Neck Injuries
An accident victim who suffers injury to the neck can face an uphill battle, both in terms of recovery of his/her health and recovery of damages. Often such injuries are disputed by the defendant’s insurance company because of the difficulty inherent in diagnosing them; consequently, a victim should seriously consider hiring an experienced New Jersey neck injury attorney.
Common Causes of Neck Injury
The neck is a particularly vulnerable part of the body. Even an accident in which the lower part of the body is struck can also leave the victim with neck injury as well. Among the more common causes of accidents New Jersey neck injury attorneys are likely to encounter are:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Sports, especially contact-type activities such as football
- Slip and fall accidents
- Struck-by accidents
- Other accidents which cause the neck to be suddenly twisted or jarred
The Nature of Neck Injury
One consequence of an accident in which the neck is injured is that generally other areas are affected as well. The reason for this is that the neck connects the head and torso with bones, joints, nerves, and soft tissues. A neck injury can, for instance, cause injury to the nervous system.
Because the spinal column extends through the neck, injury often leads to complications, the most serious of which is paralysis. Indeed, an accident victim who suffers a neck injury which includes fracture of the cervical area of the spine may never recover, and may even die. Given the serious nature of neck injuries, it is important that a victim has a New Jersey neck injury attorney in his corner to help gain compensation.
Soft Tissue Damage
Among the more common neck injuries are herniated discs, fractures, and whiplash. The latter is not actually regarded strictly as an injury in itself, but a syndrome which includes damage to soft tissues, such as the muscles and ligaments. Whiplash is the most common type of neck injury from accidents. Unfortunately, it is also among the most difficult to prove—all the more reason to have a New Jersey neck injury attorney.
If You Have Been Injured
If you suffer a neck injury due to the negligence of another, New Jersey neck injury attorney Dan T. Matrafajlo may be able to help. Mr. Matrafajlo is an experienced personal injury attorney who will fight to help you gain compensation. Call 908-248-4404 today to arrange a free consultation.
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Neck injuries frequently result from motor vehicle accidents, contact sports like football, slip and fall accidents, struck-by accidents, and any incident that causes the neck to be suddenly twisted or jarred. Even an impact to the lower body can transfer enough force to injure the neck.
Whiplash is a syndrome involving damage to the soft tissues of the neck — muscles and ligaments — typically caused by a sudden back-and-forth jerking motion, most often from a rear-end car collision. It's not a single injury but a collection of symptoms, including neck pain, stiffness, and headaches.
The most common neck injuries include whiplash, herniated discs, and fractures. Whiplash is the most frequent type of neck injury from accidents but is also among the most difficult to prove, since it involves soft-tissue damage rather than a visible break.
The neck connects the head and torso through bones, joints, nerves, and soft tissues, so an injury to the neck can also damage the nervous system and affect sensation or movement elsewhere in the body. Because the spinal column extends through the neck, injuries here carry a higher risk of complications than injuries to other soft-tissue areas.
An experienced neck injury attorney helps document the injury with proper medical evidence, counters insurance company arguments that minimize soft-tissue injuries like whiplash, and calculates the full value of damages including future medical care if the injury has long-term effects. This is particularly important for neck injuries, which are disputed more often than more visibly obvious injuries.
Whiplash symptoms can appear within 24 hours of an accident but sometimes take several days to develop. Because of this delay, it's important to seek a medical evaluation even if you feel fine immediately after an accident, rather than waiting to see if symptoms show up.
The underlying injury — whether whiplash, a herniated disc, or a fracture — is medically the same regardless of cause, but the legal claim process differs. Car accident claims typically involve auto insurance and New Jersey's no-fault PIP system, while slip and fall claims involve premises liability law and the property owner's insurance. An attorney can advise on which process applies to your situation.
Yes. New Jersey follows a modified comparative negligence rule, allowing you to recover compensation as long as you're not more than 50% at fault for the accident. Your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault.
