HOW MUCH IS MY WISCONSIN NECK INJURY CASE WORTH
Why Car and Truck Accidents Cause so Many Neck Injuries
If you suffered a neck injury in a Milwaukee car or truck accident, or an accident anywhere in Wisconsin, you probably want to know how much your case is worth. First, it is important to understand the anatomy of the neck and why so many neck injuries occur as a result of car and truck accidents.
Neck injuries are one of the most common injuries we see following a Milwaukee car or truck accident. The neck has over 20 different muscles making it vulnerable to injury in a car or truck accident of any kind.
Neck muscles are responsible for everything from holding your head upright to helping with eating and talking. If you suffer a severe neck injury you would probably tell your doctor that you have pain in muscles you did not even know you had.
Muscles in the neck are located in the front and back and on both sides of the neck. It is easy to see why so many of our clients suffer neck injuries from a car or truck accident. The most common type of injury from a car or truck accident is usually diagnosed as whiplash. A whiplash injury to the neck can be relatively minor or very serious and sometimes permanent.
Some of the most common neck injuries following a car or truck accident in Milwaukee or anywhere in Wisconsin include the following injuries:
Soft Tissue Neck Injury
A soft tissue neck injury is the most common type of neck injury our clients have as a result of a car or truck accident. Just because car and truck accidents result in thousands of cases of soft tissue neck injuries does not make soft tissue injuries less serious than other injuries. Minor soft tissue injuries to the neck may clear up in a few weeks. Other soft tissue injuries to the neck may be permanent and negatively impact common activities of daily living.
If you suffered a soft tissue neck injury from a car or truck accident you may be diagnosed with whiplash. Whiplash is a generic term that can mean a lot of different things. Soft tissue neck injuries do not show up on an x-ray or MRI scan. However, your doctor may note that you have muscle spasms in the neck or loss of range of motion as a result of soft tissue injury. You may also have pain on movement of the neck in certain directions. It is important that your doctor note any abnormalities in your records. Insurance companies want to see proof that you have been injured and abnormal findings noted in your medical records will help us prove the extent of your injuries.
It is also important that you follow your doctor’s advice. Often physical therapy is prescribed for soft tissue neck injuries that do not heal on their own. Make sure you attend all physical therapy sessions ordered by your doctor and be accurate when describing your injuries and the level of your pain.
Disc Injuries to Your Neck
There are six discs in the neck. The discs serve as shock absorbers for the vertebrae in your neck. Herniated or ruptured discs in the neck often occur from wear and tear on the spine. The situation we often see in our office is a client who had a damaged disc before being involved in a car or truck accident but had no symptoms or only minor symptoms. The car or truck accident then puts additional strain on the neck making the neck symptoms different and/or worse than before the accident.
It is common to injure more than one disc as a result of a car or truck accident. We are currently working with a client who has three injured discs from a rear-end truck accident. She underwent a multi-level discectomy and fusion. We are now working closely with our client, her family and her doctor in order to establish multiple ways the accident has impacted our client’s life. Working with each client like this allows us to obtain the full compensation each client deserves after being involved in a car or truck accident in Milwaukee or anywhere throughout Wisconsin. Make sure your attorney gives your case the attention it deserves.
Pinched Nerve
Injuries from a car or truck accident can include what is commonly referred to as a pinched nerve in the neck. Symptoms can include pain at the location of the injury itself accompanied by pain radiating down the arm and sometimes into the hand.
A pinched nerve in the neck caused by a car or truck accident can be treated with rest and sometimes physical therapy. In severe cases, surgery may be required to relieve the pressure on the nerve.
Neck Fracture
A severe car or truck accident can result in a neck fracture. A neck fracture can result in damage to the spinal cord and in severe cases lead to paralysis.
If the fracture is minor, a neck collar is often prescribed in order to take stress off the neck and give the fracture time to heal. In more severe cases a halo device may be prescribed which will greatly reduce physical activities during the healing process.
In more severe cases surgery may be required using surgical hardware.
If you suffered a fractured neck as a result of a Milwaukee car or truck accident, or an accident occurring anywhere in Wisconsin, you need both an experienced surgeon and a skilled personal injury lawyer on your side. We have handled many neck injury cases, ranging from soft tissue neck cases through cases involving damaged discs and neck fractures. We invite you to read our many five-star reviews. We would love to put our experience to work for you just as we have for many clients in Milwaukee and throughout Wisconsin.
How Much is my Wisconsin Neck Injury Case Worth
If you sustained a neck injury in a Milwaukee car or truck accident, or anywhere in Wisconsin, one of the most common questions we receive from our clients is “How much is my neck injury case worth?” The best answer any attorney can give you is that the value of your case depends upon many different factors.
No attorney should attempt to tell you the value of your neck injury case until one of two things occur. First, if your injury has resolved and you have finished your treatment, a good lawyer should be able to tell you the value of your case after collecting and reviewing your medical records and medical bills. Second, if your neck injuries from the car or truck accident have not fully resolved, but you have reached a healing plateau, your lawyer should be able to tell you the value of your case after finding out from your treating doctor what future treatment you will need from the accident and whether you have a permanent injury from the accident.
If a lawyer settles an injury case too soon, the client often ends up not receiving the full compensation he or she is entitled to. Your lawyer must take the time to get to know you and how your neck injuries from your car or truck accident have impacted your life. Your lawyer must know what lay witnesses, family members and friends can offer testimony, if necessary, as to how your neck injuries have impacted your activities of daily living. This is why we take the time to get to know each of our clients on an individual basis. This, in turn, allows us to prove to the insurance company exactly how your injuries have impacted your life and allows us to obtain the maximum compensation you are entitled to for your injuries.
Factors we consider and which are important in determining what your Wisconsin neck injury case is worth include the following:
- Amount of past medical bills incurred as a result of the accident
- Are the client’s treating doctors recommending future medical treatment?
- If future surgery or other future medical treatment is recommended, does the client have a reasonable fear of anticipation of future surgery or future treatment
- If future surgery or other future medical treatment is recommended, what is the cost of the future medical treatment?
- Length of time client received treatment for the accident-related injuries
- Amount of past wage loss caused by the accident
- Type of neck (or other) injury sustained
- Does the case support a claim for future loss of income
- Does the case support a claim for permanent loss of future earning capacity
- Are there family members and independent witnesses who can support the plaintiff’s pain and suffering claim?
- Does the plaintiff make a favorable witness
- Does the defendant(s) make a favorable witness
- Did the client have a prior injury to the same area of the body and, if so, what was the status of the prior injury at the time of the current accident
- In what county will the case be venued if it cannot be settled
- Will client be found partially at-fault for the accident
Contact a Wisconsin Neck Injury Lawyer
If you suffered a neck injury in a Milwaukee car or truck accident, or an accident occurring anywhere in Wisconsin, you need a lawyer who will take the time to get to know you and understand everything about your case. We have earned all five-star reviews from past and current clients. We have earned some of the highest awards available to Wisconsin personal injury attorneys including repeatedly receiving the Wisconsin Super Lawyer selection as well as receiving the AVVO Client Choice Award. If you have been injured in a Milwaukee car or truck accident, or an accident anywhere in Wisconsin, we invite you to contact us at 414-273-7400 or use our Contact Form. We are easy to talk to and we would love to hear about your case.
