Neck and Spine Injuries from Gettysburg Car Accidents

Injuries after car accidents are everyday occurrences. The most common areas you may experience these injuries in are your neck and spine. If you experience injury to the lumbar, cervical, or thoracic spine, you can suffer long-term ailments, including paralysis.

Unfortunately, these injuries are common after car accidents in Gettysburg. These injuries are severe and can complicate your compensation claim. You could require extensive treatment or suffer a permanent disability that requires a substantial settlement. Get help from the team at KBG Injury Law.

Common neck injuries

In some accidents, your neck will suddenly jerk forward and cause neck pain or other injuries. The pain may appear immediately or show in a day or so. Your neck can also jerk from side to side, or you could be hit by debris. Sometimes, you tense up during a collision, which can also be a factor. Various parts of your neck can suffer injuries, from the discs, vertebra, and tissues. Depending on the impact, you could experience nine different neck injuries, including the following.

Slipped or herniated discs

This is the most common type of spinal injury. While focusing on the neck, it is also a common back injury. These injuries happen to the intervertebral discs in the cervical spine. This is a jelly-filled area that absorbs shock and protects you. Sometimes, the discs will rupture, bulge, slip, or herniate. You can experience pain or numbness in the arms and neck.

Sprains or strains

Strain injuries can impact your tendons, tissues, and joints. Conversely, sprains affect the ligaments and soft tissues. You can experience pain when moving your head or neck. You may also suffer muscle spasms and reduced mobility.

Cervical spondylolisthesis

This is when one or more vertebrae slip out of alignment. They may also dislocate. These injuries can be mild or severe. They can cause radiating pain to the back of your head or your shoulders.

Facet joint injury

These joints help move your head and neck. If they are injured, you can experience inflammation and pain.

Pinched nerve

These injuries involve tissue, bones, or disc damage. They can also lead to the tendons hitting out of place. Sufferers will experience tingling, numbness, and pain.

Cuts and lacerations

Deep cuts may require stitches and damage your ligaments and tendons.

Stiff muscles and tendons

You may find it difficult to move your neck or stay in the same position for too long.

Muscles spasms

Your muscles will tighten and loosen around the neck, causing extreme pain. You could experience twinges in your back, neck, shoulders, and arms.

Fracture or compressions

This is when one or more bones in the neck are broken or cracked. Paralysis and death are possible from these injuries, making medical treatment imperative.

Spinal cord injuries

The spinal cord encompasses more than your neck. Back and neck injuries are often similar because of the overall makeup of the spine. A spinal cord injury refers to damage to the spinal cord. There are two categories for these injuries: incomplete or complete.

An incomplete spinal cord injury happens when the victim is left with some sensation below the affected area. A complete spinal cord injury is when the victim has no feeling or use under the impacted area. Complete spinal cord injuries often lead to tetraplegia, paraplegia, and other forms of paralysis.

How Gettysburg car accidents cause these injuries

Car accidents can cause spinal injuries to the thoracic, lumbar, or cervical spine. They could impair the person, interfering with the spinal column’s nerves. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, almost 40% of spinal injuries are from car accidents. The force of a collision can cause trauma to the spinal cord. It also affects the spinal nerves. Often, people assume it should be a hard-impact crash, but not necessarily. Some factors that can impact the severity of your injury include:

• Height, weight, and gender
• Seat position in the vehicle
• Speed
• Prior injuries
• If your head was turned

Car accidents cause the body to contort in unnatural ways. It puts stress on the spinal column, which can result in injury. These injuries require medical treatment and evaluations. Speak to a Gettysburg car accident lawyer to review your legal options.

Symptoms of spinal injuries

Three parts of your spine could be impacted by a car accident. The cervical spine encompasses your neck and upper back. Your thoracic spine focuses on your mid back. Your lumbar spine is your lower back. You could experience symptoms from the injury site down, depending on where the injury occurs. The higher the injury on your spine, the more dangerous it could be. The following symptoms are often attributed to a spinal injury:

• Muscle spasms
• Loss of touch or senses
• Muscle weakness
• Loss of motion
• Sexual dysfunction
• Numbness
• Tingling sensation
• Breathing difficulty
• Stinging along your spine
• Pinching sensations
• Digestion issues
• Bowel and bladder control issues

The most significant long-term effect you can experience from a spinal cord injury is paralysis. This can happen when the spine suffers severe trauma and leaves the person unable to move their arms or legs. They may also lose sensation or feeling. Injury victims can suffer paraplegia or quadriplegia.

Treating neck and spine injuries

The sooner you get treatment, the better your chances of recovery. Before you can obtain treatment, you need an accurate diagnosis. This involves a physical examination and diagnostic imaging. Some common treatment options for spinal injuries include:

• Rest
• Surgery
• Medication
• Injections
• Physical therapy

Neck and spine injuries can quickly incur substantial medical bills. You may also suffer job loss and permanent impairment. You must get compensation for these losses from the negligent parties. KBG Injury Law has the experience and knowledge to help you during this challenging time. Call our Gettysburg car accident lawyer or submit our contact form if you are in the South Central Pennsylvania area.