Neck Pain After Car Accidents
People involved in car accidents in the Daytona Beach, FL area can turn to the attorney of Chanfrau & Chanfrau for help. Our law firm has always been strong advocates for family and loved ones who have been affected by auto collisions. We want to help you hold negligent drivers accountable when they cause you physical harm and severe losses.
Neck injuries are among the most serious consequences of auto collisions, and they can have many lasting impacts on your life. We’d like to consider why neck pain after a crash must be taken seriously.
How Common Are Neck Injuries After Car Accidents?
Neck injuries are common after an auto collision, even at low speeds. This is due to the force exerted on the body, and how the neck may be pulled or stretched in response to a collision.
A study on low-speed collisons published in 2008 examined 105 crashes under 10 miles per hour. Of the 113 occupants of those vehicles, 40.6 percent were diagnosed with some sort of injury to the neck/cervical spine. If this is indicative of the harm caused by low-speed collisions, you can imagine the more serious harm that can occur in crashes at 35 miles per hour and at highway speeds.
Whiplash Injuries
Whiplash is the most well-known neck injury associated with auto collisions. The injury involves the sudden extension and distortion of the neck’s shape and position. If you can picture the cracking of a whip, that illustrates the kind of motion the neck goes through when involved in a collision.
Whiplash is most common in rear end crashes, though it can occur in all sorts of collisions. Most people who experience whiplash will notice neck pain, neck stiffness, headaches originating at the base of the neck, and even sensory disturbances that spread into the shoulders and arms. These symptoms may arise hours or even days after the crash.
Lingering Pain as a Sign of a Serious Injury
Sometimes people who experience a neck injury in a collision notice a lingering pain that lasts for several days or even weeks. Our Daytona Beach attorneys encourage people who’ve been injured in a crash to seek medical care as soon as possible. Lingering pain and symptoms that affect the neck could be the sign of a serious injury that requires professional attention. The nerves, muscles, and vertebrae of the cervical spine may be all negatively impacted.
Long-Term Effects of Neck Injures
Neck injuries can last a long time, affecting your mobility and your ability to accomplish certain tasks. For serious neck injuries that affect the spine and the nerves, the impact could even last for years. Use of the arms and hands may be adversely affected, and you may experience recurring headaches and body pain that will not relent.
Legal Damages That May Be Sought
If your collision was the result of negligence, you can seek compensatory and possibly punitive damages from the negligent party.
Compensatory damages can cover the cost of medical expenses, including long-term care and physical therapy. The compensatory damages will also cover lost wages, damage to your vehicle, and other financial and material losses related to the crash.
Punitive damages may be sought if the crash was especially egregious. These damages are intended to punish the negligent party for the harm they have caused.
Contact Our Law Firm
If you or a loved one has suffered a neck injury in a car crash, be sure to contact the auto accident lawyers of Chanfrau & Chanfrau. We can discuss your legal options in greater detail. You can reach our Daytona Beach by phon at (866) 610-0653 and our Palm Coast office at (386) 439-7760.