March 6, 2024

What Are Common Neck Injuries From Car Accidents?

The neck is more vulnerable to injuries than other body parts because it is less protected, with flexible bones that allow greater movement. That is why so many car accident survivors end up with neck injuries, with varying degrees of pain and damage. Here is what you need to know about the most common neck injuries after car accidents.

How Do Car Accidents Cause Neck Injuries?

When a vehicle comes to an abrupt stop or quickly changes direction, the sudden, forceful impact can subject the neck to significant strain. Whiplash is one of the most common neck injuries resulting from car accidents. It happens when the head is forcefully jerked backward and forward in a whip-like motion, stretching and potentially damaging the soft tissues in the neck.

Direct impact to the neck from deployed airbags, hitting the steering wheel or dashboard, or being struck by objects inside the vehicle can also cause neck injuries. That can cause minor strains and more conditions like spinal fractures. Or, if you realize an accident is about to happen, you may tense up and strain muscles or damage ligaments, disks, nerves, or bones.

Common Car Accident Neck Injuries

Whiplash is the most common car accident neck injury, but it is not the only one:

• Cervical spondylolisthesis: This condition develops when one or more vertebrae dislocate. The pain can radiate into the head and shoulders.
• Cuts and lacerations: During a car accident, debris like glass might wound the neck. Superficial ones are not as concerning, but lacerations are deeper and more serious.
• Facet joint injuries: This neck joint stabilizes the neck and head and can become irritated after a car accident.
• Muscle spasms: Caused by tension or overstretching, muscle spasms can accompany other neck injuries and affect different parts of the party.
• Neck fractures: A fractured cervical spine can damage the nerves and lead to paralysis or death. These injuries require immediate medical care.
• Neck strains or sprains: These injuries are similar yet different. Sprains are torn ligaments, while strains damage tissue that connects bone to muscle, tendons, or facet joints.
• Pinched nerves: Associated with many neck injuries, this problem develops when damaged tendons, bones, disks, or tissue shift and compress surrounding nerves.
• Slipped or herniated disks: During a crash, the intervertebral disks in the cervical spine can rupture, slip, bulge, or herniate.
• Stiff tendons and muscles: Even though these neck injuries do not typically need surgical intervention, the pain can be significant and long-lasting, requiring medical treatment.

You should seek medical attention after any car accident because many injuries do not show symptoms until days or weeks have passed. A prompt examination and diagnosis will get you started on the road to recovery sooner, and the associated documentation can help with your injury claim.

Contact a Montgomery Car Accident Lawyer at the Law Firm of Anthony C. Gagliano III, P.C. for a Free Consultation

If you or a loved one suffered a neck injury in a car accident, contact an experienced Montgomery County car accident lawyer at the law firm of Anthony C. Gagliano III, P.C. Call us at 267-861-7100 or contact us online for a free consultation today. Located in Philadelphia and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, we serve clients in Montgomery County, Delaware County, Bucks County, Chester County, and Norristown.