Each year, more than 800,000 Americans suffer whiplash injuries after car accidents, making it the most common car crash injury in Georgia and in the U.S. Whiplash occurs when the impact a crash pushes the head out of its normal range of motion and causes damage to the tendons, muscles, ligaments and nerves in the neck.
Whiplash is very painful and although most people recover from their injuries, it can take weeks, months or even as long as a year. Fortunately, more than half of all cases of whiplash are preventable. All it takes is a simple headrest adjustment.
Did you know that headrests are specifically designed to prevent whiplash injury? However, it can only work if they are used correctly. Taking a minute to properly adjust your headrest can save you months of pain.
Here are two steps that can help you set your headrest properly:
- Position the headrest so the bulk of the headrest is directly behind your head.
- Check that the back of the head is no more than two inches away from the headrest while driving.
That’s it. When the headrest is properly positioned, the back of the head will contact the headrest before the neck. This prevents hyperextension and hyperflexion that causes whiplash and other neck injuries.
If you’d like to discuss your claim with an Atlanta car accident lawyer, please contact Kaufman Law.
