Neck injuries

Any injury that involves the muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, nerves and joints in the neck can have a significant impact on your physical capacity and quality of life. Even minor neck muscle injuries can make it difficult for the individual to perform basic physical tasks, especially because of the levels that are accompanied by pain. Severe neck injuries, such as bone fractures, can have life-changing consequences that include numbness, decreased physical ability and even paralysis.

An injury to the neck often leaves the victim with chronic pain, reduced mobility and makes it difficult for him or her to perform work tasks, or, sometimes, daily, even normal activities, such as caring for a child or performing household tasks such as cooking, cleaning or working in the garden. When the victim’s cervical vertebrae are injured due to traumatic events, such as car accidents, slips and falls, travel accidents and falls or in the workplace of accidents, he or she may suffer partial or total loss of function in several body parts. In serious cases, victims may also be paralyzed. It is critical that victims of neck injuries and their families clearly understand their rights and legal options.

The most common causes of neck injuries

The neck is an important part of the body but vulnerable that is particularly prone to pain and injuries from accidents and other traumatic events. Any injury that puts strain or pressure on the neck has the potential to cause acute pain. Some of the most common causes of neck injuries include:

  • Traffic accidents, especially rear impact collisions
  • Accidents of trips and falls or slips and falls
  • Lifting heavy objects
  • Being hit by falling objects
  • Repetitive activities such as working on a computer
  • Sports such as football, horse riding and hockey
  • Diving in waters of unknown depths
  • Acts of violence

If you have suffered a neck injury

Whenever a neck or back injury is suspected, you should take it very seriously because there is a clear risk of paralysis and / or other long-term effects. If someone has suffered a neck or back injury, he or she must remain stationary, since any type of movement can cause further damage to the nerves of the spinal cord, which carry messages between the brain and the rest of the body. This type of damage can lead to paralysis below the site of the injury. Neck injuries are usually caused by accidents or falls that result in direct trauma to the face, neck, head or back; landing on the head; extreme or abnormal torsion of the trunk of the body; or a big blow to the head, neck or chest.

Types of neck injuries

The pain you feel or the extent of the injury to the neck itself may depend on the location of the injury. Depending on the type of injury you have suffered, damage or strain on the neck can cause neck pain, as well as other symptoms such as headache, shoulder pain and numbness or tingling in the arms and legs. Some of the types of neck injuries commonly sustained after a traumatic incident include:

  • Whiplash : This type of injury occurs after an accident that causes your head to move violently. It is the most common form of neck injury suffered after a car accident. In this case, damage to the soft tissues of the neck, including the muscles, ligaments and nerves, can lead to a variety of symptoms such as neck pain and stiffness, headache, numbness or weakness in the neck and extremities.
  • by repetitive effort : Poor posture or maintaining an awkward position while working on the computer can cause the neck muscles to become tense. This type of muscle tension, over time, can lead to chronic neck pain.
  • Sprains and strains: Some types of injuries can cause muscle strains and ligament sprains in the neck. This injury usually results in chronic pain and can be aggravated by activity. These injuries require rest and medication for pain. They heal only with time.
  • Pinch nerve injury : This is another common type of neck injury that involves a pinched or compromised nerve in the neck that can produce sharp, throbbing sensations in the neck and arms.
  • Disc injury : These types of injuries can occur due to activities such as lifting heavy objects. Here, the nerves in the neck can become irritated, causing pain that travels from the neck to the legs.
  • Vertebral fracture : Some traumatic incidents can cause the vertebra in the neck to break. This is always a medical emergency because a vertebral fracture can lead to spinal cord damage, as well as paralysis and death.
  • Spinal cord damage : When a neck injury results in damage to the spinal cord, it disrupts the vertebral bones that are designed to protect the spinal cord. Since the spinal cord is made up of the essential elements of the nerves, injuries in this area can lead to partial or complete paralysis or even death. Accidents and car crashes are the most common causes of spinal cord damage involving the neck.

Symptoms of neck injuries can range from headache and neck pain to fatigue, balance problems, ringing in the ears, nausea, insomnia, numbness in the extremities, memory loss and excessive sweating.

Diagnosis and treatment

A variety of diagnostic equipment along with help physical exams of physical emergencies and other doctors to identify and treat neck injuries. If you have taken a fall or been injured in a car accident, it is crucial that you seek and get medical attention immediately. If you have suffered a neck injury, it is important that you receive the necessary treatment immediately in order to make a quick and complete recovery. Neck injuries can be diagnosed by X-ray, computerized tomography, MRI or MRI, electromyography and myelography.

A series of neck injuries can be treated simply with rest and pain medications. Serious injuries may require rehabilitation treatment. Some other injuries may require extensive rehabilitation therapy to regain mobility. However, sometimes, surgery may be the only option. Surgical treatment options for victims of neck injury may involve the joining of two vertebrae to stop painful movement; the removal of the herniated or damaged part of a disc; the removal of bone that lines the spinal canal to relieve nerve pressure; the injection of bone cement into the compressed or broken vertebrae; and the implantation of artificial discs between the injured discs to help offer stability and eliminate pain.

Importance of medical care

It is essential that you get medical attention immediately after your neck injury and get an accurate diagnosis. Follow the doctor’s instructions regarding the rest take. If the doctor recommends the use of a device, such as a neck brace, make sure that you follow through with those recommendations and take the action that is required in order to make a quick and complete recovery.

It is important that you get checked by a doctor, even if you experience mild symptoms on the day of the incident. Neck injuries, such as whiplash tend to get worse as the days go by. Sometimes, accident victims do not even feel these injuries until days of the trauma.

Document the visit to each doctor’s office. Keep a record of all bills and payments related to the neck injury including the cost of medications, surgery, physical therapy and other rehabilitation care. By getting timely medical attention and treatment, you are not only creating a registry, but also ensuring that you are well on the road to recovery.

What is the value of your claim?

If you are pursuing a claim or claim for neck injuries, it is important to know how to determine the value of your claim and prove your injuries. Sometimes, plaintiffs may have to overcome accusations that their neck injuries were preexisting. If you are filing a claim, it is important to understand what is worthy of your claim. In addition to the obvious costs associated with your medical treatment, neck injuries can have an adverse effect on your work, your social life, your ability to perform daily functions and the quality of life you have come to expect. There are a number of factors that must be considered before determining the value of your case, including, but not limited to:

  • The severity of your injuries
  • Cost of medical treatment
  • Number of work days that you had to lose due to injuries
  • Costs in course of treatment and rehabilitation
  • The cost of medical equipment and medications
  • Future wages lost
  • Permanent injuries
  • Disability
  • The past and the future pain and suffering
  • Emotional stress

How pre-existing injuries can affect your claim

A pre-existing injury to your neck or spine can affect your personal injury claim. In these cases, it is important to show that the injuries and symptoms that led to your claim were caused by the current accident or incident in question. However, if it can be shown that this recent accident worsened your existing injuries, you can still recover damages by the degree to which your condition has worsened.

Also, if you had a neck injury before it fully recovered and the «new accident» causes pain or aggravates the old injury, you can then recover the damage, as if it were a new injury mark . If you have a pre-existing injury, please do not give up or accept a quick solution. Our law firm has made significant recoveries for clients who have had pre-existing injuries. It is important that you work with your medical service providers and injury counselor to make sure that everyone has a thorough knowledge of the facts and details of your case. This will ensure that you have the best chance of receiving maximum compensation for your injuries.

Who can be considered responsible?

A number of parties can potentially be liable for your injuries, damages and losses. Here are some examples of the types of parties that can be held liable for damages you have suffered:

  • Motorists : If you have been injured in a car, bicycle, pedestrian or truck accident, the driver at fault could be held responsible for your injuries.
  • Owners of property : If your neck injury was caused by a slip and fall accident or from your trip and fall of the property owner and / or manager, where the hazard condition existed, you may be held liable for the filing of a local liability lawsuit.
  • Employer : If you suffered neck injury at work, you may be able to seek monetary support through workers’ compensation insurance from your employer. Workers’ compensation normally covers medical expenses and a portion of lost wages.
  • Third parties : In addition to workers’ compensation benefits, injured victims may present what is known as a third party claim, especially in the case of work accidents, for significant monetary damages. Third parties are parties other than the employer whose negligence may have caused or contributed to the worker’s injury. Examples of third parties include, but are not limited to, general contractors, subcontractors, owners and managers, manufacturers of defective products, etc.
  • Product manufacturers : If a dangerous or defective product caused your injury, the product manufacturer may be held accountable by filing a product liability claim.

ྭ The damages that can be sought

Minor neck injuries can heal quickly. However, most injuries to the neck need time to fully heal. The victims of these injuries must undergo medical treatment. Some may be hospitalized and undergo surgery in order to improve. Many patients have to go through several weeks or months of rehabilitation treatment in order to heal completely. Even with extensive treatment and rehabilitation, some victims can not fully recover. They may have suffered permanent injuries and disabilities, which may never allow them to function again or earn a living.

The damages that can be sought in cases of neck injuries depend on the severity of the injuries suffered. Victims can claim damages for medical expenses, loss of income and benefits, the cost of hospitalization, treatment and rehabilitation care, permanent injuries, disability, loss of future income, past pain and suffering and the future, etc.

Contact an experienced lawyer

If you or a loved one has suffered neck injuries, New York personal injury attorneys with experience in the law office of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your rights and legal options. Our law firm recovered $ 5,600,000 and $ 2,550,000 for two victims of neck accidents. Please contact us for free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). We can even come to you. There is no lawyer fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 states of the United States, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.

Other telephone numbers at no cost to us are:

1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, or 1-800-LAS-LEYES

Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com