Neck Injuries
A serious neck injury can affect nearly every part of a person's daily life. Damage to the muscles, ligaments, nerves, discs, vertebrae, or spinal cord can cause significant pain, reduced mobility, weakness, headaches, and other symptoms that make it difficult to work, sleep, exercise, or perform ordinary activities.
Neck injuries frequently occur in car and truck accidents, falls, workplace incidents, construction accidents, and other traumatic events. While some injuries improve with conservative treatment, others can result in chronic pain, permanent limitations, or the need for surgery and ongoing medical care.
At The Law Office of Todd I. Siegel, we represent individuals and families throughout New Jersey who have suffered serious neck and spinal injuries because of another party's negligence.
Common Types of Neck Injuries
The neck, or cervical spine, contains vertebrae, discs, muscles, ligaments, nerves, and other structures that support the head and allow it to move. Trauma to any of these structures can result in significant symptoms.
Common neck injuries include:
Whiplash
Herniated or bulging discs
Cervical disc injuries
Muscle strains
Ligament sprains
Pinched or compressed nerves
Cervical fractures
Nerve damage
Spinal cord injuries
Facet joint injuries
Soft tissue injuries
Injuries resulting in chronic neck pain
Some neck injuries are immediately apparent following an accident. Others may become more noticeable over the hours or days that follow.
What Causes Neck Injuries?
Neck injuries can result from any event that places sudden or excessive force on the head, neck, or upper body.
Common causes include:
Car accidents
Truck accidents
Motorcycle accidents
Pedestrian and bicycle accidents
Rear-end collisions
Slip and fall accidents
Falls from heights
Construction accidents
Workplace accidents
Sports and recreational accidents
Falling objects
Defective products
Other traumatic incidents
Determining exactly how an injury occurred can be an important part of establishing whether another person, business, or other party was legally responsible.
Neck Injuries From Car Accidents
Motor vehicle accidents are a common cause of neck injuries. The force of a collision can cause the head to move rapidly in different directions while the rest of the body is restrained by the seat belt.
Rear-end collisions are frequently associated with neck injuries, but serious cervical injuries can occur in virtually any type of crash.
Depending on the force and direction of impact, an accident may cause:
Whiplash
Cervical sprains and strains
Herniated discs
Disc protrusions
Nerve compression
Vertebral fractures
Spinal cord damage
New Jersey automobile insurance law can affect an injured person's ability to recover non-economic damages following a collision. For individuals subject to the state's limitation-on-lawsuit option, a permanent injury is one of the statutory categories that can satisfy the threshold for pursuing non-economic damages. New Jersey defines a permanent injury in this context as one where the affected body part has not healed to function normally and will not heal to function normally with further medical treatment.
What Is Whiplash?
Whiplash is a neck injury commonly associated with motor vehicle collisions, particularly rear-end crashes. It occurs when the head and neck are rapidly forced backward and forward or otherwise subjected to sudden movement.
Whiplash can damage muscles, ligaments, and other structures in the cervical region.
Symptoms may include:
Neck pain
Neck stiffness
Headaches
Reduced range of motion
Shoulder pain
Upper back pain
Muscle spasms
Dizziness
Tingling or numbness
Pain that radiates into the shoulders or arms
The severity of whiplash varies considerably. Some people recover with conservative treatment, while others experience persistent symptoms.
Herniated and Bulging Discs in the Neck
Between the vertebrae of the cervical spine are discs that provide cushioning and help the spine move.
Trauma can cause a disc to bulge or herniate. When displaced disc material irritates or compresses a nearby nerve, a person may experience pain and neurological symptoms extending beyond the neck itself.
Symptoms may include:
Neck pain
Shoulder pain
Pain radiating down the arm
Numbness
Tingling
Muscle weakness
Reduced grip strength
Limited neck movement
Severe disc injuries may require injections, physical therapy, pain management, or surgery.
Cervical Fractures
A fracture involving one or more vertebrae in the neck is a serious injury that requires prompt medical attention.
Cervical fractures can occur in high-impact motor vehicle crashes, falls from heights, construction accidents, and other traumatic events.
Because the cervical vertebrae surround and protect the spinal cord, a serious fracture may also damage the spinal cord or nearby nerves. Depending on the location and severity of the injury, complications can include weakness, loss of sensation, paralysis, or other permanent neurological impairments.
Treatment may involve immobilization, bracing, surgery, rehabilitation, or a combination of these approaches.
Neck and Spinal Cord Injuries
Some of the most severe neck injuries involve damage to the cervical spinal cord.
A spinal cord injury in the neck can interfere with the brain's ability to communicate with areas of the body below the injury. Depending on the location and severity of the damage, an individual may experience partial or complete loss of movement or sensation.
Serious cervical spinal cord injuries can result in:
Weakness or paralysis
Loss of sensation
Difficulty walking
Loss of coordination
Problems with bladder or bowel control
Difficulty breathing
Chronic nerve pain
Loss of independence
Severe spinal cord injuries can require lifelong medical care, assistive equipment, home modifications, and personal assistance.
Symptoms of a Serious Neck Injury
Symptoms following an accident can vary depending on the structures that were damaged.
Possible signs of a neck injury include:
Neck pain or stiffness
Reduced range of motion
Headaches
Muscle spasms
Shoulder or upper back pain
Pain radiating into the arms
Numbness or tingling
Weakness in the arms or hands
Dizziness
Difficulty maintaining balance
Loss of coordination
Changes in sensation
Symptoms involving weakness, loss of sensation, difficulty walking, or other neurological changes can indicate a potentially serious injury and should receive prompt medical evaluation.
Diagnosing a Neck Injury
Medical professionals may use several methods to determine the nature and extent of a neck injury.
Depending on the circumstances, diagnostic evaluation may include:
Physical examination
Neurological examination
X-rays
MRI scans
CT scans
Nerve testing
Evaluation by an orthopedic specialist, neurologist, or other physician
Medical documentation can also become important in a personal injury claim. In certain New Jersey automobile cases involving the limitation-on-lawsuit threshold, establishing a qualifying permanent injury requires objective medical evidence.
Treatment for Neck Injuries
Treatment depends on the severity and type of injury.
Less severe injuries may be treated with:
Rest and activity modification
Medication
Physical therapy
Stretching and strengthening exercises
Pain management
Injections
More serious injuries may require:
Epidural or other therapeutic injections
Specialized pain management
Cervical fusion
Disc replacement
Decompression surgery
Other spinal procedures
Long-term rehabilitation
When surgery is required, recovery can involve significant time away from work and months of rehabilitation.
Long-Term Effects of a Neck Injury
Not every neck injury resolves completely. Some accident victims continue experiencing symptoms long after the initial trauma.
Long-term complications may include:
Chronic neck pain
Persistent headaches
Reduced range of motion
Nerve pain
Weakness or numbness
Difficulty lifting
Sleep problems
Inability to perform physical work
Need for ongoing medical treatment
Permanent physical limitations
These symptoms can interfere with employment, recreational activities, family responsibilities, and overall quality of life.
Pre-Existing Neck Conditions and Accident Injuries
Some individuals already have degenerative disc disease, arthritis, previous disc injuries, or other cervical conditions before an accident occurs.
The existence of a prior condition does not necessarily mean a new accident did not cause additional harm. A collision or fall may aggravate a previously asymptomatic or manageable condition.
However, causation can become an important issue when a person has a documented history of neck problems. New Jersey courts have addressed the need to distinguish accident-related injuries from prior neck and back conditions when causation and permanency are disputed.
Medical records and diagnostic imaging from before and after the accident can therefore become important evidence.
Compensation for a Neck Injury
When another party's negligence causes a serious neck injury, an injured person may be entitled to pursue compensation for the resulting financial and personal losses.
Depending on the circumstances, damages may include:
Past and future medical expenses
Physical therapy and rehabilitation
Surgical expenses
Lost wages
Reduced future earning capacity
Pain and suffering
Permanent physical limitations
Loss of enjoyment of life
Long-term care needs
Other damages available under New Jersey law
The value of a neck injury claim depends on factors including the severity of the injury, the treatment required, whether surgery is necessary, whether the injury is permanent, and how the condition affects the person's ability to work and perform everyday activities.
How Long Do You Have to File a Neck Injury Claim in New Jersey?
In general, New Jersey personal injury actions are subject to a two-year statute of limitations, although exceptions and different rules can apply depending on the circumstances.
Claims involving government entities, minors, medical malpractice, delayed discovery of an injury, or other circumstances may involve additional requirements or different deadlines.
Because evidence can also become more difficult to obtain over time, individuals who believe another party caused their injury should consider speaking with an attorney promptly about the deadlines applicable to their particular case.
Contact a New Jersey Neck Injury Lawyer
A serious neck injury can result in months or years of pain, medical treatment, rehabilitation, and limitations on work and everyday activities. When an injury becomes permanent, its effects can continue for the remainder of a person's life.
For more than 30 years, The Law Office of Todd I. Siegel has represented injured individuals and families throughout New Jersey. Our firm investigates serious accidents, reviews the medical evidence surrounding our clients' injuries, and helps them pursue the compensation available when another party's negligence causes preventable harm.
If you or a loved one suffered a serious neck injury because of another party's negligence, contact The Law Office of Todd I. Siegel to discuss your case and learn more about your legal options.
