Rear-end collisions have long been a common type of car accident on the highways. They are more prevalent today than ever before, as we continue to see significant increases in rear-end collisions due to crowded highways, heavy traffic, and the rise of distracted driving incidents, such as texting while driving. Whiplash is one of the most common injuries drivers experience when involved in a rear-end accident, resulting from the forceful back-and-forth movement of the neck upon impact.

Injury Prevention Basics

More than two million Americans each year experience whiplash firsthand, but many drivers are unaware of some basic facts surrounding the condition. Whether you have recently been involved in a rear-end accident or you know someone who has, the following information is essential to whiplash awareness:

Whiplash is one of the most common injuries that can occur in a motor vehicle accident, especially a rear-end collision. There are an estimated 3 million cases of whiplash reported in the U.S. alone every year. The injury may not manifest until a few days after the accident, which is why is it important to ensure that as soon as the pain begins you are working with a legal professional on the case.

The longer that you wait to file a claim against the person whose fault the accident was, the more difficult it may be to prove your claim. You can file a legal claim against someone who causes a motor vehicle accident to cover medical bills, compensate for present and future lost wages, punitive damages for pain and suffering, and for any other costs associated with the whiplash; some cases may be so severe as to require physical therapy, for example.

But what is true whiplash? Stereotypical depictions of the injury often allude to the fact that it can be easy to pretend: in the event of a minor car accident, it is not uncommon for people to claim that they have suffered whiplash, when in fact it is not true. True whiplash is a serious condition, however. While commonly used to describe motion of and injuries to the neck, its medical definition describes a motion traveling down one’s spine, and does not, in fact, refer to neck motion.