Car accident neck injuries are common, largely because of the motion of the head and back from a crash’s impact. Victims that feel neck pain after a car accident are often left with lingering pain and ongoing medical treatments lasting for months.
If you have injured your neck in an automobile collision, your suffering and the financial toll can add up. You need to take legal action to start the process to obtain the compensation you deserve now. A Greenville car accident attorney at David R. Price, Jr., P.A. can help.
What Causes Car Accident Neck Injuries?
Your neck — sometimes called the cervical spine — contains your seven upper vertebrae, but it does not include much muscle support.
Car accidents create impact forces, even at slower speeds. These forces can cause your neck to snap back and forth quickly, and because of the lack of muscle support, your neck’s structure doesn’t provide much protection.
What Are Common Neck Injuries From Car Crashes?
Every accident is different and may result in various neck injuries. However, many people who experience neck pain after a car accident sustained some form of damage to their cervical spine and soft tissue.
Whiplash
Whiplash is arguably the most common neck injury from car crashes that damage nerves, bones, muscles, or ligaments. Whiplash isn’t always immediately apparent. It often takes hours or days before a person notices whiplash’s full effects. You may experience the following:
- Blurred vision or ringing in your ears
- Pain and stiffness that worsens when you move your neck
- Headaches
- Numbness, pain, and tingling in your shoulders, arms, or upper back
Whiplash can lead to long-term chronic pain. See your doctor immediately if you notice these symptoms.
Disc damage
Soft discs provide cushioning between your vertebrae. Sudden impacts can damage your discs. They may rupture or swell, sometimes causing secondary muscle spasms or nerve pain.
Pinched nerves
Neck injuries can pinch the nerves that control the feeling in your arms. Pinched cervical nerves can cause severe pain, numbness, and weakness in your arms, shoulders, and neck.
Sprains and strains
Car accident neck injuries can sprain or strain soft tissues. You may experience pain, muscle spasms, stiffness, and limited movement.
How Can You Treat Neck Injuries?
If you sustain neck injuries in a car accident, healthcare providers may suggest various forms of treatment. Recommended remedies will differ according to your specific injuries, but here are some examples of forms of treatment.
Cervical collars or traction devices
These medical devices provide support for your neck. They can prevent you from turning your head and causing further injury. Traction devices create space between your cervical vertebrae to relieve pain and pressure.
Medications
Doctors may prescribe medications to treat various symptoms of car accident neck injuries. You may need pain medications, muscle relaxers, and anti-inflammatory medications.
Chiropractic treatments
Chiropractic adjustments often help those who suffer from neck pain. Patients usually receive multiple adjustments over time.
Surgeries
Severe neck injuries may require one or more surgeries. You can face astronomical medical bills and an extended recovery period.
Physical therapy
You may benefit from supervised physical therapy whether you have minor neck injuries or have undergone surgery. This therapy may include electrical stimulation and exercises.
Can You Seek Compensation for a Neck Injury in a Car Accident?
South Carolina uses modified comparative negligence to govern who can receive compensation and how much they can obtain. If you’re less than 50% at fault or less for causing your car crash, you qualify to seek damages.
One of the most vital tasks a car accident lawyer performs is ensuring that your degree of fault is fairly assigned. An inflated percentage can disqualify you from seeking damages, and it will also reduce how much compensation you receive.
Your degree of fault proportionally reduces your financial awards. For instance, if you are 25% responsible for causing your collision, your damages for your car accident neck injuries will be reduced by 25%, so that if your damages totaled $100, then you would receive $75.
If you were not at fault for the collision, you may receive damages for things such as:
- Direct expenses, including medical bills, lost wages, and property damage
- Mental anguish, anxiety, depression, and PTSD
- Pain and suffering
- Losing your ability to enjoy life
- Inconvenience
You may also qualify for punitive damages if the guilty party recklessly or intentionally caused your accident or exhibited specific reprehensible behaviors. These damages are not always available.
How Can a Greenville, SC Attorney Help?
Most people don’t have the resources, experience, or legal knowledge to handle car accident claims successfully, but a competent lawyer can perform many accident-related tasks. If you hire us to prosecute your car wreck case, we will:
- Explain your legal options
- Investigate your accident and gather evidence supporting your claim
- Speak to insurance companies on your behalf
- Negotiate a favorable settlement offer or take your case to trial
The auto accident lawyers at David R. Price, Jr., P.A. will work in your best interests to help you obtain reasonable compensation for your neck injury.
Choose David R. Price, Jr., P.A. if You Have Car Accident Neck Injuries
At David R. Price, Jr., P.A. in Greenville, we have won multiple awards for our legal efforts and we have recovered millions of dollars of compensation for our clients. We will fight for everything you are owed. Request your free consultation today by phone or online through our contact form.
