Background: The current literature rejects the possibility of strain o
f the superior laryngeal nerves by whiplash injury. However, due to th
e anatomic situation and the mechanism of the whiplash injury this dam
age does not seem unlikely. Patient: A 58-year-old male patient, who w
as a trained singer, complained of a loss of his head voice following
a major whiplash injury. Indirect laryngoscopy revealed no unusual fin
dings. The phoniatric examination showed a loss of the head voice in t
he vocal field indicating paresis of the superior laryngeal nerves. Th
ree and one-half months after the whiplash injury, the paresis had com
pletely receded and the patient had a voice well above average with an
excellent frequency range. Conclusion: In the case presented the pare
sis of the superior laryngeal nerves could have been caused by a strai
n of the nerves during whiplash injury. A complete and exact phoniatri
c diagnosis can be recommended for elderly patients complaining of an
altered voice following whiplash injury.