Back and neck injuries are some of the most painful injuries a person can endure. Many accident victims quickly realize they can’t perform their daily activities, to say nothing of their 9-5 jobs. At Tuite Law, we help clients obtain compensation after accidents, whether they were injured at work or out on the town.
Call us to schedule a consultation. We can discuss whether you have a legal right to compensation and, if hired, will start to work on your case.
Common Back and Neck Injuries
Some of the most common injuries include:
- Whiplash. This is a neck injury common after car accidents. The whip-like motion of the head injures soft tissue in the neck, leading to stiffness and other problems.
- Sprains. Violent accidents can injure ligaments around joints. These bands of tissue connect bones, but they can stretch or tear in an accident.
- Strains. Tendons and muscles can stretch too far or even tear due to forces generated in a car crash, workplace accident, or fall.
- Facet joint injuries. Facet joints connect the vertebrae in your spine. Falls and other accidents can damage these joints, leading to instability of the spinal column.
- Herniated disc. Rubbery discs provide a cushion between the vertebrae, allowing people to bend or twist their backs without pain. But an accident can damage the disc.
- Fractures. Vertebrae in the neck or back can break under pressure, and fractures cause pain and instability.
How People Injure Their Backs or Necks
Many of our clients are hurt in the following accidents:
- Car accidents. Whiplash, strains, and sprains are all common accident injuries. When a car crashes, the body is twisted and stretched as the vehicle decelerates.
- Falls. A person can wrench their back trying to stay upright or slam their head into the ground, injuring their neck. Falling from more than one story is especially dangerous and leads to the most serious injuries.
- Equipment malfunction. Construction workers can suffer injuries when a load slides off a forklift or scaffolding collapses beneath them.
- Caught in between accidents. A worker can get caught between two objects, injuring their back.
Can You Receive Compensation for Your Neck or Back Injury?
Possibly. We want to know more about how the accident happened. Anyone injured on the job can typically receive workers’ compensation benefits to cover medical expenses and partial replacement of lost wages.
Workers’ compensation benefits are awarded on a no-fault basis, but some workers still struggle to get claims approved. For example, an insurer might claim you had a pre-existing injury, so you are ineligible for benefits.
If you were hurt in a non-work accident, then your ability to receive compensation depends on fault. An attorney is a big help in gathering evidence to pinpoint who is to blame, usually for failure to use reasonable care.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Tuite Law
Neck and back injuries leave thousands of people in Illinois with substantial economic loss. In addition to medical expenses, many are also unable to return to work. Call our office to speak with an attorney at (815) 965-5777.
