I was born in the year 1951, and I went to primary school from 1959 until 1963. I could not get a higher education at that time because of family problems. Because of these issues, I pursued an agricultural education. After that, I chose to attend secondary school, and in 1975, I graduated from high school. At this point, I decided to study medicine at the Albert-Ludwig University in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. This city is situated in southern Germany near the border of France and Switzerland.

After my graduation from medical school in 1981, I worked in a Chinese hospital in Taiwan for about half a year, and then I returned to Germany. I had experience with acupuncture treatment since 1977 after I earned a doctoral degree for application of acupuncture for tinnitus. After my graduation from this medical school, I went through different hospitals, including a rehabilitation hospital for Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s and a stereo tactic neurosurgery department in Freiburg that specialized in treating both Parkinson’s and brain tumors.

I completed my postgraduate work in two psychiatric hospitals. These were the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim and the Psychiatric Department of the University Hospital of Frankfurt am Main. The final hospital I worked at during this time was the Neurological Department of the University Hospital of Saarland in Homburg Saar. Once I passed my two exams in 1992, I become a neurologist and psychiatrist.

In 1992, I decided to open my own neurological clinic in Saarlouis. As a general neurologist, my main jobs were to treat and diagnose Parkinson’s Disease and peripheral neurological problems. I examined patients with entrapment syndromes of different nerves or problems caused by entrapment of nerves, which is often found in the region of the vertebrae.

I eventually engaged an instructive practice treating victims of whiplash from rear-end automobile collisions. I also have experience with these injuries because of my family. My mother had a rear-end accident many years ago. She complained of many problems for a long time, but I did not understand what her challenges entailed. She sought compensation, but the insurance paid only a small amount. As a result, she lost her beloved clinic she had operated as a non-medical practitioner; because of her physical ailments and financial strains, she was unable to continue in her profession as a homeopathic practitioner. I ignored her complaints because I knew little about the nature of her injuries. I helped her when I could, but I could not imagine that a rear-end accident could cause so many problems.

Many problems, I have found, result from one factor: the long duration of the compensation-settlement process and the endless quarrel with an insurance or trade association. The more people have trouble with the insurance or trade association, the more their pain and problems grow. Such holdups divert from patients’ real and present health problems the “emotional nutrition” or attention required for a speedy recovery. The purpose of this e-book is to guide victims through the medical-legal process so that their recoveries can proceed as quickly and smoothly as possible.

My first experience with a rear-end car collision was when I worked in Mannheim as I earned my degree in psychiatry. The car accident was not really serious, but I had about three months of slight trouble with my neck. At this time, I practiced karate two to three times a week, so I stabilized my neck muscles and the symptoms went away.

My second experience was as a pedestrian. I was on the way to a patient who lived nearby the city where I have my clinic. About 50 meters in front of me was a bus stop. There were many nice girls chatting, and I looked at them. Because of this, I overlooked a big hole that was in the sidewalk just before me. The hole was about 50 centimeters by 50 centimeters and 40 centimeters deep. There were no warning signs and no demarcation. I just stepped into the hole and my body was plunged, but my head remained behind. Because of my karate training, I could retain my balance and avoid falling to the ground. After this event, I had about nine months of trouble with my shoulders and my neck.

My third experience happened in 2000. I had just bought a new Volvo V70, a very nice station wagon. Only four months after the purchase, I was again on the way to a patient who lived near the French border. My wife had joined me. On this day, I did not take my usual route. I do not know why I chose to take a different route on this day. This different route required me to stop and to turn left. As soon as I stopped, something hit the car from behind. I had the feeling that somebody was forcefully hitting my back with his feet. A moment after that, it hit us once again.

My wife and I were lying on our backs and looking toward the ceiling because the Volvo “Anti-Whiplash-System” let our seats lay down in order to minimize the whiplash injury. Furthermore, the Volvo had a very good headrest just behind our heads. But as I remember, my head was just a little bit turned to the left, because I was looking for oncoming traffic before the accident.

After getting out of the car, my wife and I were shocked. I saw the other car, which had hit our car twice. It was a Fiat, and the driver was an 18-year-old girl who had had her license for only about six months. I was sure that she had confused the brake with the gas pedal. We called the police and the Volvo service center.

Once we got a replacement car, I immediately went to the hospital, where an orthopedic surgeon examined us. He took x-rays and performed a rough neurological examination. After this, he sent us home with some painkillers. I immediately called our pharmacist and asked him to bring me Trental (Pentoxifilline) for a drip. My wife, a nurse, gave me the injection, and I helped her. After this treatment, we underwent acupuncture and used magnetic collars to improve the function of the cells in our necks and shoulders. After 10 days of these daily treatments, we felt better but still had some muscle strain in our necks. These ailments lasted for about one year, but I had to go back to work because I was a self-employed neurologist; there was no way to stay at home for my full recovery. The insurance company gave us 1,700 Euros as compensation.

In 2001 I quit working for the social welfare system (compulsory insurance) and admitted only patients who had private insurance or were willing to pay the bill itself. I had more time for the patients and could consult them with much more time and better results.

In 2005 I decided to open another neurological clinic in Luxembourg. Six months later, the next patient with complaints after a rear-end accident consulted me. The “expert” hired by the insurance company was an 80-year-old military doctor. I concluded that this doctor had no knowledge of the newest discoveries and treatments for whiplash injury.

While I was working as a neurologist at Saarlouis, I had many experiences with people who had had rear-end accidents, who also had trouble with their health and their insurance or trade association. The companies acted as if those injured people were only trying to get good compensation and faked their problems in order to get greater compensation. Sometimes the experts claimed that patients’ complaints were the results of a problem they had had as young children, although they had no problems or complaints in the meantime. The problem, I think, is on another level.

In Germany, we had the saying “Whose bread I eat, whose song I sing.” That means that many experts are financially dependent on the insurance companies. Because of this dependency, they will make decisions that are in the best interests of the insurance companies. In Germany, the rules for experts to estimate and examine those patients do not consider international literature. Whatever their reasons for such omissions, I have the feeling that the insurance and trade associations are both looking for experts who are judging in the favor of the insurers. Furthermore, they look for experts who will benefit the insurance company, not the patient.

My intent is to help people who have suffered neck injury after rear-end car collisions to get the best treatment available in order to treat their real injuries. This will help them lead a healthier, happier, and more fulfilled life.

Think about what happens when you learn something new. At first, it may be a little bit uncomfortable, but the more you do it, the easier it will be. You soon will become more and more perfect in the new task or skill. This is similar to the complaints and problems you have with your whiplash injury. Your brain builds up new connections so that it can do the new task more quickly and easily. Your pain becomes easier to recognize, and the tension of the muscles becomes more pronounced to you. These all develop into a map in your brain. This is not only an emotional map, but it is also a map of your bad physical condition. The more you give them attention – the more these maps grow – the more pain you experience. These quarrels generate a seemingly endless cycle of pain until you can deal with them.

Sometimes people believe that if their complaints are better or if they treat their problems effectively, they get no compensation or will receive a lower compensation than they deserve. This thinking is counterproductive. The first intention must always be to attain better health. I think it will be better if the insurance first paid for all necessary treatment, and after that, they should compensate for the pain and problems that remain. On the other hand, a speedy compensation could help the injured person to concentrate on treatment.

Dr. Elemer Teshmar
Saarlouis