Overview of Neck Injuries Resulting from Car Crashes

The muscles of the neck aid in several functions that are essential to our daily lives, such as movement of the head, shoulders, and spine. These muscles have some of the greatest levels of endurance of all the muscles in the human body. Unfortunately, the neck is also highly susceptible to injury in a motor vehicle collision. When the neck is met with the sudden and often violent force of a car accident, the result is stretching of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This can result in neck injuries in every degree of severity. While most neck injuries will resolve themselves with rest, others can require more aggressive treatment, such as steroid injections, physical therapy, and even surgery to heal completely. If you suffer a neck injury in a car accident in New Jersey, you may have a viable personal injury lawsuit against the other motorist who caused the collision. Below, we discuss some of the most common neck injuries that result from car accidents for which you may be able to bring a successful personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault motorist.  

Neck sprain

A neck sprain occurs when the ligaments of the neck are stretched too far beyond their natural range of motion. Sufferers of this type of injury may experience pain or a “stiff” feeling in the neck after a collision. Symptoms may take days to fully manifest, and pain may not be felt immediately after impact. While these injuries tend to heal on their own after a few weeks, the pain can be debilitating, and prevent the sufferer from engaging in everyday activities. In addition to pain, neck sprains can also cause dizziness, ringing in the ears, fatigue, and numbness in the hands or arms.

Muscle Strain

The terms “sprain” and “strain” are often used interchangeably, because they can cause similar pain, stiffness, and loss of range of motion. However, a neck strain is an injury to the muscles and tendons of the neck, not the ligaments. A muscle strain is also commonly called a “pulled” muscle. Similar to sprains, strains occur when the muscles of the neck are stretched suddenly and violently beyond their normal capacity. Like strains, they can cause debilitating pain. They can also cause swelling, bruising, and muscle weakness.

Cervical Radiculopathy 

Cervical radiculopathy is more commonly known as a “pinched nerve.” This type of injury occurs when one of the nerve roots coming out of the spinal cord becomes compressed. Because car accidents, by nature, tend to inflict great pressure onto the spine, the potential for this type of injury is high. The nerves of the spinal cord are responsible for sending signals to other parts of our body, so sufferers of cervical radiculopathy may experience symptoms that do not necessarily occur in the neck. Common symptoms associated with cervical radiculopathy include pain in the neck, shoulders, arms, and even fingers. The pain may be similar to a “pins and needles” feeling and weakness and numbness may also be experienced.

Herniated Disc

The 33 vertebrae in the spinal column are cushioned by several gel-like discs that sit between them. This discs absorb shock and prevent direct bone-on-bone contact that could degenerate the vertebrae. When these discs undergo trauma, the outer edges of the disc can tear, allowing the gel-like nucleus to escape and put pressure on the delicate nerves of the spine. This can cause pain in the shoulders and neck, muscle spasms, tingling, and weakness. 

If you are injured in a car accident in New Jersey and suffer a neck sprain, muscle sprain, cervical radiculopathy, or a herniated disc as a result, you may be entitled to monetary compensation for your injuries by either filing a third-party insurance claim with the at-fault motorist’s insurance carrier or by filing a personal injury lawsuit against the motorist responsible for your injuries. 

Contact a Perth Amboy Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Car Accident Injury Case in New Jersey

Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to a car accident in New Jersey? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at CourtLaw represent clients injured because of car accidents in Perth Amboy, New Brunswick, Jersey City, Paterson, and throughout New Jersey. Call (866) 632-4211 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 163 Market Street, Perth Amboy, NJ 08861, as well as offices in New Brunswick, NJ, Roselle, NJ, East Orange, NJ, Jersey City, NJ, Elizabeth, NJ, Linden, NJ, Newark, NJ, Paterson, NJ, South Amboy, NJ, and Trenton, NJ.

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.