Houston Personal Injury Lawyer

Whiplash and Bus Accidents

Whiplash is an informal term, coined in the early 20th century, used to describe a range of soft-tissue injuries to the neck area. Medical terms for these injuries include cervical hyperextension injury, cervical sprain, and flexion-extension neck injury. Commonly associated with motor vehicle accidents, whiplash injuries can range from the mild to the severe, causing anything from minor stiffness to permanent injury.

Symptoms of Whiplash

Although some instances of whiplash can be treated with ice packs and pain relievers at home, others require immediate medical attention. Symptoms of whiplash include:

• Stiffness in the neck
• Pain in the neck
• Muscle spasms in neck/shoulder area
• Persistent headache
• Shooting pain in arms and shoulders

Causes of Whiplash

While instances of whiplash in bus accidents and other motor vehicle collision is well documented and treated as common knowledge even by laypeople, the actual cause or causes of whiplash are not well understood even by modern science. The most prevalent theory holds that it is the violent physical movement of the neck and head which causes whiplash. Unfortunately, this reasonable-sounding theory is called into question by research data; tests have shown that vehicle collision at as slow as 15 miles per hour are capable of causing whiplash.

A lack of understanding of the causes of whiplash has also made it difficult for vehicle designers to adequately protect against it. The addition of headrests to commercial automobiles has led to, at best, a 10% reduction in the occurrence of whiplash injuries. Buses, which lack such head restraints and are frequently designed without seat belts, are arguably at even higher risk of causing passenger whiplash.

Houston personal injury lawyers Williams Kherkher have a long history of representing people who have been injured in bus accidents. If you have experienced whiplash or other injuries as a result of a bus accident, call 866-950-9000 today to schedule a consultation with an experienced attorney today.