Philadelphia Neck Injury Lawyer
A neck injury is one of the most common types of injuries suffered in accidents, and they can become chronic or debilitating, causing long-term pain, discomfort and disability. Although traumatic a neck or back injuries are relatively common, the Philadelphia, PA personal injury lawyers at The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers, treat each case uniquely and recognize that your injury is anything but common to you.
There are many different parts of the neck that can be easily injured, including bones, joints, nerves, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Your bones or soft tissue can be damaged, sprained, strained, or torn, resulting in serious pain and limited mobility of your head, shoulders, and arms.
Too many people ignore neck pain and delay seeking the treatment they need because they believe the pain will subside and that their injury is not serious enough to see a doctor. In reality, however, neck injuries can take a toll and have many effects on your life if they are not properly treated. The following is some additional information regarding neck injuries.
Neck Injuries: Common Causes
Neck injuries affect thousands of people each year. While many injuries to the neck are minor, in some cases they can result in chronic pain and other long-term complications. In addition to causing pain, many people who sustain neck injuries lose income to missed work and incur significant medical expenses treating their injuries. Fortunately, Pennsylvania tort law allows people who sustain neck injuries caused by negligence to recover for these and other losses they may experience. Calling a Philadelphia personal injury attorney is the first step that victims should take to make sure that they receive the compensation they deserve after a preventable neck injury. A lawyer will evaluate the circumstances of your accident and fight to obtain the maximum amount of compensation from the person or party responsible for your injuries.
Neck injuries can involve a number of different types of trauma to the neck and spinal cord, but generally occur as soft-tissue injuries to the muscles and ligaments of the neck. Often, they happen as a result of the head being snapped quickly back and forth or side to side on the neck, which often occurs in cases of sudden acceleration or deceleration. Some of the common kinds of accidents that can cause neck injuries include the following:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Slip and falls
- Falls down stairs
- Bicycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Sports injuries
- Playground accidents
- Swimming pool accidents
- Injuries caused by consumer products
Neck Injury Symptoms And Effects
Following any type of accident, you should keep an eye out for any symptoms that may indicate that your neck has been injured. Such symptoms can include:
- Soreness
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Stiffness
- Lack of mobility
- Shoulder pain
- Headaches
Even dull pain in your head, neck, or shoulders can wear you down easily. In addition to the physical pain and impairments of neck injuries, dealing with chronic and ongoing pain can also have an effect on your mental and emotional health. If left untreated, people with neck injuries may become depressed and may avoid their usual activities.
Furthermore, neck pain can keep many people from performing their job duties. They may have to take time off from work until their neck feels better. In some cases, neck pain can persist for so long that they may lose their jobs or may have to find a new type of job that they can perform. In either situation, neck injuries can result in lost wages, benefits, and professional opportunities.
Diagnosis And Treatment
Because of the potentially serious effects of neck injuries, getting a proper diagnosis as soon as possible is critical. If needed, you should go to the emergency department or you can make an appointment with your physician, who may then refer you to a specialist. Some of the steps in a neck injury diagnosis can include:
- Reviewing the type of pain that is occurring (radiating, sharp, dull ache, etc.)
- Location of the pain
- Asking about numbness, tingling, or similar sensations
- Mobility restrictions
- Checking reflexes and neurological abilities
- Imaging tests such as X-rays and cervical MRIs [1]
Once a neck injury is diagnosed, the recommended course of treatment will depend on the specific diagnosis. Some recommendations can include taking painkillers, physical therapy, chiropractic care, physical rest, muscle relaxers, cortisone shots, and in some rare circumstances, surgery. Because treating neck pain often takes time, the costs can add up significantly and can cause serious financial issues, especially if you cannot work in the meantime.
If another person caused your accident and neck injury, you can file an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit against them, depending on the circumstances. First, you must identify who was at fault and the exact type of negligent act that they committed to cause the accident. You must also prove how much you lost due to your neck injury including costs of medical treatment, lost income, future treatment costs and future lost earning power, pain and suffering, mental suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. It is important to realize that you only have a limited period of time to file a claim due to the statute of limitations in Pennsylvania, [2] so you should not delay consulting with an experienced attorney about your rights.
Sometimes, the symptoms of a neck injury may not appear for hours or even days after an accident occurs. As a result, it is extremely important for victims to seek medical attention immediately after a neck injury is suspected. Seeing a physician will ensure that your injuries are properly diagnosed, and it will also generate a record connecting the injuries you sustained to the accident in which you were involved. In some cases, a neck injury can result in chronic pain requiring extensive and ongoing rehabilitative care, so victims are advised to contact an attorney as soon as it becomes clear that an injury has been sustained.
We understand that a neck injury, which may be caused by car and motorcycle accidents, slip and fall accidents, or from many other causes, dramatically change our clients’ lives. There are the obvious visible injuries, such as cuts, scrapes and bruises. But quite often, there may be internal injuries that can turn out to be the most serious. Our lawyers understand the different diagnoses – including myositis, myofascitis, fasciitis, neuropathy, soft tissue injury, spondylosis, arthritis, stenosis, spondylolisthesis, scoliosis, whiplash, pinched nerve, radiculopathy and parasthesia – of internal injuries resulting from neck trauma.
Neck injuries can change a person’s behavior, and destroy a person’s ability to perform the types of functions we all take for granted. Neck injuries sometimes require long-term care and rehabilitation, and may involve extraordinary medical expenses. At The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers, we understand the severity of these traumatic neck injuries, and work with our clients, their friends and family, as well as their doctors, psychologists, long-term care planners, and others, to assure that our clients receive not only the finest legal representation, but also the finest support and medical care.
Representing clients with traumatic neck injuries requires a team of aggressive investigators and lawyers all devoting their maximum effort to their clients. At The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers, our Pennsylvania and New Jersey personal injury attorneys work together with a team of investigators and support staff to investigate every claim so that we may aggressively and zealously represent our clients and obtain the best possible results.
Contact A Philadelphia Neck Injury Attorney For A Free Consultation
While a neck injury may not sound especially serious, people who have suffered this type of injury know just how significantly it can affect your life. Neck injuries can have an effect on your physical health, emotional well-being, professional life, and more and victims deserve to be fully compensated for their losses by any party who caused their injuries. At The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers, our Philadelphia personal injury attorneys can help you prove the severity of your neck injury and seek the compensation you deserve. Please call our office at (215) 825-5183 today.