After getting into a car accident I called Barbara and it was the best decision I ever made. She is amazing! I couldn’t have asked for a better lawyer to represent me. She got me the best settlement to pay back my medi...
The fight with insurance companies is just as hard as fighting for your life after an accident. As long as you dont give up on yourself Barbara will fight for you. The staff at Kidwell and Gallagher were great as well. I...
These two are specialists in two related fields, personal injury and workmen’s comp. Both they and their staff were VERY responsive to me and my questions, and handled my case with patience and competence. I would,...
I feel like kidwell & Gallagher went above and beyond for me. Craig himself and his staff are so nice and helpful. I would highly recommend this law office for your workmans comp/injury needs. You will not be disappo...
The best place to go if you need good hometown lawyers. They are very informative and kept us updated on what was going to happen through out our case.
Was the best experience, we told them the problem and they took over everything, was such a relief. Always there to answer any questions and help is fast is possible.
I was at my job mountain crew changes there in the basement of kidwell and Gallagher
They weren’t able to help with my case, but they directed me to someone who could.
Whether you’ve been in a little fender bender or a serious car accident, your back and neck may have been injured. The spinal column is the center of your whole body and, while strong, its delicate workings are prone to injury. The violence of a sudden stop or crash can cause serious injury. If you’re experiencing neck or back pain after a car accident, it could be due to one of the following types of injuries.
If your neck and shoulders are aching after a car accident, it can be a sign of injuries such as whiplash. However, your muscles could also have been damaged during the car accident even if nothing physically hit your body. Such injuries are common even after low-speed accidents. When you see danger approaching, such as an oncoming car about to hit your vehicle, you naturally tense. When your muscles tense up, they have less give than relaxed muscles. Therefore, even when nothing hits your body, you can suffer soft tissue damage.
Whiplash is another version of muscle injury except the head is the main catalyst. When the car stops suddenly because of the accident, the head whips one way then the other. Because of the speed and the force of the movement, the spine and surrounding tissue are damaged. You can even suffer tears in your nerves, connective tissues, and muscles. Whiplash can manifest like neck and shoulder pain. However, you can experience more excruciating pain, too. Numbness and tingling that start in the neck and radiate up the arm are also symptoms of whiplash. Serious cases of whiplash can produce neck instability, headaches, blurred vision, and problems with balance.
The spinal column consists of the vertebrae cushioned with disks, which feature a tough exterior and soft interior. When you’re in a car accident, the upper part of your body can experience the whipping motion of the sudden stop while your lower body stays secured by the seatbelt. This differentiation can result in one or more discs becoming herniated. With a herniated disc, part of the soft interior pushes through a crack in the exterior and pinches a nerve radiating from the spinal column. The pinched nerve can cause pain in your arms or legs, depending on where the herniation is located. You can also experience numbness and tingling as well as weakness in the affected extremities.
The same sudden stop and whipping motion that can cause a herniated disc can also pull the vertebrae apart. This can result in a dislocation or even a fracture dislocation. With a dislocation, the ligaments holding the vertebrae together are torn, so the bone moves. Fracture dislocation adds the vertebrae being broken. Symptoms of vertebrae injury depend on the severity. Mild dislocations and fractures can exhibit similar symptoms to whiplash or a herniated disc. However, a big danger of a fractured vertebra is that it can cause bone fragments to enter the spinal canal. Once the spinal cord is affected, you can experience paralysis, either temporary or permanent. The best course of action after a car accident is to seek immediate medical treatment. Tell the physician exactly what you remember of the accident and everything you feel. Such information gives your doctor the best chance of diagnosing any back injuries right away. Some back injuries, such as whiplash, don’t manifest any symptoms until later. Be aware of your body in the days after the accident. If you feel any appearance of new symptoms or worsening of existing ones, visit your doctor again. You have a better chance of becoming pain-free after a back injury before the damage becomes permanent. Lastly, keep a record of all your medical expenses to make a personal injury claim. Then contact the legal experts at Kidwell & Gallagher LTD for assistance.
Craig W. Kidwell is the managing partner of Kidwell & Gallagher, Ltd., and exclusively represents injured workers in Nevada. Mr. Kidwell has been practicing workers’ compensation law in Nevada since 1999 and has acted as lead counsel on over 2,000 contested workers’ compensation claims. Mr. Kidwell represents injured workers in Nevada through all stages of Nevada’s complex worker’s compensation system. Craig regularly appears in all levels of Nevada’s administrative workers’ compensation system and has represented injured workers in Nevada’s districts and Supreme Court.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Managing Partner, Craig W. Kidwell who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney.