Whiplash: How Common Is It?

Otherwise known as a type of neck sprain, whiplash is one of the most common injuries sustained after a car accident. According to a recent Rush University Medical Center (RUMC) report, researchers found that over 2 million Americans suffer from whiplash yearly. This injury "occurs when the head suddenly snaps forward, then backward in a whip-like motion that over-stretches the joints, muscles, and ligaments of the neck and upper back," states the RUMC.

It doesn't take much force to cause whiplash

It doesn't take a lot of force to sustain a whiplash injury. Injury can occur at speeds as low as 10 miles per hour. All it really takes is a high-energy impact. Whiplash most commonly occurs in rear-ending collisions when a vehicle is subject to a sudden forward-moving force. Unfortunately, rear-end collisions are all too common. According to a report from the Washington Post, U.S. roadways see an average of 1.7 million rear-end collisions per year. That makes the risk of sustaining a whiplash injury exceedingly high. These neck-strain injuries are, in fact, so common that vehicle manufacturers began modifying car designs. In 2008, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a safety standard for vehicles requiring car headrests to be higher and closer to the head. These changes were made with the express purpose of reducing and preventing cases of whiplash. Unfortunately, whiplash remains one of the most prevalent crash-related injuries in the United States. Recognizing the early symptoms of whiplash is often one of the most important factors in building a personal injury case.

Some common signs of whiplash include:

Pain in the neck, arm, back, or shoulders
Dizziness or vertigo
Headaches
Muscle spasms
"Pins and needles" feeling
Difficulty focusing
Numbness
Tenderness

Call our personal injury lawyers

If you or someone you know has suffered the impact of whiplash because of a reckless or negligent driver, you may be entitled to seek financial compensation. At Hach & Rose, LLP, our experienced New York car accident attorneys will work around the clock to build your case and fight for justice.