Car accidents are frequent occurrences on Jersey City roads for reasons ranging from speeding to distracted driving. One of the most devastating injuries an individual can suffer in a car accident is a severe neck injury.
Debilitating neck injuries change the lives of victims and their families forever, due to the high cost of the victim’s medical care, loss of wages, and their need for daily assistance. If you are a car accident victim in Jersey City, it is vital to understand your legal rights to ensure you receive adequate compensation.
A Jersey City car accident lawyer with a thorough understanding of the medical and legal complexities of personal injury cases can use their extensive experience and knowledge to build a robust legal case to help victims recover fair compensation.
What Happens to The Neck During A Car Crash?
During a car collision’s sudden and forceful impact, your head can move backward and forward in a whip-like motion, causing your neck tendons, ligaments, and muscles to stretch and even tear. Common symptoms of a neck injury include stiffness in the neck, headaches and dizziness, constant pain, and pain in the upper extremities.
The Common Types Of Neck Injuries Suffered In Car Accidents
The common types of neck injuries resulting from car accidents include:
Whiplash
A Whiplash is a soft tissue injury to the neck, causing damage to intervertebral discs, joints, ligaments, cervical muscles, and nerve roots. Symptoms include neck pain, stiffness, headache, and dizziness. Most people recover within three months after the injury. However, some may have residual neck pain and headaches.
Sprains (Cervical Sprains)
A sprain is a stretch or tear of a ligament, a strong band of connective tissue that connects the end of one bone with another and stabilizes and supports the body’s joints. The most severe neck sprains may require surgery to repair torn ligaments.
Strains
A neck strain is an injury to a muscle and tendon in the neck. Tendons are fibrous cords of tissue that attach muscles to the bone. A traumatic event can cause partial tears (e.g., penetrating trauma during accidents).
Contusions (Bruises)
In car accidents, neck contusions can result from tumbling or the neck hitting hard surfaces. Most contusions are mild and respond well to treatment. Patients should seek medical care to prevent permanent damage to the soft tissues if symptoms persist.
Lacerations – Cuts and Gashes
Lacerations can range from minor cuts to significant gashes that require stitches or surgery.
The force from the impact of the collision can cause glass to shatter, road debris to enter the vehicle, and contents in a car to fly around the vehicle.
The Long-term Complications of Neck Injuries
When neck injuries go undiagnosed and untreated, they can significantly deteriorate over time. In the immediate aftermath of a car accident, victims may face intensive medical treatment, surgeries, and rehabilitation.
Victims who suffer soft tissue damage in car accidents continue to experience discomfort sufficient to interfere with their work capacity for years, resulting in potentially lost wages.
The emotional consequences of coping with the sudden and significant changes in their lives can be overwhelming for both victims and their families.
The Significance Of Legal Representation In Neck Injury Cases
An experienced neck injury lawyer knows how to link injuries sustained by a victim to an accident, which can be critical to the injured victim’s insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
The lawyer may enlist the services of specialists to testify as expert witnesses and determine whether the accident victim has a severe and permanent physical, mental, or psychological impairment. They provide expert opinions on the degree of impairment and its impact on the victim’s lifestyle. All this will serve as crucial evidence of a car accident claim that will help to pursue compensation. Further, they will review your insurance policy meticulously to ensure that any future accident-related expenses you will face are accounted for.
Suffering from neck injuries after a car accident? Contact Us
If you or a loved one has suffered a neck injury due to the negligent actions of someone else, Omni Injury & Accident Law may be able to help you recover adequate compensation for your injuries, lost wages, property damage, and earning potential. Get in touch with an injury lawyer for a free case consultation.