Neck and back injuries can be insidious. That is because they arise either following a personal injury accident, or don’t surface until weeks after a mishap. The most common causes for these kinds of injuries are bus accidents, auto accidents, truck accidents, pre-existing injuries that are not properly diagnosed, and slip and fall mishaps. A neck or spinal cord injury is considered severe, and therefore can impact the sufferer’s quality of life.
Personal Injury Cases
A personal injury attorney in Bethlehem, PA manages cases involving herniated disks, fractured vertebrae, nerve impingement, and paraplegia. Back and neck injuries that happen as the result of another person’s negligence, or on another person’s property, are often the basis for personal injury (PI) claims and/or settlements.
The neck and back can sustain a variety of injuries, including bone fractures, muscle strain, nerve damage, and ligament tears. Associated injuries can also take the form of compression fractures, whiplash, spinal cord injuries, or sciatica.
Defining Whiplash
When a personal injury attorney becomes involved in a case, it often has to do with an injury to the spine, or whiplash. Whiplash, which occurs as the result of a trauma to the head and neck, often takes place during a motor vehicle crash. The damage can impact the discs, joints, and almost always the ligaments and muscles.
Whiplash-Associated Symptoms
A personal injury attorney often represents whiplash cases where the client suffers pain in the shoulders, arms, or head. Dizziness occurs in about 30% of the people who sustain a whiplash injury, possibly because the inner ear is injured during the accident. Problems with vision, ringing in the ears, fatigue, and lower back pain can all be related to whiplash.
While most people make a recovery from a personal injury, such as whiplash, in about six months, people who had back problems or a history of neck pain before an accident may never reach a full recovery. That is why, if you are injured in an accident, you need to consult with a personal injury attorney.
