What does a torn neck muscle feel like? A torn neck muscle may feel like a sharp, stabbing pain in the neck area. You may have a limited range of motion or feel a dull, achy pain in the neck area. Other common symptoms of a torn neck muscle include localized swelling, soreness, “knots”, stiffness, and/or weakness.
A badly torn neck muscle will likely be especially painful and make it very difficult to move your head. A mild tear or strain may be stiff for a few days and resolve on its own.
What Are The Symptoms of a Neck Injury?
The most common neck injury symptoms include muscle tightness, spasms, decreased range of motion, headache, and pain that gets worse when holding your head in one place for an extended period, such as while driving. If you have a torn neck muscle, you may have some of those symptoms as well as sharp and stabbing pain, dull and achy pain, swelling, “knots”, and/or weakness.
Our firm’s Florida neck injury attorney can help you claim your symptoms and other damages through a lawsuit or insurance claim against the party responsible for your injuries.
When to Call a Doctor After a Neck Injury
You should seek medical care anytime you sustain any neck injury or have any symptoms of a neck injury. The symptoms of a neck injury may not present themselves right away, or you may think an injury is minor when, in fact, the injury is severe. For example, neck pain symptoms may not seem serious in the hours after an injury, but they may be serious.
For that reason, it is critical to get checked out by a medical professional right away. Also, failing to get timely treatment can impact your ability to hold the responsible party liable. Seeking medical care is particularly important after a traumatic accident, such as a slip and fall or a Fort Lauderdale car accident.
According to Mayo Clinic, you should seek care right away if you have:
- Severe pain
- Pain that persists for several days
- Pain or numbness that spreads down the arm or legs
- Neck pain accompanied by a headache, tingling, or weakness
How do I Know If My Neck Injury Is Serious?
To learn whether your neck injury is serious, you should consult a doctor immediately. Only a doctor can diagnose you properly.
Diagnosing Neck Injuries
Before creating a treatment plan, your medical team will work to understand the extent of your injuries and determine exactly what is causing your pain. The team will determine whether you have a broken vertebra, a pinched nerve, a torn ligament, a torn muscle, or another injury.
Your medical team will use a variety of diagnostic scans, such as an X-ray, a CT scan, and/or an MRI, to diagnose your neck injury and determine the best way to treat the injury.
Common Treatments for Torn Muscles in the Neck
Depending on your situation, your medical team may recommend any of the following treatments or a similar treatment:
- Traction
- Physical therapy
- A soft collar or halo
- Electrical nerve stimulation
- Pain relief
- Surgery
Compensation After a Neck Injury
Did you sustain a neck injury after a car accident, a motorcycle accident, a slip and fall, a work-related incident, or another kind of personal injury incident? You could recover the cost of medical bills, your lost wages, and any other damages you suffered.
First, talk to a neck injury attorney from our firm. Offer all the details of the incident and present the medical bills associated with your injury. If you have witnesses who can testify in your favor, let your attorney know their contact details. If you have a case, your lawyer will start the proceedings for you. The types of damages you can recover may include:
- Medical expenses. Your medical bills can include bills for an ambulance ride, any emergency room or trauma care, any hospital care, any surgery, and any prescription drugs.
- Rehabilitative expenses. Many people have to spend time in a specialized treatment facility after experiencing a neck injury, particularly if they sustained spinal cord damage.
- Long-term care costs. If an individual developed paralysis from a neck injury, they might need daily assistance with their medical treatment and personal care in a Miami nursing home or an assisted living center.
- Equipment costs. A person might need medical equipment to breathe, need to use a wheelchair, or need an adapted vehicle after a neck injury.
- Lost wages. After a significant neck injury, a person will likely miss time from work while recuperating. If they do not get their full, regular paychecks during that time, they lose income they can claim.
- Lost future wages. A person who suffers a neck injury might not be able to make as much money as before because of lingering impairment. Loss of strength or function and chronic pain can limit an individual’s ability to work for a living.
- Pain and suffering. A person who suffers a neck injury might be able to get compensation for their physical discomfort and mental distress.
- Other intangible losses. People often experience other losses after a neck injury, like disfigurement from a tracheotomy, or loss of enjoyment of life due to being unable to perform certain activities they used to enjoy.
If your close relative passed away from a neck injury, we can pursue additional compensation for the legal beneficiaries.
Time Is Limited to Take Legal Action for a Neck Injury
Florida limits the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit seeking compensation for your injuries. Florida Statutes § 95.11(3)(a) only gives you four years from the date of your injury to file a personal injury lawsuit.
Negotiating with the at-fault party’s insurance company does not satisfy the statute of limitations. If your claim has not been settled before the deadline, you will have to file a lawsuit to protect your right to compensation.
Call The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine for a Free Personal Injury Consultation
Bring your case to a Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyer from our firm so they can help you understand your legal options for pursuing the economic and non-economic damages you deserve. It is best to have an attorney from the beginning, as they will take care of everything while you take your time to heal and get your life back together.
The team at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine is committed to helping injury victims recover the compensation they deserve. Our team can review your claim and provide legal guidance. Contact our firm today for a free consultation and case review.
