Neck injuries are an unfortunate but common result of automobile accidents. The human neck is not built to sustain the sudden whiplash of high-speed automobile collisions. A car accident neck injury can range from strains and sprains to more disabling herniated discs, fractures, dislocations, and spinal cord injuries. You are entitled to fair personal injury compensation if you have sustained a neck injury due to another driver’s negligence. Your damages may include medical and pharmaceutical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and compensation for permanent disability.
Common Neck Injuries After an Accident
A cervical strain or sprain is the most common neck injury following an automobile wreck. This injury typically does not involve any joint damage and does not involve the nervous system. Cervical strains and sprains are also known as soft tissue injuries. You may need physical therapy depending on the severity of your strain or sprain. Insurance adjusters sometimes refuse to compensate unrepresented claimants for extensive medical bills and lost wages if the diagnosis is a cervical strain or sprain. Despite their contentions, cervical strains and sprains are significant injuries, and you are entitled to full compensation.
Neck injuries involving the nervous system can be more troubling. The first example is the herniated disc. This injury involves the soft material inside a disc escaping through the tough outside and irritating the nervous system. In more severe cases, this injury requires surgery.
Cervical dislocations and fractures are injuries that involve the neck bones. A dislocation occurs when a neck bone moves out of its normal position, whereas a cervical fracture occurs when the bone breaks. A cervical fracture may accompany a dislocation. Treatment of fractures and dislocations can be costly, and the results of the injuries are debilitating. If you have sustained such an injury due to another person’s fault, you must immediately contact a personal injury attorney.
Neck injuries that damage the spinal cord are particularly devastating. Such injuries can lead to permanent and complete disability, including paralysis, and a lifetime of caretaking expenses. Even for less severe spinal cord injuries, extensive and costly rehabilitation is often necessary.
Representation for a Car Accident Neck Injury
Maginnis Howard’s personal injury lawyers provide free consultations and evaluations to all prospective clients. We represent personal injury claimants on a contingency basis so that you pay no attorneys’ fees unless and until we recover compensation for your injuries.
If you or a family member has sustained a neck injury from a car accident anywhere in the Carolinas, contact Maginnis Howard. We have three conveniently located offices in Raleigh, Charlotte, and Fayetteville.
