California Neck Injury Lawyers

What Is a Neck Injury?

Neck injuries can involve vertebrae, spinal discs, or soft tissues that attach to the neck, such as muscles, ligaments, and tendons. When you get into an accident and suffer trauma to your neck, it can also cause nerve damage.  

Common Kinds of Neck Injuries

Injuries to the neck can range from mild strains and sprains that will heal on their own to severe injuries that require surgical intervention. Some of the most common neck injuries we represent clients for are discussed below.

Whiplash

Whiplash is one of the most common neck injuries, especially after a car accident. During a car crash, the head is thrown forward and backward, resulting in overextension. Whiplash can damage your muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Insurance companies treat whiplash as though it’s a minor injury, but many victims have severe pain that disrupts their lives. Whiplash can cause other issues as well, including memory and sleep problems.

Herniated Discs

Accidents can affect the spinal discs resulting in a bulge or rupture. These injuries are typically very painful and put pressure on the nerves.

Cervical Fractures

Your spine is made up of vertebrae which can break depending on the mechanics of an accident. If the accident is forceful enough, it can break one or more vertebrae in your cervical spine.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries involving the cervical spine are some of the most catastrophic neck injuries. Even a minor spinal cord injury can have complications and result in permanent damage, such as paralysis from the neck down.

Spondylolisthesis

This injury is similar to a herniated disc but happens when a vertebra slips out of place. It presses on the spinal cord resulting in weakness and severe pain.

Types of Accidents That Cause Neck Injuries

Traumatic accidents and events are the most common causes of neck injuries. Here is a look at some of the most common ones.

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Car accidents can cause anything from minor whiplash to cervical spinal cord injuries. During an impact in a car accident, your head is whipped forcibly forward and backward. This movement can result in injuries ranging from pain and stiffness to paralysis.

Neck injuries in motor vehicle accidents are not limited to collisions involving only passenger vehicles. They can include collisions with large commercial trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, scooters, buses, or any other type of vehicle.

Slip and Falls

Falls can result in any number of injuries, including neck injuries. It’s common to hit your head during a fall, which can also result in severe neck pain.

Sports and Recreational Activities

Traumatic neck injuries are also prevalent in professional sports and high-contact sports at an amateur level. Participants can injure their necks when they collide with another player, or they might suffer neck injuries when falling or after hitting the ground.

Assault and Acts of Violence  

Assault and domestic violence are two other common causes of severe neck injuries. These injuries can result from a wound to the neck, such as a stab wound, or they can result from the force created by an impact, such as a punch or being grabbed and shaken.  

Medical Malpractice

Doctors and other medical professionals should treat you with the respect and care you deserve. Mistakes can happen, but when the error rises to the level of medical negligence and causes a neck injury, you might have a claim for medical malpractice. For example, a patient who suffers a neck injury because a medical care provider improperly moved them during surgery might be able to recover compensation for that injury. 

Defective Products

Product liability is a complex area of the law. You might wonder how a product can injure your neck, but neck injuries caused by defective products are common. Any number of defective products can cause neck injuries, including tools, furniture, exercise equipment, or a component of your vehicle.

Recoverable Compensation for Neck Injuries

Recoverable compensation in a neck injury claim varies depending on the circumstances of your injury. Every case is unique, and so are your damages. Our California neck injury attorneys will review your case and help you calculate your potential settlement value based on your losses. Some of the most common recoverable damages in personal injury claims include:

• Medical expenses incurred to date,
• Future expected medical expenses,
• Lost wages,
• Future loss of earning capacity,
• Property damage,
• Pain and suffering,
• Emotional trauma, and
• Wrongful death.

Although rare, you might be eligible to collect punitive damages for a neck injury in certain situations. Punitive damages, also known as exemplary damages in California, are intended to punish a wrongdoer rather than compensate you for your losses. Courts reserve these damages for particular cases involving oppression, fraud, or malice. For example, if you were injured by someone who intentionally attacked you, you might be entitled to punitive damages.  

How a Neck Injury Impacts Your Life

You should take neck injuries seriously. They can disrupt your daily life and keep you from returning to work when left untreated. Long-term complications of neck injuries can include muscle weakness, lifelong pain, and loss of bodily functions. Severe neck injuries involving paralysis are likely permanent. That means a victim is facing significant medical bills for the rest of their life, including the need for assistance and home modifications.

Because neck injuries can negatively impact your life for years, it’s crucial to work with skilled California neck injury lawyers who can help you maximize the compensation you receive. You need an experienced legal advocate who can build a solid case and effectively negotiate on your behalf. It’s important to note that you only have a limited amount of time to file a lawsuit for your injuries. This deadline is called the statute of limitations. Don’t inadvertently miss the statute of limitations by handling your claim yourself. An experienced neck injury attorney can help you understand your legal options and help you file your claim before the statute of limitations deadline expires. 

Contact the California Neck Injury Attorneys at Silva Injury Law

When you’ve suffered neck injuries and need to pursue a personal injury claim, you might wonder how to select a law firm to represent you. What sets Silva Injury Law apart from so many personal injury firms to choose from in California? We are committed to giving every client personal attention and to always prioritizing their best interest. We will never treat your case as though it’s just a file in our system. We strongly believe in helping injured victims recover the compensation they deserve from the parties who harmed them.

Attorney Michael Joe Silva previously worked as a Merced District Attorney’s Office Deputy District Attorney. When you hire Silva Injury Law to represent you, you’ll have peace of mind knowing you’re working with one of the best California neck injury lawyers. If you suffered a neck injury in California, let us put our years of experience to work for you. Schedule a free consultation with Silva Injury Law today to learn more about how we can help you.

Our highly-skilled legal team also handles other cases, such as:

• Car Accidents,
• Livestock Accidents,
• Dog Attacks,
• Sexual Abuse,
• Clergy Sexual Abuse,
• College Sexual Abuse,
• Medical Sexual Abuse,
• School Sexual Abuse,
• Wrongful Death,
• Bus Accidents,
• Trucking Accidents,
• Motorcycle Accidents,
• Pedestrian Accidents,
• Product Liability,
• Bicycle Accidents,
• Drunk Driving Accidents,
• Distracted Driving Accidents,
• Rear End Accident,
• Nursing Home Abuse,
• Slip & Fall,
• Paralysis,
• Neck Injury,
• Swimming Pool Accidents,
• Scooter Accidents,
• Premises Liability, and
• Acupuncture Pneumothorax