If you are like a lot of people who live in New Jersey, you have heard others talk about whiplash injuries. Most of the time, conversations about whiplash arise after a car accident or when the topic of a car accident comes up. Whiplash is often thought of as a common and even a minor injury. This mindset may lead to some people being a bit dismissive about any symptoms that they associate with whiplash. It is important to understand whiplash so that it can be properly addressed.
As explained by WebMD, not every whiplash injury is something that just will magically clear up in a couple of days. Some people end up experiencing chronic and even life-long problems after incurring whiplash. Vehicle crashes are the most common cause of whiplash, especially wrecks that involve a person’s vehicle being hit by another vehicle from the rear.
Whiplash occurs when the neck muscles or the tendons in the neck are strained. The tendons are the things that hold muscles to the bones. This is a different injury than a sprain. A sprain involves the ligaments being torn. Ligaments hold bones together. With whiplash, a person may have persistent headache pain that radiates up from the neck. They may also have limited ability to move their head to the side.
This information is not intended to provide legal advice but is instead meant to give residents in New Jersey a clear understanding of what whiplash really is, how it may impact their lives, and the importance of addressing any whiplash injury promptly and thoroughly.