Neck Injury Compensation

What Kinds of Neck Injury Can I Claim Compensation For?

Neck injuries can happen in a number of different ways, and identifying what type of injury you have sustained and how it has affected your life will be crucial to the success of your neck injury compensation claim, as your financial settlement will depend largely on how much long term pain and/or disability you suffer as a result of the damage to your neck. The severity of a neck injury can vary tremendously, from someone being in pain for only a few weeks to being permanently disabled or in pain for life.

Whiplash

The human head is a heavy part of the body, weighing approximately 4.5-5kg. If you are involved in a car accident, the sudden movement sideways, backwards or forwards can overstretch and damage the tendons and ligaments in the neck, causing acute pain and injury to the neck muscles and even the cervical spine itself. The pain and stiffness is often worse on the day after the injury is sustained and may get progressively worse for several days afterwards. After an accident, it can take six to 12 hours for the symptoms of whiplash to develop, which include:

• Neck pain and stiffness;
• Tenderness over the neck muscles;
• Reduced and painful neck movements; and
• Headaches.

In most cases, the symptoms of whiplash eventually subside without causing any lasting damage. However, in a small number of cases, the pain can last for six months or longer (chronic whiplash). Chronic whiplash can make it difficult to carry out everyday activities, can cause problems at work and can also lead to anxiety and depression.

Neck Strain and Lifting Injuries at Work

Neck injuries sustained at work through lifting heavy objects; falling objects; slips, trips and falls are not uncommon. The most common types of minor neck injuries resulting from workplace accidents include soft tissue damage, pulled muscles and ligament or tendon damage. However, some neck injuries can be more severe, having long-term consequences that affect the victim’s mobility and quality of life. If you have suffered a neck injury whilst at work, you may require medical treatment from physiotherapists, spinal surgeons, neurologists and occupational therapists. If this is the case, our expert personal injury solicitors may be able to help you claim neck injury compensation.

Broken Neck and Paralysis

When an injury occurs in the neck area of the spine, and the individual vertebrae become fractured or dislocated, the neck can be described as broken. A broken neck can be a life-threatening injury that can have a profound effect on the life of the victim. The neck area of the spine is referred to as the cervical area. Cervical vertebrae (neck bones) are the top seven bones in the spinal column. These bones form the top part of our ‘backbone’ and also serve to protect the spinal cord from injury. If the vertebrae are broken or severely dislocated, but the spinal cord is unharmed, then no neurological problems result. However, if the spinal cord is damaged or transected, there is a sudden loss of nerve supply to the entire body, including the heart and blood vessels. Such injuries can result in life-threatening medical emergencies.