Auto Accident Attorneys

WASHINGTON, D.C., MARYLAND & VIRGINIA

Is Whiplash a Neck Injury?

Yes, whiplash is a neck injury, and it can also cause brain injury. It is a common injury in car accidents, which occurs when the neck and head are thrown about forcefully, beyond the normal range of motion. Whiplash typically results in soft tissue injuries in the neck, but can cause far greater damage.

Whiplash can cause injury of the:

• Ligaments, tendons, muscles of the neck
• Neck bones
• Brain

Common causes of whiplash include:

• Car accidents
• Sports injuries
• Shaken baby syndrome
• Falls

How it happens

Rear end collisions are a prime example of how whiplash can occur. When a vehicle is struck from behind the occupant’s head and neck are jerked suddenly back and forth, faster than the body can keep up, stretching the soft tissues in the neck and sometimes stretching and tearing the nerves and tissues in the brain as well. Whiplash can occur even in a low speed crash.

Symptoms of whiplash

Depending on the severity of the injury, recovery may be quick, or symptoms may worsen over time and even cause permanent disability. Soft tissue injuries are difficult to detect in medical tests and if there was no impact to the head, brain injuries may not be looked for at all. Symptoms of whiplash include:

• Pain and stiffness in the neck
• Pain and stiffness in the shoulders
• Pain between the shoulder blades
• Back pain
• Arm pain
• Arm weakness
• Loss of motion in the neck
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Ringing ears
• Vision problems
• Jaw pain
• Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Sleep disorders
• Anger
• Memory loss
• Difficulty concentrating

Not just car accidents

Although we hear of whiplash most often as a result of an auto accident, it is also a common sports injury and can be caused by acts of violence such as shaken baby syndrome. Whiplash often goes unrecognized and brain injuries caused by whiplash are often overlooked leaving the victim at a greater risk for second impact syndrome and undiagnosed epilepsy.

Whiplash and neck injury

Even when whiplash causes neck injury alone, with no brain injury, the results can be devastating. The pain can last for years, and the immobility can mean time away from work or the inability to return to your former job functions. Chronic irresolvable pain, dependence on prescription medications, and often, the inability to get anyone to believe that the problem is real, sends some victims into a downward spiral of depression from which they never recover.

If you or a loved one has suffered whiplash or any type of traumatic brain injury in Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC, please email or call our skilled auto accident attorneys today. We are committed to obtaining justice for you - the victim.

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