dealt with in an extremely serious fashion as the impact they can have on victims can be life-changing.
Be sure not to settle cases “Assuming you’ll get better.” You might not recover as quickly as you hope. You have only one year to sue in Tennessee for a car crash, and the sooner you treat the better chance of recovery you enjoy. Peel seeks justice for those injured in car accidents, work place incidents, medical malpractice, and nursing homes. He often addresses churches, clubs and groups without charge. Peel may be reached through PeelLawFirm.com wherein other articles may be accessed.
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