Damages As a Result of Cervical Spine Injury

One of the most debilitating and long-term type of injury that can occur in a fall, accident or car crash is a cervical spine injury. The cervical spine is the area of the neck that separates the thoracic spine in the middle back and the skull. The cervical spine is surrounded and supported by muscle and soft tissue that helps to stabilize the head and provide movement to turn, tilt and position the head in relation to the body.

Cervical Spine Fractures

Fractures of the cervical spine are often referred to as a broken neck although they are not the same as a break in a solid bone such as a leg or arm. Cervical spine injury cases that include cervical fractures can result in severe and ongoing issues with movement, extreme pain, and may even result in total paralysis and death. Often fractures occur when the head is struck on the top such as a diving accident or a sports accident where someone is physically hit or takes a fall.

Cervical spine fractures are typically treated surgically and may require more than one operation to correct the problem. Often the individual will have limited movement through the neck even after the procedure. Surgery may include fusing the vertebrae together or replacing the damaged bone with bone grafts. Traction to attempt to reduce the break and reposition the bone is often used in preparation for the surgical procedure.

Whiplash

Whiplash is a very common cervical spine injury that occurs in car crashes at high or low speeds. This is not a true fracture of the bone but rather a pulling, tearing and stretching of the soft tissue and muscles that help to support the cervical spine. Whiplash is much more difficult to pinpoint medically since it is soft tissue damage and doesn't appear in an x-ray or other type of medical imagining process. Often whiplash pain and stiffness doesn't occur for days after the accident, further causing confusion as to the relationship between the accident and the injury.

Cervical Spine Injury and Legal Help

Since the damages as a result of a cervical spine injury can be very significant and have a huge impact on your physical health and mobility it is essential to talk to an attorney as soon as possible after the accident. Many states have a statute of limitations on filing personal injury cases and insurance companies may attempt to have you sign off on the claim before whiplash and other cervical injuries are diagnosed. Talking to an attorney protects your options for compensation going forward.