There are several different injuries that can result from a car collision, and the type of injury depends on the type of car collision as well. There’s sideswipes, t-bone accidents, and head-on collisions, but one of the more common collisions people are aware of is the rear-end collision: When any one car crashes into the car in front of it. This can happen due to tailgating too close to another car, reduced traction due to wet pavement and even from the car in front stopping abruptly. Most of the time though, rear-end collisions are due to the driver not paying attention to the road and the car in front of them.
As a car accident injury lawyer from an office like Car Accident Law Firm Indianapolis can explain, the injury most frequently experienced as a result of a rear-end collision is whiplash, which occurs when the head suddenly snaps forward, then back like a whip. This motion over stretches the joints, muscles and ligaments, causing intense pain that can get in the way of one’s work and reduce one’s overall quality of life for the duration of the pain’s presence. But what else should you know about whiplash, the injury that personal injury lawyers are so well acquainted with?
Whiplash risk increases with age: Like with all bone and muscle related injuries, the risk and probability of sustaining a whiplash injury only increases with age. As you get older, your muscles lose their flexibility and your ligaments lose their stretchiness. With a stiffer body, you become that much more vulnerable to injury when your neck abruptly moves back and forth.
Don’t ignore the pain: The neck and spine are the most important structural assets of your body. They are a core component of the body’s ability to move. All the more reason you should never ignore any pain you feel in your neck, even if it’s minor. Some people will feel a tiny amount of pain one day and a massive amount of pain the next. That’s because neck pain can be an indicator of a more serious injury: Always see a doctor after experiencing an accident to address any symptoms as early as possible.
You shouldn’t rest too much – a whiplash injury should be treated immediately and constantly cared for, just like an injury to any other part of your body. If any one bodily system isn’t getting used enough, it’ll start to deteriorate. This includes the skeletal system and the muscular system. So if you spend a whole week lying on your back for the purpose of resting your injured neck, your neck muscles may stiffen and weaken, only extending the pain in the process. Instead, work to slowly rehabilitate your neck, performing less movement than you’re used to, but more than none at all.