Neck injury is a common injury in car accidents. The symptoms of a neck injury can manifest immediately or even several days after the accident. People who have weaker muscles in the neck or deteriorating spinal joints are more at risk of sustaining a serious neck injury. To learn more about post-accident neck pain, carry on reading.
Causes Of Neck Pain After An Accident
Neck injuries are more frequent in rear-end collisions as the force exerted by the impact causes the head and neck to jerk back and forth violently. The rest of the body can resist such movement due to the seatbelt. Generally, the muscles can tense up when the body attempts to brace itself for impact. However, muscle tension in the neck can increase the risk of injury. Bones, tendons, tissues, or discs can move out of place and damage the surrounding nerves, leading to nerve impingement, a common cause of post-accident neck pain. Additional causes include whiplash, herniated disc, facet joint injury, concussion, and muscle stiffness.
Symptoms of neck injuries include headaches, restricted movement of the head and neck, blurred vision, dizziness, shoulder pain, tingling or burning sensation in the arms or neck, fatigue, and back pain. Severe injuries could result in symptoms such as memory loss, sleep disturbances, chronic pain in the neck, and psychological or cognitive disabilities.
Get Medical Attention From A Specialist
In many cases, the victim may not feel pain immediately after the accident due to hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which can reduce pain when the body is under shock or in any stressful situation. However, once the effect of these hormones subsides, the victim can experience neck pain, so it is important to seek treatment immediately after the accident.
Medical evaluation is crucial because a physician can diagnose and treat latent neck injuries. This can help you avoid any complications and prevent the damage from worsening. For example, neck pain can result from serious injuries such as a concussion or a spinal fracture, which can have adverse consequences if not diagnosed and treated promptly.
Sometimes injuries are minor and can eventually heal over time. Of course, you can take over-the-counter painkillers to help with neck pain. However, if you discover new symptoms and the pain does not go away, do not put your health at risk and delay further treatment; instead, get immediate medical attention.
The specialist can prescribe sessions of physical therapy, pain medication, and additional treatment for the neck injury. If your condition allows, the specialist may also recommend non-invasive treatments. However, if you fail to follow up with or delay the treatment, you could require surgical treatments to recover from the neck injury.
Contact An Attorney To Recover Compensation For Your Neck Injury
Hiring an attorney after sustaining a neck injury can guide you in getting compensation for your suffering. The attorney will review your case and evaluate the extent of your damages to help you pursue legal action against the liable party. They can also guide you in calculating the car accident neck injury settlement amount you should seek. In addition, your attorney would ensure that the defense or the insurance company does not trick you into accepting a low settlement offer.
