When passengers suffer injuries in a car accident, those injuries usually include cervical spine (neck) injuries. Most people do not realize that these serious neck injuries can even occur in low-impact auto accidents. Neck injuries are hard to notice immediately after a car crash because the symptoms do not manifest until a few days after the accident. Even if you believe your auto accident was minor, signs that you were injured may take several days to develop.
If you or a member of your family have been involved in any motor vehicle accident, you should be examined by emergency room physicians. The trauma and shock and trauma associated with motor vehicle accidents will make it difficult for an accident victim to assess their injuries accurately. Severe cervical spine injuries are not always immediately felt right after an accident. So, you should always obtain immediate medical treatment and document your injuries after a traffic accident. Accident victims always heal faster and more thoroughly when they receive prompt medical care.
One of the key indicators of whiplash is chronic neck pain. Whiplash is one of the most common injuries sustained in motor vehicle accidents. Whiplash happens when an accident victim’s neck moves suddenly back and forth. This sudden movement causes injury to the victim’s neck muscles and vertebrae. Untreated neck injuries can turn into debilitating arthritis resulting in permanent disability and pain. A lot of car accident injury studies show that about 50% of all whiplash victims developed arthritis a few years after their car accident.
If you or a loved one has been in an accident and have neck pain, it is important to contact your doctor as soon as possible for a medical evaluation. The most common whiplash signs include general neck soreness, chronic neck pain, and headaches. Moreover, a sign of whiplash includes difficulty moving the head. Always remember that the symptoms of whiplash might last for several months or even years after the crash. Accident injury victims may require ongoing medical therapy. Most patients also miss a lot of work receiving ongoing rehabilitative treatment. Medical treatment expenses for whiplash-type injuries will put a substantial financial strain on accident victims. Therefore, if injured, contact Parker Waichman LLP to file your injury compensation claim. The time that you have to file your claim is limited by state law. So, call Parker Waichman LLP today.
The Prognosis of Car Accident-Related Cervical Spinal Cord Injuries
The spine’s top area comprises seven neck vertebrae, C-1 to C-7. Cervical spinal cord injuries are usually more severe than other spinal injuries because of their close proximity to the brain. In many circumstances, a cervical injury can lead accident victim causing tetraplegia or quadriplegia. When somebody suffers from quadriplegia or tetraplegia, they have no feeling below their neck or shoulders. Cervical injuries often involve permanent or partial loss of sensory function. High cervical spinal cord injuries can also be fatal.
To correctly diagnose the severity of a spinal cord injury, a doctor will have to perform several diagnostic tests. Doctors will check the victim’s strength and sensation in the patient’s arms and legs. Doctors will also use imaging to look for spine abnormalities or spinal fractures.
Ascertaining the prognosis of a spinal cord injury often depends on the severity of the spinal injury. If the spinal cord injury victim needs surgery and they have received all of the necessary surgeries, the patient will begin the recovery process.
The first step of the healing phase concentrates on stabilizing the spinal cord. Then steroid and anti-inflammatory medications are administered as quickly as possible. Methylprednisolone is often used to reduce the patient’s swelling, and it’s important to stop the swelling because swelling can cause additional damage to the patient’s spinal cord. After a period, the patient will begin rehabilitation to re-learn how to use their arms, hands, and legs. Cervical spinal cord injury patients will often need round-the-clock assistance.
If you or a loved one have been hurt in an accident, seek immediate medical attention. When you visit the emergency room, the doctor will document your injuries. That information is necessary should you need to file an insurance claim or lawsuit.
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