Neck injuries are among the most common car accident injuries in Washington and elsewhere. The crash force of an accident turns an average 140-pound person into a 6,300-pound force propelled forward and then snapped back against the seat in a collision at only 45 miles per hour. This crash force places tremendous strain on the body’s structural system, including the vertebrae in the spinal column and the soft tissue connecting muscle to bone. The cervical spine at the base of the neck is particularly vulnerable to injury due to the weight of the head and its rapid back-and-forth motion in a collision. If you were injured in a car accident, it’s crucial to speak with an accident attorney in Everett for support.
Understanding Whiplash In Washington Car Accidents
The human neck often takes the brunt of the crash force in a collision due to the body’s restraint in a seatbelt as the head whips back and forth or side to side. Medical research studies show an average of 869,000 cervical spine (neck) injuries from car accidents occur each year. Whiplash is the most common neck injury. Whiplash is a soft tissue injury caused by the rapid, whip-like back-and-forth motion of the head, which over-extends the neck and damages the ligaments connecting the neck muscles to the vertebrae in the cervical spine.
Whiplash causes symptoms such as the following:
- Neck pain and stiffness
- Pain radiating into the shoulder and arm
- Headache
- Numbness and tingling in one or both arms
- Problems with memory, mood, and concentration
- Ringing in the ears
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
Whiplash can occur even in low-speed accidents with minimal damage to a vehicle. Many whiplash sufferers fail to seek medical care immediately after the accident which can impede their claim for compensation later. Whiplash symptoms may take hours or even a day or more to develop as inflammation increases at the injury site.
Other Neck Injuries in Washinton Car Accidents
Whiplash is an injury caused by soft-tissue damage, but other structures in the cervical spine may also suffer injuries in a car accident, including injuries to the vertebrae, discs, and spinal cord. Common neck injuries cited in car accident claims include:
- Cervical Spondylolisthesis: one or more vertebrae slip out of alignment
- Herniated or slipped disc: the tough outer casing of one of the cushioning discs between vertebrae in the neck may rupture causing the gel-like middle to bulge outward, pressing on nerves
- Sprained or strained neck: torn tendons or ligaments in the neck
- Nerve injuries: when damaged tendons, ligaments, bones, or discs move out of place they may pinch, compress, or shear nerves, causing painful symptoms or numbness
- Facet joint injuries: a car accident may cause swelling in the joints that normally allow your head to move freely, causing pain and stiffness
- Neck fracture: when one of the seven bones in the neck cracks or breaks due to the force of an accident or from colliding with structures inside the vehicle during the crash, it’s a serious injury requiring stabilization and immediate medical attention
A broken neck may cause spinal cord injury as the sharp shards of bone damage or sever the nerves resulting in paralysis below the level of the break. Spinal cord injuries at the cervical level result in the most severe paralysis, impacting the upper and lower body.
How Can a Wells Trumbull Help?
Neck injuries are painful and debilitating, causing either temporary or permanent life-altering consequences. These consequences are your damages in a car accident claim and could include medical expenses, lost wages, and compensation for pain and suffering. Contact Wells Trumbull for experienced legal counsel to make the most compelling claim for compensation for your neck injury.