North Chicago & St. Louis Injury Updates
Neck and back injuries sustained in a car accident can be incredibly painful and lead to a victim experiencing short- or long-term disabilities. If you or somebody you love has sustained neck and back injury in a car accident caused by another driver, you may be entitled to compensation. Here, we want to discuss what types of compensation may be available to you as well as how much the case may be worth.
For specific information about your car accident claim, speak to one of our Chicago car accident attorneys today for a free consultation.
Common Back and Neck Injuries After a Car Accident
Our spinal cords extend from the bottom of your neck all the way down to just below our hips. This is our lifeline. The spinal cord gives our bodies stability, allows us to move around, and is the primary messaging system for the body. Unfortunately, there are several injuries that can occur to the neck and back that affect spinal cord stability. Some of the most common neck and back injuries that occur in a car accident include:
- Sprains and strains. Generally considered a minor injury, a sprain or strain can still lead to significant pain and time away from work. Sprains occur when ligaments are torn or stretched too far, and strains occur when the muscles and tendons are affected. Whiplash is the most common type of strain we generally hear about in car accidents.
- Herniated or bulging discs. The discs inside of our spines act as cushions between each vertebra. A bulging disc will occur when the fluid inside the disc begins to push against the outside of the desk, causing a bulging effect. A herniated disc is also known as a ruptured disc, and occurs when the fluid inside of the disc seeps out and puts pressure on the surrounding nerves.
- Cervical fractures. Our necks are composed of seven of our spinal cord’s vertebrae. A cervical fracture is considered damage to the spinal cord and can cause paralysis or significant disability.
- Spinal cord injuries. Spinal cord injuries can lead to severe disabilities for car accident victims. Data from the Mayo Clinic shows that motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of spinal cord injuries in the United States. The degree of paralysis a person sustains depends on where the injury occurs and the severity of the injury to the spinal cord.
Economic and Non-economic Damages
There are various types of economic and non-economic damages that may be available to neck and back victims in the aftermath of a car accident. Economic damages are those that are easier to calculate based on receipts, bills, and paystubs. Non-economic damages can be harder to calculate because they are related to various unseen elements. However, the following types of compensation are not uncommon in Illinois car accident cases:
- Coverage of all medical bills related to the injuries
- Lost income if a victim is unable to work
- General household out-of-pocket expenses
- Loss of personal enjoyment damages
- Pain and suffering damages
Average Neck or Back Injury Settlement in Illinois
Many people want to know what the average car accident settlement is for neck and back injuries in the aftermath of a car accident. However, these figures can be difficult to pinpoint because every car accident settlement depends heavily on the facts related to each particular case.
The various factors that go into determining the total amount of compensation awarded can include:
- The total cost of medical treatment
- The severity of the neck or back injury
- How long the injury is expected to persist
- How much insurance coverage is available
- Whether or not a victim will be able to work
- How much fault each party had in the accident
- Whether there are any unseen pain and suffering damages
Contact an Attorney
Again, the total amount of compensation awarded will be heavily influenced by these factors. In order to gain a good understanding of what your case may be worth is by looking at similar cases handled by your Chicago personal injury attorney.