The association between a lifetime history of a neck injury in a motor vehicle collision and future neck pain: a population-based cohort study. Eur Spine J. 2010 Jun;19(6):972-81. Epub 2010 Mar 7.

From the Abstract: The objective of this population-based cohort study was to investigate the association between a lifetime history of neck injury from a motor vehicle collision and the development of troublesome neck pain. The current evidence suggests that individuals with a history of neck injury in a traffic collision are more likely to experience future neck pain.

Our analysis suggests that a history of neck injury in a motor vehicle collision is a risk factor for developing future troublesome neck pain. The consequences of a neck injury in a motor vehicle collision can have long lasting effects and predispose individuals to experience recurrent episodes of neck pain.

Lesson:  This is among the 50+ articles that speak to the potential lifelong chronic problems associated with whiplash trauma.  If you are being told that your neck problems will simply "go away" shortly, that may not be the case and that person may not be up-to-date with the current literature.