One of the most common consequences of a car accident is a back and neck injury. This usually happens when the impact strikes the victim from behind. The neck connects to the upper back through seven vertebral segments labeled C1 through C7. Also, the skull connects to the top of the cervical spine, and the bottom attaches to the upper part of the back at shoulder level. There are also a series of nerves that run throughout the neck and back, and due to how one’s body is put together, it is common to injure both the neck and back in a single accident. If you or a loved one gets injured in a serious car accident, call the Jacoby and Meyers personal injury law firm for a neck & back injury lawyer; your free consultation will help you better understand your rights and the value of your claim.
What are the Common Causes of Neck & Back Injuries Lawyers Run Into?
So long as the force of impact is strong enough, any type of accident can cause a neck and back injury. However, the most common cause is a car accident. In 2016 the National Safety Council reported that 4.6 million people were seriously injured in a car accidents. Even minor car accidents can cause traumatic injuries related to the neck and back. Because people in cars are strapped in thus ensuring their back is secured to the back of a seat and the neck remains free to move in any direction on impact, the risk factor for an injury is naturally greater. A Jacoby and Meyers neck & back injury lawyer has helped victims recover huge settlements from negligent actions related (but not limited) to the following:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Falls
- Sports injuries
- Slip and falls
- Premises liability injuries
- Construction accidents
- Work Injuries
- Violence (physical fights)
- Defective products
- Scooter accidents
- Truck accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Lyft and Uber accidents
The value of your claim will be based on several points, including the accident’s severity. Call a neck & back injury lawyer at Jacoby and Meyers to understand your rights and the best direction to take towards recovery and prosperity.
What is a Neck Injury?
In order to fully understand the trauma associated with a neck & back injury, it is important that one starts by understanding exactly what a neck injury entails. The neck contains spongy discs that sit in between each bone of the cervical spine. These run from the base of the skull to the thoracic vertebrae and enable the neck and spine to be flexible. A neck injury can impact the discs and nerves that control its function, along with the arms and upper body. In some cases, these minor injuries leave a victim with some muscle soreness and might need a few weeks to recover. In other cases, people can get whiplash and have lifelong chronic pain, or worse, become quadriplegic.
Neck injuries can also devastating effects on one’s life without meeting legal justice. The cost of medical care can ruin people. Neck injuries can leave one unable to work in their career field (or work at all). They can also tear apart relationships and families. Sometimes, victims cannot pursue their dreams. In fact, whiplash alone carries an average economic cost in America of around $30 billion, and according to national statistics, more than 6,000 personal injury victims die from neck injuries annually.
Types of Neck Injuries
When you speak to a neck & back injury lawyer, be sure to ask him or her about their experience and the various cases they have worked on. Many neck injuries share similar symptoms. These include bruising, headache, pain, localized numbness, and widespread numbness. As for injury types, most cases involve the following:
Whiplash
When force triggers an abnormal movement that damages muscles, ligaments, and soft tissues, the victim can be left with chronic pain and mobility issues if not properly treated.
Neck strain
When the accident causes injury to muscles responsible for the following: chin to chest (flexion), ear to shoulder (lateral flexion), eyes to ceiling (extension), and rotational motions.
Neck Sprain
This happens when the soft tissue in the neck tears or stretches. In many cases, there are no clear-cut signs of a sprain as this kind of localized trauma can take time to notice. This is why it is critical to seek medical attention after any severe accident.
Herniated disc
When the annulus tears resulting in nucleus pulposus (a jelly-like substance) oozing out and creating pressure against the spinal nerves.
Pinched nerve
Also known as cervical radiculopathy, this is when a bone spur or herniated disc pinches a nerve, failing to properly relay electrical signals. As a result, this causes numbness, pain, and weakness.
Spinal stenosis
This is when the channel containing the spinal cord and other nerves narrows.
Fractures
A break in the vertebrae column’s bones. An injury like this often requires lengthy rehabilitation and long recovery time.
Facet joint injuries
Located behind the discs and spinal column, facet joints prevent irregular motion. When injured, one can experience muscle spasms, pain, and suffering from facet locking syndrome.
Spinal cord injuries
Extreme accidents can sever, constrict, or compress the spinal cord. As a result, one can suffer partial or full paralysis.
Call A Neck & Back Injury Lawyer at Jacoby & Meyers
Neck and back injuries go hand-in-hand. If you have been victimized in an accident due to the negligence of another person or entity, call us to speak with a neck & back injury lawyer through a free consultation. We will help you understand to what extent the other party is liable and what your case is worth, and we will explain how our legal experts will work to get you the right medical treatment with no devastating bills left over while we build your case and navigate insurance companies to ensure you get the highest possible settlement.
Call or text 888-522-6291 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
