Whiplash Neck Injury?

What causes whiplash neck injuries and what action can you take to avoid them?

A whiplash neck injury can be a painful and debilitating experience, often leading to time away from work and several trips to the doctor, physiotherapist or chiropractor. So what causes whiplash injuries and is there any action you can take to avoid an injury?

If you have already suffered a whiplash neck injury and are looking for information about treatment or how to make a claim for compensation, please see our Guide To Whiplash.

Much of the research into whiplash injuries is carried out by Thatcham, the motor insurance research centre. They test all of the major models of cars to discover which safety features work well, and which need further work to improve them. During one of their studies in 2002 they investigated the role of car head rests in whiplash neck injuries. The reason that whiplash is such an important area and worthy of investigation is that there are nearly 200,000 whiplash injuries each year, and of these about 10% lead to permanent neck injuries. With such significant numbers it is important to attempt to reduce the number of whiplash injuries, or the percentage of people suffering permanent whiplash symptoms. We know at 1stClaims that many people experience significant whiplash pain, and anything that can be done to alleviate this could save a lot of unnecessary suffering.

Problems With Car Headrests
Thatcham tested over 250 models of car to discover which headrests gave the best protection. There were two main problems for those cars that failed to protect their headrests properly:
•    Inability to adjust the headrests sufficiently
•    The headrests not locking in position or unlocking during an impact when they are most needed.

When buying a car it is important to check that you can adjust the headrest quickly and easily. The headrest should be able to be adjusted so that the top of it is aligned either with the top of your head, or at least in line with your eyes (either of these should provide adequate protection. In addition to this, your headrest should also be touching the back of your head when you are driving, so forwards adjustment is also critical. If your head is "resting" on the headrest, and the height is correctly aligned, you will have the maximum protection possible if someone drives into the back of your car or other motor vehicle.

For further information, please visit http://www.1stclaims.co.uk