How do You Know if You Have a Serious Neck Injury?

Personal Injury & Car Accident Attorneys Serving Fort Myers and Naples, Florida, as well as Atlanta, Georgia

Posted: October 16, 2020
Woman with neck injury following a car accident

Neck injury is a common consequence of accidents. Motor vehicle accidents, slip and fall accidents, and any other type of accident in which impact to the head, neck, or back is possible can result in damage, but identifying a neck injury can be very difficult if you’re not certain what to look for.

General Stiffness

General stiffness is a key indicator of a neck injury. If you have been involved in an accident and are experiencing neck stiffness, it is a good idea to speak with a doctor right away.

Stiffness may interfere with turning your head from side to side, looking up or down, and tilting your head. Without proper treatment, these issues may get worse and, in some cases, progress to more worrisome complications.

Signs of Serious Neck Injury

General stiffness is a good indication of a neck injury, but it is not always serious. Symptoms of serious neck injury include:

  • Headaches and dizziness
  • Pain that does not respond to at-home remedies
  • Tingling in the arms, hands, legs, or feet
  • Shooting pain in the appendages
  • Numbness, weakness, or a loss of mobility
  • Loss of bladder and bowel function

Neck injury, like all injury to the spinal cord, may produce immediate symptoms, but signs of serious injury can also be very slow to progress.

When you are involved in an accident, it is important to see your physician right away to help rule out any injuries with latent onsets. When SCI is caught early on, treatment can help prevent issues including a complete loss of mobility and chronic pain.

Do You Need Help?

Recovering from a neck injury can take time and money – neither of which many people have in excess. If you are suffering from the consequences of a spinal cord injury you did not cause, Kelleher Law is here to help. Call us at 239-351-2681 to schedule a free consultation at our Naples or Fort Myers office and learn more.