Citation

Morris H, Ensor D, Uzoigwe C, Shabani F, Kurup H. Med. Leg. J. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Medico-Legal Society, Publisher SAGE Publications)

DOI

10.1177/0025817219875327

PMID

31859584

Abstract

Whiplash is the most common injury reported in low-velocity impact road traffic accidents, but claimants report a range of other soft tissue injuries and we looked at the prevalence of these and any patterns. We retrospectively reviewed reports from the medico-legal practice of an orthopaedic surgeon. We collected data on 609 claimants. Sixty-two per cent were women (p < 0.0001). Majority (90.3%) reported an injury to at least one other area than neck, and 48% of claimants reported shoulder pain. Hand/wrist injuries were almost exclusive to drivers (p = 0.0013). Those with knee injuries were older than those without (p = 0.001). There was a significant difference in the age of patients with different spinal injury patterns (p < 0.0001). Occupational status did not appear to influence the pattern of injuries (p = 0.06). Psychological symptoms were associated with a greater number of body parts injured (p < 0.01). Our data confirm a strong association between these soft tissue injuries and psychological symptoms.

Language: en

Keywords

Whiplash injuries; neck pain; traffic accidents