Neck injuries are some of the most common types of ailments caused by car accidents. The seriousness of these injuries can range from minor to major, and the costs for treatment can become expensive.
If you suffered a neck injury in a crash, you may be able to file a claim for compensation with the at-fault driver’s liability insurance. Let our knowledgeable car accident lawyers in Fort Worth help you through this legal process to maximize compensation.
We offer a free consultation to discuss your claim and see what legal options may be available to you.
What Types of Neck Injuries Are Caused by Car Accidents?
There are over 20 different muscles in your neck that allow you to perform a variety of movements. These muscles all work to stabilize and support our heads and upper back. When a person is involved in a car accident, the sudden jolt from the force of impact can work against those muscles, resulting in a neck injury. Some of the most common types of neck injuries include:
- Soft tissue damage – a tear, sprain or strain to the ligaments in your neck
- Whiplash – an injury caused by the forceful and rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck
- Slipped disc – when the intervertebral discs in the cervical spine slip out of place and compress the nerves in the spinal cord
- Herniated disc – when the outer shell of a disc breaks or tears and the inner fluid of the disc leaks into the spinal canal or presses against the nerves in the spinal cord
- Facet joint injury – when the facet joints in the cervical spine become inflamed and irritated, possibly affecting surrounding ligaments and limiting range of motion
- Neck fracture – a fracture in any bone in the neck
- Cervical spinal stenosis – narrowing of the spinal canal and/or spinal nerve root passages in your neck
In addition to suffering neck and upper back pain, injury victims may experience other issues from a neck injury including:
- Pain in the jaw
- Limited range of motion
- Muscle spasms
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Vertigo
- Numbness in upper limbs
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty swallowing
- Swelling of the neck and throat
- Nausea
- Inner ear issues
- Paraspinal muscle tightness
These injuries and their symptoms can range from mild to severe.
How Soon Should I Seek Treatment for a Neck Injury After a Crash?
Sometimes, due to adrenaline, an accident victim may not feel the pain from a neck injury until several days after the crash. However, just because there is no visible injury or immediate pain does not mean you should wait to seek medical attention.
Seeing a doctor as soon as possible could help your chances of catching a serious injury early on, before it becomes more severe. Neck injuries can be difficult to diagnose without an X-ray or MRI. Early treatment could mean the difference between several physical therapy sessions or needing surgery.
Getting to a doctor soon after the crash may also help establish a causal link between the accident and your injuries. Remember that part of recovering compensation requires proving that another person’s negligent actions directly resulted in your injuries. If you put off going to see a doctor, the liable insurance company could argue your injuries were caused by something else. Without medical records to support your claim, they could justify they should not have to pay compensation.
What Evidence Can I Use To Prove My Neck Injury?
Some neck injuries may be difficult to prove due to a lack of physical evidence. For example, a soft tissue injury or whiplash might not appear on an X-ray or MRI. However, notes from your doctor regarding your pain level and the extent of your injury may be used as evidence to support your claim.
For other neck injuries, like herniated discs, stenosis or fractures, you may be able to present physical evidence. For instance, these injuries could be viewed in radiological imaging, such as an X-ray or MRI.
What Compensation Can I Claim for a Neck Injury?
Compensation for a neck injury depends on the type of economic and non-economic damages you suffer. The more severe the injury, the more you may be able to claim in compensation. Some of the costs you may be able to recover for a neck injury claim include:
- Hospital stay
- Ambulatory service
- X-ray
- MRI
- CT scan
- Physical therapy
- Chiropractor
- Steroid injections
- Prescription medication
- And more
You could also recover compensation for lost wages, if your injuries left you unable to work for a time, and non-economic damages for your pain and suffering.
Call Us Today
A neck injury in an accident can range from minor to severe, and sometimes these injuries can have a lasting impact on your life. If you were injured in an accident you did not cause, your claim may benefit from legal help. Our competent legal representatives are ready to fight for the compensation you need.
Our attorneys work on contingency, which means we do not get paid unless you do.
Call (817) 920-9000 to schedule a free consultation.