Being at the mercy of a car accident is a terrifying experience. Even at low speeds, the body can be thrown around violently when a machine weighing thousands of pounds collides with another. The more violent the collision, the more vulnerable the human body is to serious injuries.
Neck pain, including delayed neck pain, after a car accident is one of the most common concerns.
The neck provides a base for the skull, which protects the brain. The neck also contains the primary pathway for the central nervous system between the brain and the rest of the body, making it a crucial element of the musculoskeletal system. With numerous muscles, ligaments, and spinal cord components, it is essential to take neck pain after a car accident seriously.
The Mechanics of Neck Injury in Collisions
The neck is one of the most vulnerable parts of the body during a car accident. The forces involved in a car accident often make the body, which is usually secured by a seat belt, get thrown in a different direction than the head. Since the head moves separately from the rest of the body because of the neck, it doesn’t take much force to create a whiplash effect.
Whether you get rear-ended, t-boned, rolled over, or sideswiped, the rapid change in speed can move your body in one direction while the head and neck are slightly delayed. This is called whiplash, which can cause significant neck pain and other complications.
Some victims may experience delayed neck pain or other injuries, such as torn ligaments or spinal segments that are out of place.
Common Neck Injuries in Car Accidents
Numerous injuries can cause neck pain after a car accident. The most common damage is a whiplash injury, which happens when the head or neck moves rapidly in a different direction than the body.
Soft tissue damage, such as a muscle strain or ligament sprain, can cause delayed neck pain and stiffness. A herniated disc occurs when the cushion between vertebrae ruptures or bulges, leaking into the spinal cord. Damage to the facet joints in your neck could cause headaches, muscle spasms, numbness, or tingling.
Recognizing Neck Pain Symptoms
If you have suffered a neck injury, it is essential to treat it. If untreated, bad neck injuries can cause complications that affect your quality of life and mobility.
Some of the many symptoms of neck car accident injuries include chronic pain, delayed neck pain, reduced neck movement, muscle tension, headaches, dizziness, numbness or tingling in the arms, swelling, tenderness, difficulty breathing, and altered head or eye movement control.
When you notice these signs of a neck injury, other symptoms, or something that is causing pain, you must seek medical care immediately to prioritize your health and prevent long-term complications.
Importance of Medical Evaluation
It’s crucial to schedule a medical evaluation after a collision. Some symptoms may not manifest immediately, but a quick medical assessment could identify potential health concerns from the accident, whether that means damage to your soft tissues or upper spine.
If you do suspect a neck injury, a quick diagnosis is important. The sooner a doctor evaluates your condition and identifies the source of your neck pain, the sooner you can begin treatment and prevent further complications. At the very least, this appointment can rule out more serious conditions.
Diagnostic Tools and Procedures
Your medical provider can use numerous methods to assess your injury and diagnose conditions. They’ll discuss your medical history to determine risk factors.
An x-ray may be conducted to look at the bones of your neck and search for fractures. Magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography scans can help doctors look at other elements, such as ligaments, muscles, and nerves. These non-invasive procedures may be used after a car accident to search for damage to your neck or another common injury.
Common Pain Relief and Treatment Options
Persistent pain can be frustrating. Even if no other treatment is needed, it can be immensely helpful to reduce pain in your neck after a car accident. Various treatments can address significant pain in your neck.
Pain medications are common and can relieve pain during your recovery. Physical therapy may be needed for more severe pain, especially if the underlying cause requires stretches, exercises, massages, or moist heat and cold therapy to heal. Chiropractic care can address pain caused by damage to the cervical spine, which is the part of the spinal cord in your neck.
For severe neck pain and devastating injuries, surgery may be the only option for immediate treatment.
Other pain relievers, such as narcotics, ice packs, muscle relaxers, heat therapy, massages, better sleep, and wearing a neck collar, could be useful after your accident.
The Recovery Process
If you want the affected area to heal effectively, you must focus on recovery. Whether the injury affects your neck muscles, intervertebral discs, or ligaments, the time frame for complete healing could vary.
Minor injuries, like a neck strain or pinched nerves, could heal in a few weeks. A fracture in the cervical spine, on the other hand, could require physical therapy, surgery, and months or years of treatment for full recovery. Regardless of your injury, follow all medical advice regarding your recovery plan to maximize healing.
Potential for Long-Term Effects
A serious injury to your neck could result in long-term symptoms.
For example, you could face delayed neck pain that lasts for years. Sometimes, neck injuries can lead to limited mobility or nerve damage. These issues can have life-altering symptoms, so a medical evaluation is necessary to diagnose the conditions as soon as possible and increase your chances of recovering.
Legal Options After an Accident Resulting in Neck Pain
If you suffer damage to the neck area after a car accident, there could be legal implications. If someone else’s negligence caused the collision, you could file a car accident claim to recover compensation for legal damages. Here are some considerations when filing a personal injury claim for neck pain.
Establishing Negligence
To win a car accident case, you must prove the other driver caused the collision. This process is called establishing negligence. Four elements must be true to win a lawsuit for neck pain after a car accident.
The other driver must have had a duty of care to protect you. They must have breached that duty of care through their behavior. There must be a causal link between their actions and your harm. Finally, you must have suffered legal damages because of the incident.
Calculating Damages
Assessing your damages is a significant step in the legal process. You could claim compensation for lost wages, medical bills, emotional distress, pain and suffering, future care costs, and loss of enjoyment of life.
If you suffer a more serious condition, such as whiplash-associated disorders, your damages will likely increase and make you eligible for more compensation.
The Role of a Personal Injury Lawyer
Claims involving car accidents should involve personal injury lawyers. Whether you suffered a minor neck sprain that forced you to miss work or a broken neck that resulted in years of therapy, a legal professional can help you win your lawsuit. Here are some of the responsibilities of a personal injury lawyer.
Investigating the Accident
Your case must be investigated to gather evidence and determine if you have grounds for financial compensation. The lawyer will investigate the accident’s circumstances, gather evidence of negligence and legal damages, and work toward establishing liability. They will do the legal heavy lifting so you can focus on your treatment plan.
Negotiating with Insurance Companies
The plaintiff and defendant must reach a settlement agreement in this type of case. This negotiation often involves the defendant’s insurance company.
This entity will try to avoid paying for all your losses, such as medical bills, physical therapist costs, or lost wages. As a result, they will try to minimize your suffering and offer a low settlement. Your personal injury lawyer will negotiate fair compensation to cover all your legal damages.
Representing You in Court
If your case ends up in a civil trial, your attorney will represent you throughout the proceeding. During this process, you and the defendant will present your arguments to a judge and jury. They will decide who is wrong and what a fair settlement involves. Navigating this process will be incredibly challenging without a lawyer, especially with limited knowledge of personal injury laws.
Secure Expert Legal Counsel!
Filing a lawsuit after a car accident is a complex process. You are likely receiving treatment from a healthcare provider, trying to recover quickly to return to normalcy, and worrying about the financial costs of further injury.
At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, our experienced car accident attorneys will guide you through the legal process so you can focus on recovery while we pursue compensation.
We offer a free case review so you can ask questions about your case and the claims process. Call us today at 888-4424-5757 or complete the contact form to request your free consultation with a Chicago-based car accident lawyer.