Neck Injury

Any injury to the neck is potentially an injury to many of our body systems and potentially fatal. Our necks contain:

• Breathing passages

• Crucial large nerves in the spine

• Large, major blood vessels

• The esophagus, for swallowing food

• Our voice box

• Four glands, including the thyroid gland, a very important one

Although the neck is protected above by the skull, behind by the spinal bones, and underneath by our ribs and sternum, it’s unprotected in the front and sides. Those protective bones can also be damaged in a severe accident.

And in addition to all that, there are many muscles and ligaments around the neck which could be torn or severed in a severe accident.

Whiplash injuries

These are common injuries in auto accidents. When we travel in a motor vehicle, and for some reason the vehicle suddenly stops, our head continues to travel at the speed the vehicle was going, jerking forward roughly until it’s stopped by the bones, muscles and ligaments attaching it to the spine. After being abruptly flung forward by this momentum, it then reactively gets flung backwards. This is why headrests are valuable, as they cushion that backward movement and block it.

This rough back and forth movement can cause severe injury to the spine, including the nerves within those spinal bones. Whiplash injuries are famous for their delayed appearance. The pain isn’t necessarily noticeable until the next day, or next week or month.

Blunt trauma and penetrating trauma

As with brain injuries, neck injury can be sustained with or without penetration of the skin.

Blunt trauma – is often sustained in road accidents but can also be part of a sports injury, or a result of an assault.

• If the head is twisted too much, blood vessels can rupture

• If there’s a blow to the throat, the larynx (voice box) could be crushed

• If the neck is stretched or compressed too much, the neck bones can be pushed out of alignment, potentially damaging the nerves in the area

Treatment

Emergency medical care must be performed very carefully, so as not to worsen the injuries or cause undesirable consequences such as nerve damage or airway damage.

There are so many potential neck injuries that treatments can’t be listed. But surgery can help in some cases, as well as:

• Traction

• Physical therapy

• Respiratory therapy

• Skilled spinal adjustment

If you’ve suffered a severe neck injury, or if a loved one has, consider consulting a personal injury lawyer. We’ll listen to your concerns and assess your legal situation. If somebody’s negligence was part of the accident, we can investigate. We can interview people and call on our medical experts to assess your injury. Potentially we can build a strong case for you.

You may be entitled to compensation for:

• Medical costs

• Pain and suffering

• Lost wages

If that is so, surely you should protect your interests and we can help you do that.

Please use this link to read more about severe injuries.

Severe Injury FAQs