Neck Injuries
Just like back injuries, it is common for accident victims to experience neck pain and injury following the accident. The neck is composed of many muscles and nerves, and injury can occur when these are aggravated, torn, or stretched. All neck injuries are different and it may take days to weeks to months for symptoms to become onset and otherwise heal.
The neck is composed of many muscles and nerves, and injury can occur when these are aggravated, torn, or stretched. All neck injuries are different and sometimes it may take days to weeks to months for symptoms to become onset. It is important to seek immediate medical attention should you develop neck pain following an accident of any kind.
A medical provider will be able to advise you on the nature and extent of your injury and suggest treatment options. Further, they may be able to assist you should the injury be severe enough to force you to miss work. At Karp Steiger, we handle many types of neck injuries, including sprains, strains, whiplash, herniated cervical disks, fractures, dislocation, and serious spinal cord injuries.
We understand how serious these injuries can be and are always willing to help those who suffer neck injuries as a result of another’s negligence. We will investigate the facts leading to the neck injury and hold the liable party accountable for the injuries you sustained.
Call the attorneys at Karp Steiger, at 216-696-3515 if you or a loved one sustained a neck injury or any other injury following an accident. We happily provide free case consultations and take all cases on a contingency fee basis – meaning we will not be paid unless we can obtain compensation for our client.
What Are The Common Types Of Neck Injuries?
Neck injuries can result from various cause such as automobile accidents, falls, workplace incidents, blunt force trauma, and other events. Common types of neck injuries encompass:
Neck Fracture
When neck bones break, a fracture ensues. Trauma like a vehicle accident or fall can cause this.
Nerve Damage (Including Pinched Nerves)
Compression or pressure on neck nerves can create pinched nerves. This can cause discomfort, tingling, or numbness. Pinched nerves can result from traumas, repetitive movements, or herniated disks.
Whiplash
Car accidents, especially rear-end crashes, cause whiplash. When the head is jerked back and forth, neck muscles and ligaments are strained. Neck pain, stiffness, and headaches are whiplash symptoms.
Strained And Sprained Muscles
Injury, overexertion, and rapid movements can strain neck muscles. The injuries can cause pain, edema, and reduced range of motion.
Disk Injuries
Herniated disks harm the cushions (disks) between neck vertebrae. When the disk’s inner layer pushes through the outer layer, pain, numbness, and weakness may result.
Spinal Cord Damage
Serious neck spinal cord injuries can change your life. Traumatic events like vehicle accidents or falls might cause it. Paralysis or loss of sensation can result from spinal cord damage.
Even if you don’t feel hurt, get medical attention after an accident. Neck injury needs to have immediate medical attention for fast recovery and proper diagnosis. This is crucial for your health and safety. Post-accident medical care also documents your condition.
What Causes Most Neck Injuries?
Similar to numerous severe injuries, neck injuries frequently result from thoughtless, careless, or negligent behaviors. Whether these actions are deliberate or not, they often relate to incidents such as:
Falling Accidents
Falls can happen either at ground level or from higher places. Typically, the most at risk for serious and potentially fatal neck injuries following a fall are young children and older individuals.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Collisions like car crashes, big rig wrecks, and motorcycle accidents rank as the second most common cause of trauma-related neck injuries. In the realm of motor vehicle accidents and neck injuries, it’s crucial to recognize that:
- Even seemingly minor neck injuries, such as whiplash, can result in lasting effects
- Serious neck injuries can happen even in low-speed accidents that may seem minor at first glance
- The symptoms of neck injuries might not show up immediately, and the initial shock of an accident can make it easy to miss some signs
Work Accidents
Occupational accidents stand out as another major contributor to neck injuries. Beyond falls and motor vehicle accidents at work, various other occupational incidents frequently lead to neck injuries. These include (but aren’t restricted to):
- Explosions
- Accidents involving machinery
- Incidents causing crushing injuries
- Situations where someone is caught in between objects
- Incidents involving being struck by objects
Neck injuries from work can also result from repetitive stress, where continual strain on the neck over time damages the nerves, tendons, muscles, or bones in that area.
Sports-Related Accidents
Both professional athletes and those engaging in recreational sports may face the risk of neck injuries. Activities like heavy lifting, gymnastics, and contact sports pose potential dangers, leading to neck sprains, strains, stress, or sudden trauma.
Recreational Activity Accidents
Participating in various activities during travel can lead to accidents and injuries when lacking proper care, training, or equipment. Common vacation pursuits like paragliding, water sports, boating, bungee jumping, and other moderately to highly risky activities may result in neck pain or trauma.
These incidents can arise from personal mistakes but might also be due to faulty manufacturing, instructor or company negligence, or property management, depending on the accident’s nature.
Other Neck Injury Causes
Apart from what’s mentioned earlier, additional events that might play a role in causing serious neck injuries encompass:
- Accidents on hazardous properties
- Instances resulting from equipment malfunctions or product failures
- Violence or criminal assaults
- Other situations involving negligence
What Are The Symptoms Of A Serious Neck Injury After An Accident?
A neck injury may affect the neck or adjacent areas such as the head, face, eyes, throat, shoulders, arms, back, and even legs. Common symptoms may involve:
- Pain, tenderness, or tightness
- Increased pain during neck movement
- Limited range of motion
- Stiffness in the neck
- Headaches
- Jaw pain
- Pain between the shoulders
- Persistent fatigue
- Dizziness or unsteady balance
- Blurred vision
- Muscle spasms, including eyelid spasms
- Nausea or vomiting
- Swelling in the neck or throat
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing
- Sudden medical emergencies following a car accident neck injury
To diagnose your symptoms, your doctor may perform physical and neurological testing like X-rays. Surgery, cervical support collars, pain and anti-inflammatory drugs, and physical therapy may be prescribed after diagnosis.
Our Ohio neck injury lawyer can help you estimate injury-related costs. We can work with your doctors to understand your condition and recuperation time. We can also analyze your health insurance policy to find coverage choices.
What To Do Following A Neck Injury In Ohio?
A neck injury in Ohio can be unexpected, so don’t worry. Next steps are below. After a neck injury, you need a plan to protect your health and legal rights.
Seek Immediate Medical Attention
First, if you have a neck injury in Ohio, get medical attention immediately. A professional’s opinion is essential for strains, sprains, and more serious injuries. Visit the local hospital or clinic to prioritize your health. Delaying medical treatment may worsen the condition.
Document The Incident
After starting medical treatment, document the neck injury’s details. Write down what happened, where, and if witnesses existed. In Ohio, these details can be crucial legally. If feasible, take images of the scene or injury-related items as a visual diary.
Report To The Authorities
If the neck injury was caused by an accident, report it to the authorities. Report a car accident to the police. Injuries at work? Inform your employer. Reporting creates an official record and prepares for legal action.
Connect With An Ohio Attorney
Now, the legal dance begins. Following a neck accident, speaking with our experienced Ohio neck injury lawyer can change everything. We guide you through the legal system as your allies. Contact us to discuss your situation.
Follow Medical Advice And Treatment Plans
As you recover, follow your doctor’s recommendations and treatment plans. Follow your recovery plan for physical therapy, medications, and follow-ups. This protects your health and lays the groundwork for legal claims.
Keep Detailed Records
Your weapon and shield in court is documentation. Keep thorough records of neck injury medical bills, prescriptions, receipts, and costs. This material is the foundation of your case, showing how the injury has affected you.
Communicate With Insurance Companies
Insurance companies can be confusing, but they’re vital. Give your insurance company the necessary information.
Avoid oversharing and consult a lawyer before accepting compensation offers. Insurance companies like to settle quickly, but waiting can maximize your compensation.
What Is Ohio’s Statute Of Limitations For Neck Injury Claims?
Ohio law allows you to file a personal injury claim within two years of an accident caused by someone else’s negligence. You can’t pursue a personal injury claim for compensation after the statute of limitations expires.
You should discuss your injuries with our experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. You may win reimbursement for mounting debts if you file a claim quickly.
Who Can Be Held Liable For My Neck Injury?
Holding someone responsible for a neck injury is like unraveling a web. Knowing who is liable is crucial to getting justice and compensation.
Individuals Or Entities With Duty Of Care
People or entities with a duty of care are the first liability stop. This includes professionals who must protect our health and drivers who must drive safely. Hospitals and irresponsible drivers may be liable for neck injuries caused by medical negligence or reckless driving.
Employers And Workplace Liability
For workplace neck injuries, employers are liable. Employers must provide a safe workplace. They may be liable for neck injuries caused by unsafe conditions, lack of training, or employer negligence. These situations may include workers’ compensation.
Product Manufacturers In Product Liability Cases
Sometimes products cause neck injury. If a product you used was poorly designed, made, or lacks warnings, the manufacturer may be accountable. The manufacturer may be liable for a faulty car seat, medical device, or other product that causes harm.
Property Owners In Premises Liability Cases
Imagine slipping, falling, and injuring your neck. Such cases may make property owners accountable under premises liability. If the property is badly maintained, unsafe, or lacks warnings, the owner may be to blame for neck pain. This applies to public areas, corporations, and sometimes private homes.
Government Entities
In some instances, the long arm of the law reaches government entities. If a government employee or public property negligently caused your neck injury, you may have a claim. Importantly, suing government institutions frequently has unique procedures and limitations.
Other Individuals
Beyond these groups, direct harmers are also liable. If a car accident, fight, or other incident caused your neck injury, that person may be held personally accountable. Proof of negligence or deliberate harm is crucial in personal injury cases.
How Can I Prove That The Other Party Is Responsible For My Neck Injuries?
To receive compensation in a personal injury case, you must show that another party is responsible for your costs. This is done by demonstrating the following factors:
Duty
Duty is first established by identifying the defendant’s legal obligation to the plaintiff. For neck injury claims, this might be a doctor’s duty of care to a patient, a driver’s to other drivers, or an employer’s to their workers. The duty underpins the negligence claim. It’s a legal requirement to act properly under the circumstances.
Breach Of Duty
This is where negligence details matter. A failure to satisfy the standard of care in a given context is more than an error. A neck injury may result from a doctor ignoring a key diagnosis, a driver ignoring traffic laws, or an employer ignoring safety standards. The breach, a deviation from the norm, starts the negligence claim.
Causation
The narrative moves from duty and breach to causation, which links the defendant’s acts to the plaintiff’s neck injury. Proving causation requires showing that the breach of duty caused the harm.
Medical negligence cases require proof that the negligent act caused the neck injury. The facts must be carefully examined, frequently with expert witness, to establish cause and effect.
Damages
As the story progresses, damages — quantifying the plaintiff’s harm — are discussed. Damages can be physical, emotional, pecuniary, or punitive. Neck injury claims may include medical fees, rehabilitation, lost pay, and intangible losses to the plaintiff’s quality of life. The purpose is to vividly depict the consequences of neglect to convince the legal audience of its significance.
When we stand for you, we can assist in collecting the necessary documents to back your case, such as:
- Pictures of the accident scene and your injuries
- Accounts from witnesses
- The police report
- Statements from law enforcement
- Footage from traffic cameras
- Expert opinions from medical professionals and accident reconstruction specialists
- Your medical records
This data can support your claim in case the other party denies being responsible or if the insurance company questions the expenses related to your injuries.
What Compensation Can I Get For My Neck Injury Claim?
Compensation for a neck injury claim is like valuing your health. Knowing your compensation options can empower you on this journey. Let’s discuss economic and non-economic damages, which decide neck injury compensation.
Economic Damages
The tangible, quantifiable losses resulting from a neck injury fall under the umbrella of economic damages. These are the nuts and bolts of compensation, aiming to restore the financial equilibrium disrupted by the injury.
- Medical Expenses
- Lost Wages and Future Earnings
- Property Damage
Noneconomic Damages
Beyond the concrete financial losses, non-economic damages delve into the intangible aspects of the injury — the pain, suffering, and emotional toll that extend beyond a monetary value.
- Pain and Suffering
- Emotional Distress
- Loss of Consortium
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages may be awarded for extremely severe negligence that caused the neck injury. Punitive damages punish the offender and deter future behavior, unlike economic and non-economic penalties. They are rarely given and usually reserved for grave cases.
Why Do I Need An Ohio Neck Injury Lawyer?
Our Ohio neck injury lawyer commits time, experience, and resources to your case. We strive to clarify your rights, investigate your claim, collect evidence, and manage every aspect of the legal process.
Armed with a thorough knowledge of state and federal personal injury law, we guarantee your case aligns with all deadlines and comprehensively includes all your injuries and losses in the claim. Our personal injury attorney will also:
- Manage negotiations and communication with insurance companies
- Offer you legal guidance
- Take care of any necessary paperwork
Karp Steiger, is located in Ohio and provides a risk-free consultation. Contact us today to arrange a consultation.
Pursuing Just Compensation With Our Experienced Ohio Neck Injury Lawyer
If you find yourself grappling with the complexities of a neck injury in Ohio, consider seeking the guidance of legal professionals. Karp Steiger, stands ready to assist you on this journey. With a commitment to understanding the unique aspects of your case, our trusted Ohio neck injury lawyer navigates the intricacies of personal injury law.
Whether it’s medical malpractice, workplace injuries, or accidents, Karp Steiger, offers the legal guidance needed to pursue just compensation. Our law firm can also represent you in bicycle accidents, boat accidents, bus accidents, and fatal accidents.
Reach out for a risk-free consultation and let our legal professionals guide you through the process, ensuring your rights and well-being are prioritized.