A neck injury can change your life in a split-second. Consider what happened to Christopher Reeve. He was a strong man who played Superman in movies. He had an accident with a horse and broke his neck. He went from being an able-bodied person to being paralyzed, fully dependent on a wheelchair and ventilator until the day he died.
While not all neck injuries, also known as cervical spine injuries, are this serious, they should all be treated as severe injuries. In some cases, the victim of the accident might not realize that they are injured. This is because some injuries will take time before they start to show signs.
Whiplash is one soft tissue injury that won’t show up right away. You might be a few days out from the accident before you realize that your neck is stiff and that you lack the proper range of motion. People think of this as a minor injury; however, it can be very painful and might require you to get rest while you take off work.
Many neck injuries can impact the nerves in the area. This can lead to great pain that isn’t easily controlled with medications or heat and ice. You need to see a doctor if you have any neck pain, stiffness or loss of range of motion after an accident. There is no telling how serious the injury you suffered is.
In some cases, you might need physical therapy, chiropractic adjustments or other medical care to address the issue. This can be costly but seeking compensation might help you recover some of your out-of-pocket expenses.
