Neck pain and back pain are common sources of discomfort after a car accident. Even minor car accidents can cause serious disruptions to your life through these types of injuries. Do not discount your pain as something unrelated to your collision just because your accident was minor. Your body is telling you there is something wrong; listen to it.
Signs and Symptoms of Neck and Back Pain
Most of us have all experienced neck and pain at some point in our lives. Maybe you overexerted yourself at the gym or you hurt your back at work. You know how constant this type of pain can be. All you want is for it to go away so you can get back to enjoying your regular life.
Recognizing these signs and symptoms is crucial to getting the medical care and attention you deserve. Your body may not heal itself without medical intervention, and it may take longer for your pain and suffering to subside.
Here are common signs you have experienced a neck or back injury in your car accident:
- Sore neck
- Lower back pain
- Pain while standing or sitting
- Pain while moving
- Sharp shooting pain in the back or neck
- Constant dull pain
- Pain on one side of the neck
- Extreme muscle soreness
- Chest pain
- Constant headaches, sharp or dull
- Pain at the back of the head
These symptoms are frequently caused by whiplash, one of the most common injuries after a car accident, even minor crashes. Whiplash happens when the vehicle you are in is struck from behind, pushing the car and your body forward. But your head lags behind, moving in the direction of the impact. This causes the body to experience injury from the sudden and opposite movement. Concussions also commonly run alongside whiplash.
Length of Pain
The length of time you experience pain will depend on the severity of your injuries. That is why it is vital that you seek medical attention right away. A doctor can prescribe medication to help alleviate the pain and help you chart a course for recovery. In extreme cases, you may need to undergo medical procedures to prevent additional injury.
In the most minor cases, the neck pain or back pain will subside within a few days and with treatment from over-the-counter medicine. However, this is a risk to your health and your future. Any pain that lasts beyond just a few days should make you see your doctor to ensure your body is healing.
Sometimes, even with medical intervention, neck and back pain is persistent. This can seem daunting and tragic at the outset, but with the proper medical attention, you can take steps to reduce the likelihood of flare-ups and to effectively treat and manage your pain levels. Without medical guidance, however, you are simply taking a chance.
Treatment
Treating your neck and back pain can be done at home, but with this caveat: If the pain does not go away after a few days, see your doctor. If your car accident was extremely minor and your pain is barely noticeable, you can try to treat yourself with over-the-counter pain medication. However, if that pain gets worse or does not completely go away, seeing your doctor is a must.
Although it may seem like a minor injury, untreated whiplash can have long-lasting effects. You could have ongoing pain that never goes away, even with common pain medication. The same is true of back pain, especially lower back pain. You may not be able to get comfortable in bed, standing, walking, or working. Relieving your pain is a personal process unique to each person injured in a car accident. Your doctor is the best person to help you figure out how to get better.
Getting Your Bills Covered
Filing a lawsuit is probably the last thing on your mind after getting injured in a car accident. After your medical care has started, however, it should be at the top of your list.
Even minor car accidents and seemingly minor neck or back injuries can result in extensive medical care. That can quickly become expensive and financially burdensome. However, this is not a burden you should bear. The negligent driver should be responsible to cover your medical expenses and your other financial losses related to your car accident injuries.
Together with your lawyer, you may be able to collect compensation for:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Lost income
- Lost earning potential
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of life enjoyment
- Present and future medical expenses
- Rehabilitation costs
This might sound extreme, especially if you think your pain will go away quickly. You may think that is so, but will it? The longer your pain lingers, the more medical bills you will incur and the more time you will spend without a paycheck. Especially if your job requires you to do physical work, neck and back pain could severely limit your ability to work and get paid. This is compensation you may be able to collect from the at-fault driver. Even if you are only out of work for a couple of weeks, that can have a ripple effect on your financial wellbeing. Covering your medical bills will be hard enough, but without a paycheck, you may have difficulty covering your regular life expenses as well.
To help you recover the compensation you need to avoid paying a penny out of your own pocket, you may need to file a personal injury claim for damages against the negligent driver. This may be your best course of action to collect the compensation necessary to cover all your expenses.
However, you must act fast. Every state has a time limit on how long you have after a car accident to file a personal injury claim. If you miss this important filing deadline, you could miss out on your chance to collect full compensation.
No amount of money will undo your car accident and your subsequent neck and back pain. The money, however, will help you shed the worry and anxiety about how you pay your bills, giving you the ability to focus all your effort and energy on your health and wellbeing. That is exactly where your concern should be: treating your neck and back pain so you can get back to your regular life.
Partnering with the right legal team can make the difference in your ability to collect fair compensation. You need a lawyer you can trust, but also a lawyer with proven experience helping other people in car accidents such as you recover for their injuries. You also need a lawyer who is not afraid to stand up to the big insurance companies and aggressively negotiate with them on your behalf. Insurance companies are notorious for offering modest settlements to keep as much money in their pockets as possible. The only person this hurts is you, as you may end up having to pay your medical expenses out of pocket. Avoid this tragic situation by partnering with a trusted and experienced legal team with your best interests at heart.
Delaware Car Accident Lawyers at McCann Dillon Jaffe & Lamb, LLC, Help Clients Recover from Their Accidents
Car accidents happen every day. Even in minor accidents, you could suffer injuries. Any injury can lead to pain and suffering, not to mention costly medical care. To help you recover for your injuries and hold the negligent driver liable for the accident, speak with the Delaware car accident lawyers at McCann Dillon Jaffe & Lamb, LLC. Call us today at 302-888-1221 or contact us online for a free consultation. Located in Wilmington, Delaware, we serve clients in Dover, Newark, and Middletown.