Neck pain associated with auto accidents costs insurance companies $8.8 billion per year. Neck sprains and strains are the most common injuries reported in auto accidents, according to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety.
Neck Injuries
When cars collide, the head moves relative to the torso and the neck is strained, sprained or pulled beyond its normal range of motion. The muscles of the neck are bruised or torn (soft tissue damage).
Symptoms include: reduced range of head or neck motion, pain in the shoulders and/or upper back, stiffness and neck muscle pain. Nerve damage and long-term symptoms can occur even in mild neck distortions.
Whiplash
Most often associated with rear-end crashes, whiplash occurs when the head moves backward beyond the neck's normal range of motion. More severe whiplash can cause dizziness, headaches and tingling in the arms.
Back Injuries
Common back injuries occur most often in side impact and offset front end crashes (not head-on). The back bends beyond its normal range of motion to one side, causing muscle strain or sprain. Back pain can last short times or be lifelong.
Spine Injuries
The spine is the set of bones protecting the spinal cord and extends from the skull to the pelvis. In auto accidents, the back and neck are often bent or twisted beyond the spine's ability to protect the spinal cord.
Severe compression of the neck can cause the vertebrae, the bones which make up the spine, to break or chip. Swelling from neck and back injuries can temporarily compress nerves causing numbness and tingling.
Discs between the vertebrae cushion the spine and spinal cord. When the discs are put under pressure from the back or neck responding to an auto accident, they can herniate or rupture.
A herniated disc has a bulge created from vertebrae pressing on it. This bulge can cause nerve damage or paralysis.
A ruptured disc has a shattered membrane and can no longer hold its shape. The vertebrae move closer together and press on the nerves running off the spinal cord to the rest of the body. Nerve damage, paralysis, limited motion and pain are symptoms of a ruptured disc.
Medical Treatment
If you suspect you or a passenger in your car have a neck, back or spine injury, do not move the injured person unless his life is in danger. Moving a person with a spine injury can cause permanent paralysis.
911 paramedics will immobilize the neck and spine of the injured person before moving him to a hospital. A doctor will x-ray or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) the spine to diagnose the injury.
After leaving the hospital, the injured person should see another doctor. Additional medical treatment and/or rehabilitation is necessary to return the maximum ability to the injured person.
Untreated neck, back and spine injuries can lead to permanent paralysis or increased, permanent nerve damage.
Legal Assistance
Once the injured person is stabilized by the hospital, contact an accident attorney. Each state has a statute of limitations. After a certain time, victims cannot sue the person responsible for their injuries. An attorney will file the necessary paperwork to protect victims from the statute of limitations.
Insurance companies will offer accident victims a small amount ("a nuisance payment") to abandon their claims. If you accept this payment, you may give up your right to legal action. Do not accept money or sign paperwork from the insurance company without speaking to an attorney.
Other insurance companies may ask a victim to see a certain doctor, who will claim the injury is healed or not as severe as an impartial doctor would diagnose. An accident attorney will advise clients to see professionals about their injuries.
Protect your legal rights with an attorney if you have a neck, back or spine injury from an auto accident.