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Whiplash Myths

"No crush, no cash"

There is a myth that one can gauge the potential for injury based on the amount of vehicle property damage. This implies that if there is no visible damage to the vehicle it isn’t possible for the occupant to be hurt. This is incorrect.

In fact, due to bumper dampeners and bumper materials, there could be a good amount of force transferred from one vehicle to another and to the occupant inside with out visible damage showing.

"Delayed onset of symptoms means no real injury"

There is a notion that a delay in onset of symptoms signifies either a minor type of injury or suggests malingering. Again, not true. It took over an hour for both of the World Trade Center buildings to weaken to the point of collapse and fall down AFTER the two airplanes flew into them. An individual may incur a trauma at one moment but deterioration may take days, weeks, or months for symptoms to be felt.

"Lack of objective findings means no injury"

There is a myth that a lack of objective findings exempts the patient from serious injury. Similar to a delay in the onset of symptoms, visible findings may not be noticeable right away on x-rays, MRI or CT films. But with time and deterioration, these weaknesses may develop in to pain with or with out tangible findings.

"Accident reconstructionists ‘prove’ whiplash is trivial"

There is a notion that AR’s supposedly can "prove" that a given accident could not have resulted in injury by incorrectly manipulating mathematical numbers to compare a car crash to the acceleration forces a child experiences in jumping rope or "plopping" down in a chair.

This is faulty thinking for several reasons. One, it is obvious that seat plopping and jump roping soft tissue injuries are uncommon, however the literature is full of evidence of the serious public health problem of whiplash.

Two, the acceleration spikes measured during child’s play have durations of tens of milliseconds or less and can’ and shouldn’t be compared to those measured in crash testing experiments.

Third, no significant change in velocity takes place in these seat plopping types of experiments.

And lastly, research indicates that a change in velocity of just 5 mph has been shown to be enough force to cause trauma.

"Expert doctors dismiss injuries as minor; misquote literature and guidelines"

Frequently doctors who advertise themselves as "experts" will misquote or selectively quote literature on whiplash and treatment guidelines in efforts to discredit or discount a doctor’s necessary care and treatment.