One of the most common injuries after a car accident is neck and back pain. It can occur as a result of the forceful impact of one vehicle hitting another. When this happens, it jars the body forward at a rapid pace, creating numerous areas of potential inflammation and even breakage in the spine. If you’ve suffered an injury like this, you likely will need both short term and long term rehabilitation and care. Sometimes, those symptoms do not even show up for several days. Your first step is to get emergency medical help. Your second step is to ensure you do not settle any car accident insurance claim without an attorney by your side.
At The Law Offices of Siler & Ingber, we provide one-on-one consultations and case reviews to our clients free of charge. We encourage anyone hurt in a vehicle accident to work with a personal injury attorney before settling these claims.
Common Injuries from Car Accidents
In the United States, 2.35 million people are injured or disabled in a vehicle crash each year, according to research from the Association for Safe International Road Travel. Many of these individuals suffer serious and obvious injuries, such as broken bones and lacerations. Other times, injuries are not obvious. With neck and back pain after an accident, it is not always evident that a problem exists for several hours or even a few days. The body’s adrenaline can hide these symptoms in the minutes after an accident. That is why individuals often feel sore and unable to move well in the days following an accident.
Yet, these are not obvious injuries. Some of the most common injuries from a car accident include:
- Soft tissue injuries. This includes whiplash, a condition in which inflammation and pain develops in the cervical spine. This is the upper portion of the spine.
- Muscle and ligament strains and tears. This can happen in any area of the body, but tend to happen in the shoulders, back, and in the hips after a car accident.
- Back pain. Back pain occurs as a result of soft tissue tears, but also because of spinal damage. While the spinal cord may not be damaged, there can still be decompression and nerve pain occurring as a result of misalignment of the spinal column.
Additionally, it is not uncommon for individuals to suffer from obvious injuries such as head injuries, scrapes, cuts, and chest injuries. Arm and leg injuries can occur as well. Sometimes, spinal injuries can cause damage to the nerves leading into the legs and arms.
Symptoms to Watch Out for After a Car Accident
After a car accident, it is always wise to visit the emergency room for a full examination. However, even if the doctors there do not find obvious signs of problems, they can develop over the coming days. Key symptoms to monitor for include:
- Confusion or disorientation
- Pain in the neck, upper shoulders, and back
- Pain that radiates outward from the spine or seems to spread into the legs or arms
- Headaches and migraines
- Trouble focusing and concentrating
- Fatigue not relieved by normal sleep
- Changes in gait or movements of the arms, legs, hips, or other joints
- Any type of severe pain
- Any instance of passing out or loss of consciousness
If you notice any of these symptoms, your first step should be to contact the emergency room or your doctor for a full examination. You may also be able to work with a chiropractor for back and neck injuries after a car accident.
What’s causing neck and back pain after a car accident? This type of pain is often brought on by inflammation in the nerve roots. For example, in back and neck injuries after a car accident, a person’s adrenaline wears down, exposing the extent of damage. The body begins to heal, but inflammation develops in the soft tissues. This causes pain and nerve damage. It is unlikely that this will go away on its own.
What Should You Do Now?
You may be owed compensation for the medical bills related to your car accident including for the long-term treatment of back and neck pain. Our team will work with you to ensure you receive compensation for all of your losses. This includes care for any of these or other complex medical conditions you develop through no fault of your own. Don’t settle with an insurance company until you speak to our team. If another driver is responsible for your losses, you should not have to pay for any of these medical bills.
Schedule a Case Review for Any Car Accident Injuries with our Attorneys
With over 20 years of experience, and a 98% rate of winning our cases, the team at The Law Offices of Siler & Ingber, LLP are available to help you. If you’ve suffered any losses or developed any type of neck and back pain after a car accident, we encourage you to contact us immediately for a free case review. Call our offices to discuss your case at 877-718-6079.