A Guide to Neck and Back Injuries After an Accident

Why Neck and Back Injuries Are So Common in Accidents

The biomechanics of a vehicular collision are what make neck and back injuries from car accidents so dangerous. The sudden force exerted on impact can cause the body to jerk forward and back, placing great stress on the spinal column. 

This is a result of inertia, the physical principle that an object in motion will remain in motion unless an outside force stops it — the body continues moving forward as the car stops, resulting in sudden deceleration that leads to injuries. An auto accident neck injury or back injury occurs as a result of the body absorbing this energy.

The neck and spine are also particularly vulnerable parts of the human anatomy. The neck contains seven vertebrae, as well as ligaments and other tissues that can easily become strained.

An auto accident back injury, especially one involving the lower back, is also likely because of its weight-bearing function. The twisting and jerking motions you experience in a collision can place even more stress on this part of your body. All of the spine’s surrounding tissues can experience strain as well.

To make matters worse, you may not initially realize that you’ve suffered an injury at all. This lack of awareness could delay treatment, potentially exacerbating your injuries.

Common Types of Neck and Back Injuries

There are a number of back and soft tissue injuries car accidents can cause, including the following:

Whiplash

Depending on the type of car accident, whiplash can practically be a guaranteed outcome.

It occurs as a result of the sudden and forceful bending of the neck backward (hyperextension), then forward (hyperflexion), straining the neck muscles. It occurs because of the rapid changes in speed during the collision and the inertia the body experiences.

The neck is articulated to allow a degree of motion, but its vulnerable vertebrae and tissues often can’t withstand the force of a crash. Some of the most notable symptoms of whiplash include:

• Neck pain and stiffness
• Discomfort that gets worse with movement
• General fatigue
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Tenderness in the shoulders and arms

It’s common to experience delayed neck pain after car accidents. It can take several days for inflammation to peak, which causes other symptoms to manifest.

Herniated or Bulging Discs

The vertebrae have “discs” between them that act as cushions to permit mobility and prevent the bones from rubbing together. These discs are made of a jelly-like substance.

Trauma can cause that substance to leak from its outer casing, putting pressure on nearby nerves and affecting movement. This condition is known as a herniated or “bulging” disc.

A herniated disc after car accidents can cause pain, tingling and numbness, muscle spasms, and muscle weakness, among other issues.

Soft Tissue Injuries

The soft tissue injuries car accidents tend to cause are often described as being minor, but they can nonetheless result in severe pain and loss of range of motion.

Soft tissue injuries after car accidents can include strains, which are injuries caused by overstretching the muscles and tendons. Sprains are a similar injury that affects the ligaments that connect bones. They result from the tissue stretching beyond its normal capacity. 

Spinal Cord Injuries

These injuries may occur in any part of the spinal cord and can be classified as complete or incomplete. Complete spinal cord injuries don’t allow any nerve communication below the site of the injury, meaning the victim loses all motor function and sensation.

Paraplegia is the term for paralysis of the lower body. In severe cases involving the cervical spine (neck), a crash victim can also lose sensation and movement in all of their limbs. This is known as quadriplegia or tetraplegia. 

An incomplete spinal cord injury occurs when the spine suffers only partial damage, allowing some nerve signals to pass.

Because of the complexity of these injuries, a spinal cord injury lawyer will recommend immediate medical care.

Fractures

It’s also possible to suffer a vertebral compression fracture (VCF) in a car accident. This refers to one or more of the vertebrae breaking. Aside from causing significant pain, you can lose range of motion, as well as some height. Many people with VCF have a stooped posture because it’s too painful to stand with their spine completely straight.

Tingling, muscle weakness, and even bowel or bladder control problems can occur with VCF. The exact symptoms you experience will depend on the site of the injury. 

Recognizing the Symptoms: Immediate and Delayed Pain 

Most people expect to feel pain immediately after a crash. However, it’s normal to experience delayed neck pain after car accidents. For example, swelling can take hours or days to appear. Even back pain after car accidents can take time to make itself known, especially if it involves the nerves.

Immediate symptoms of neck injury after accidents include:

• Localized pain
• Stiffness
• Blurred vision
• Trouble swallowing
• Muscle spasms

Most of the time, immediate symptoms point to severe injury. Fracturing a vertebra, for example, can cause pain as soon as the break happens. The same is often true when a ligament tears completely.

Delayed symptoms of back injury after car accidents can include:

• A dull ache that intensifies each day
• Tingling or numbness
• Headaches that get progressively worse
• Pain radiating to the extremities
• Sleep disturbances
• Severe muscle spasms
• Loss of range of motion
• Nausea and vomiting

Some people also experience emotional symptoms after collisions that result in neck or back pain. The stiffness, discomfort, and inability to move as you normally do can lead to depression and anxiety, particularly when days go by without relief.

So, why do delayed symptoms occur? Adrenaline often masks or forestalls pain. When you’re in a crash, your body will be thrown into a fight-or-flight response, leading to a huge surge of adrenaline and endorphins. You may feel extremely fatigued or run down once the adrenaline wears off.

Inflammation plays a role in delayed symptoms, too. Soft tissue injuries usually cause swelling, but this takes time. Once the inflammation starts, you may begin feeling pain and a reduced range of motion. The symptoms can get worse as the days pass, and some may only get better with targeted treatment.  

Because it can be difficult to understand whether and how badly you were hurt, the best thing you can do is to seek medical attention. Auto accidents can cause complex and sometimes hidden injuries. A healthcare professional will be able to do imaging tests to see if you need further care.

The Critical First Step: Seek Medical Attention Immediately 

Getting immediate medical attention is vital for your overall health, but it also serves another key purpose: protecting your legal claim. 

For your claim to succeed, you must demonstrate that the crash was the cause of your injuries. If you allow too much time to pass before you seek medical attention, auto accident insurance companies can claim that something else caused your injuries. You’ll struggle to prove causation, which will make taking legal action far more difficult.

Creating a medical record as soon as possible forms that crucial link between the accident and your injuries. If you can get that record started at the site of the accident by calling paramedics, you’ll be giving your claim a huge boost. Make sure to follow all of the EMTs’ suggestions for treatment, including going to the hospital for examination.

Auto accident lawyers frequently recommend seeing a few different doctors, depending on your injuries. If you have immediate pain, you’ll need to visit the ER to rule out potentially catastrophic injuries that could leave you with permanent complications. 

However, your primary care physician will be able to treat certain soft tissue injuries, such as whiplash, though they may refer you to other professionals for specialized care. For example, an orthopedist would be the best choice for many injuries because they address conditions that impact the musculoskeletal system. 

If you’re experiencing numbness or tingling or are having trouble moving parts of your body, you may need to see a neurologist. They can perform imaging and prevent more serious issues from developing. 

It’s imperative to follow all of the instructions these medical professionals give you to the letter. Even if you start feeling better and your symptoms improve, don’t abandon your prescribed treatment before it’s complete.

How To Document Car Accident Injuries for a Stronger Claim

Documenting accident injuries is critical for proving what you’ve gone through and what your recovery will look like. 

Here are the essential steps you’ll need to take:

• Keep detailed records: Create a file where you can easily access all of the information related to your injuries and care.
• Retain all bills and receipts: Every time you get treatment, hold on to the bill or receipt so you can substantiate that particular expense.
• Collect doctors’ notes: Keep any notes your doctor writes regarding how long treatment may take and whether you’re expected to make a full recovery.
• Take photos: As soon as you’re able, take photos or videos of any visible injuries you’ve sustained, including cuts, bruises, and fractures.
• Start an injury journal: Writing down what you go through day to day can help provide a sense of the physical and emotional distress you’ve experienced.
• Track missed work: You may need to take time off from work to heal, so keep a running calculation of the income you lose during that period.
• Follow all of your doctor’s instructions: Finish your doctor-prescribed treatment as ordered to avoid scrutiny from insurers.
• Get testimonies from loved ones: Request statements from friends and relatives who can speak about the impact your injuries have had on your daily life.

Being able to present a substantial amount of evidence that clearly documents the injuries you’ve sustained, the distress they’ve caused, when you might recover, and what expenses you’ve incurred can improve the chances of your claim succeeding.

Proving Fault and Injury in a Las Vegas Accident Claim

Proving neck and back injuries and linking them to the at-fault party’s actions requires you to establish that negligence took place. This means demonstrating that the responsible driver owed you a duty of care that they breached, and that the breach directly caused losses for which you can be compensated for. 

In a criminal case, it would be necessary to prove that the defendant was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. In civil cases, however, you only need to show that a preponderance of evidence exists indicating that the defendant caused your injuries. This is a lower standard, but one that can still be challenging to meet.

To clear this bar, your car accident attorney will rely on a variety of evidence, beginning with your medical records. These documents will clearly spell out the injuries you’ve sustained and the treatment you’ve received. 

Witness testimony can also be a difference-maker for your claim. Eyewitnesses can give statements that explain how the accident occurred, while expert witnesses can answer medical, mechanical, or engineering questions that are relevant to proving fault. Judges and juries tend to place special weight on witness testimony as evidence.

What Is Your Neck and Back Injury Claim Worth? 

There’s no such thing as an average car accident settlement because each case is unique. It will fall on the insurance companies and your lawyer — and possibly a judge or jury — to decide on what your claim is worth.

That being said, there are a few factors that can influence your car accident injury settlement. The severity of your injuries is one of the first things to consider. Whiplash settlement values will typically be lower, for example, than what you might receive if you were to suffer a spinal cord injury. 

The treatment you require is another central concern. If you’ll need multiple surgeries or physical therapy after a car accident, these represent ongoing financial losses that should be addressed. Your settlement must allow you to take care of these costs for as long as they’re necessary.

You’ll likely have missed at least a few days of work because of your injury. The more income you lose, the more you can claim as part of your economic damages.

If your injury is so severe that you can’t return to work in the same capacity or at all, you stand to receive compensation for loss of earning potential. This can help ensure that you receive what you would have made in your normal working hours. 

When calculating compensation for a neck injury, car accident lawyers also look at the overall impact of the injury on the victim’s life. If you can’t live as you used to or you’ll be left dealing with pain or mobility issues for years to come, you can expect the settlement to be more substantial. Your physical and emotional distress will also be taken into account. 

Another pivotal factor is the quality of the evidence you possess demonstrating that the other party is liable. If you have numerous pieces of strong evidence, like video footage of the crash, it can help your attorney recover adequate compensation on your behalf, as the insurance companies will be more likely to negotiate a fair deal. 

Nevada operates under a modified comparative negligence law. This means that you can still receive compensation if you were partly responsible for your accident, but only if your percentage of fault isn’t greater than the other party’s. Your final award will be reduced by your degree of fault as determined by an insurer or jury.

Why You Need an Experienced Las Vegas Auto Accident Lawyer

If you’ve suffered injuries in a collision, working with a qualified Las Vegas auto accident lawyer can improve your chances of getting fair compensation. The proven team at Adam S. Kutner, Injury Attorneys, can guide you through the legal process. 

We’ll investigate your accident and gather evidence to show that the other party is responsible. Because we have years of experience negotiating with insurance companies, we’re confident we can recover the damages you need to offset your losses.

We’re an award-winning firm that offers comprehensive and client-centered legal support. You aren’t just another case to us — you’re a voice that deserves to be heard.

Fighting for Fair Compensation After a Car Accident 

Car accidents can produce neck and back injuries of all severities. If you’re dealing with such an injury, you can only benefit from having a dedicated lawyer in your corner.

At Adam S. Kutner, Injury Attorneys, we offer free consultations to make pursuing legal action as stress-free as possible for our clients.

FAQ