What are the most common types of neck injuries from accidents?

The most common neck injuries from accidents include whiplash (cervical strain/sprain), herniated or bulging discs, cervical fractures, soft tissue damage, pinched nerves, and cervical radiculopathy. Whiplash is particularly common in rear-end collisions, while more severe accidents can cause herniated discs or spinal cord damage requiring extensive medical treatment.

How much is a neck injury case worth in Los Angeles?

Neck injury settlements in Los Angeles typically range from $10,000 for minor whiplash to $500,000+ for severe injuries requiring surgery or causing permanent disability. Case value depends on injury severity, medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, treatment duration, and impact on daily life. Our attorneys work to maximize compensation for all damages.

How long does it take for neck injuries to show symptoms?

Neck injury symptoms can appear immediately or develop within 24-48 hours after an accident. Whiplash symptoms often manifest within 24 hours but can take several days. Herniated disc symptoms may appear gradually over weeks. It's critical to seek medical attention immediately after any accident, even if you feel fine, as delayed symptoms are common with neck injuries.

Do I need a lawyer for a neck injury claim?

Yes, hiring a neck injury lawyer significantly increases your compensation. Insurance companies often minimize neck injury claims, calling them minor or pre-existing. An experienced attorney documents your injuries properly, obtains necessary medical evidence, negotiates with insurance adjusters, and ensures you receive fair compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

What medical treatment is needed for neck injuries?

Neck injury treatment varies by severity and may include emergency care, diagnostic imaging (X-rays, MRI, CT scans), pain management, physical therapy, chiropractic care, injections, medication, cervical collars, and in severe cases, surgery. Treatment duration ranges from weeks for minor whiplash to months or years for herniated discs or spinal injuries requiring ongoing care.

How do you prove a neck injury claim in California?

Proving a neck injury claim requires medical documentation (diagnostic imaging, doctor reports, treatment records), accident evidence (police reports, photos, witness statements), expert medical testimony establishing causation, documentation of expenses and lost wages, and evidence of pain and suffering. Our attorneys gather comprehensive evidence to establish liability and document the full extent of your injuries.

Can I still recover compensation if I had a pre-existing neck condition?

Yes, you can recover compensation even with a pre-existing neck condition under California's 'eggshell plaintiff' rule. If the accident aggravated or worsened your existing condition, you're entitled to compensation for the aggravation. Medical evidence distinguishing pre-existing conditions from new or worsened injuries is crucial, which is why experienced legal representation is essential.

Neck Injury Lawyer Los Angeles

Neck injuries can be very serious, with the potential to cause debilitating pain and long-term effects that impact everything in your life. Motor vehicle accidents account for 37% of all neck injuries in the US, while slips, falls, and workplace accidents cause the remainder.

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Why You Need Specialised Legal Help to Win Your Neck Case

Neck and spine injuries can leave you in a lot of pain and also a lot of debt. Mostly, insurance companies have a plan to limit the payouts for soft tissue injuries like whiplash, herniated discs, and cervical spine trauma, which can be difficult to measure and verify objectively. They require specialist legal assistance to obtain the compensation they deserve. Our personal injury attorney works on every aspect of your case, right from accident reports to the right treatment plan, so you can get the maximum compensation you deserve.

If your head, neck, or spine has been injured due to someone else’s carelessness, you’ve got the right to seek compensation. At Agemian Law Group, our Los Angeles neck injury lawyers are there to guide you through the process of getting medical help and getting the fair compensation you deserve, so you can start recovering and get your life back on track.

The Insurance Company's Tricks Against Neck Injury Victims

Pre-existing condition excuses

They try to say that your neck injury happened before the accident

"Soft tissue only" downplaying

They'll try to say your whiplash is just a minor injury, even if it's causing you chronic pain

Causation disputes

They'll question whether the accident actually caused your symptoms, even if they showed up days later

Biased medical exams

They'll try to get you to see their doctors who'll downplay the extent of your injuries

Settlement pressure

They'll try to get you to settle quickly before you know the full extent of your injury

Why This Matters to You

Early settlements mean you may have to give up your right to claim future medical costs
Delayed disc herniations can show up months after the initial injury
Chronic pain and permanent limitations are predictable but often missed
Whiplash is a real injury - it's not just a "sprain" or "neck stiffness" as some insurance companies would have you believe

Why Specialised Expertise Matters

A general personal injury attorney may not entirely understand the complexities of cervical trauma, and most neck and back injuries require the input of medical professionals, like orthopedists, radiologists, and biomechanical engineers, who can spot the early signs of neck trauma and help you pursue compensation.

Our California neck injury lawyers at Agemian Law Group have successfully handled thousands of personal injury cases, including car accidents, bicycle accidents, sports injuries, slip and falls, and workplace accidents.

Comprehensive Representation for All Cervical Spine Injuries

Cervical spine injuries cover a wide range of conditions, from minor aches to severe injuries, with life-altering consequences.

Whiplash & Cervical Strain

Whiplash is a cervical strain injury resulting from rapid head movement during a car accident. The main symptoms are stiffness in the spinal nerve, shoulder pain, dizziness, and blurred vision.

Typical Causes:
Rear-end car accidents (most common), side-impact collisions

Symptoms:
Pain, stiffness, reduced range of motion, headaches, shoulder pain

Treatment Duration:
6-12 weeks of physical therapy is usually required

Settlement Range:
$15,000 – $150,000

Why most personal injury cases are often undervalued: these injuries are often invisible on X-rays in the early stages

Herniated & Bulging Discs

A herniated disc occurs when the gel-like center of a spinal disc pushes through its outer layer, mainly due to heavy lifting or an accident. It compresses the cervical nerves, causing radiating arm pain, numbness, and weakness.

Typical Causes:
High-impact collisions, falls from height, truck accidents

Symptoms:
Radiating arm pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, chronic neck pain

Treatment:
Physical therapy, epidural injections, and sometimes surgery (discectomy, fusion). Settlement Range: Between $100,000 and upwards of $2 million (plus surgical cases are worth top dollar)

Settlement Range:
$100,000 – $2 million+

Why we find these cases complicated: It can be super tough to figure out if the symptoms you’re dealing with are from the accident or were already worn out from pre-existing degeneration. That’s why you really need a medical expert on board

Spinal Cord Injuries & Fractures: A Life-Changing Trauma

When back and neck injuries like fractures or dislocations cause damage to the spinal column, it can have lifelong consequences. These cases often result in a permanent reduction in your functionality; you could end up paralysed, or you will need life-long medical care.

Proving Neck Injuries Even When Insurance Says You're Wrong

For personal injury cases in Los Angeles, we work hard to gather solid evidence from the accident scene and identify the party responsible for your injuries. Sometimes, a neck injury is treated as a serious injury.

Get Medical Help ASAP

We want you to get to the hospital or urgent care within 24-48 hours of your accident. This helps us create a record of your injuries right from the start.

Getting Consistent Medical Treatment

If your treatment is inconsistent, the insurance companies will try to dismiss your case. We make sure you get the proper medical care right away.

Making Sense of MRI Reports

MRI reports can be super complex and hard to understand. We work with expert radiologists to make sure we're interpreting the reports right and fighting back against the insurance companies who try to downplay the severity of your condition.

MRI analysis showing disc damage (herniations, bulges, tears)
Consulting with an expert radiologist to get to the bottom of things
Comparing your pre-accident imaging (if we have it) to your post-accident imaging
Proving that you got a new injury that wasn't there before

Working with Expert Medical Witnesses

For complex cases like these, we need expert testimony to fight back against insurance denials and get you the compensation you deserve.

Documenting the Impact on Your Life

It's not just about the medical records - we also need to show how your neck injury has affected your daily life, work and activities.

Documenting lost wages from your job
Family members testifying about how your injuries have affected your daily life
Keeping a daily pain journal to show how your injury is impacting your daily life
Photos and videos showing the difference before and after your injuries

Building a Solid Economic Damages Case

We meticulously add up and document every dollar of your economic losses, including medical bills, rehabilitation costs and lost income.

Our Commitment to Your Case

The insurance companies bet that you'll give up or take their low-ball offer - we don't play like that. We invest in the evidence that makes them pay up.

Your Rights Under California Law

And here are the factors that can really boost the value of your personal injury case:

Don't Get Caught Out - You've Got Just Two Years!

Under California law (Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1), you've got two years from the date of your accident to file your personal injury lawsuit. If you don't, the right to get compensation will be gone for good (730 days is a pretty short window)

How Los Angeles Laws on Negligence Work

Los Angeles follows a pure comparative negligence rule (Los Angeles Civil Jury Instruction 405), which means you can still get compensation even if you were partially to blame for the accident.

Let’s say:

You were 20% to blame for the accident. Your total damages are $100,000.

You’d still get $80,000 (we knock off your 20% fault percentage).

Unlike some states, Los Angeles doesn’t have a 50% rule – you won’t lose your claim even if you were mostly at fault

A Key Strategic Consideration: Insurance companies are going to try pretty hard to pin the blame on you so they can pay out less. That’s why we fight so hard to keep you from getting saddled with too much fault

Damages You Can Recover After an Accident

Economic Damages:

Non-Economic Damages:

The medical bills you've racked up (past and future)
Lost wages from time off work - that's real money you won't be earning
If you've been permanently impaired, that affects your earning capacity
Any damage to your property (your car will need to be repaired or replaced)
Even household expenses - if you've been unable to do things on your own

The pain and suffering you've been through
Emotional trauma that still lingers
The things you used to enjoy that you can no longer do
If you're married, loss of companionship is a big deal
Physical disfigurement or ongoing disability can be a huge issue

These are only awarded when the other party was being pretty reckless or deliberately cruel (like in a DUI case). The goal is to punish them and prevent others from acting in the same way.

Workers' Compensation & Workplace Neck Injuries

If your neck injury happened at work, your first stop is workers’ comp. But there may still be other avenues to explore.

Why Los Angeles Families Choose Agemian Law Group

Decades of Wrongful Death Experience

For over 10+ years, our firm has been representing California families in car accidents, medical malpractice, workplace deaths and more.

Big Results for Families

We have recovered millions for clients. We don't just practice law - we really get the biomechanics of spinal trauma.

Personalized Representation

We understand the pain you're going through. You're not just a case to us - you're a family facing tough times.

LA Knowledge

Our deep knowledge of LA County Superior Court procedures and relationships with local experts gives your case an edge.

Common Questions About Neck Injury Cases in Los Angeles

How do I know if my neck injury is serious enough to file a claim?

If you’ve received medical treatment that involved more than just one doctor’s visit, you should consult a lawyer. If you’ve had to see a specialist, or if you’ve been in physical therapy, or if you’re still hurting after two weeks, you probably have a solid claim.

Can I still file a claim if my symptoms didn't start right away?

Yes – it’s pretty common for neck injuries to take a little while to develop. Whiplash often doesn’t show up until 24-72 hours after the accident – and disc herniations can take weeks to even start causing real problems.

How long does a neck injury case take to settle in LA?

It really depends on the specifics of your case, but most cases take 12-24 months to resolve. Some cases are simpler and can be wrapped up in 6-9 months, but that’s not usually the case.

What's the statute of limitations for neck injury cases in Los Angeles?

Los Angeles has a two year statute of limitations for filing personal injury claims under Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1. That’s right, if you dont sue within two years of the accident date your clock’s going to run out and you’ll likely get nothing.

Do I Really Have to Go to Court for my Neck Injury Trouble?

In all honesty, most neck injury cases get sorted out through negotiation long before a trial ever gets called. Most of the time, between 90 and 95% of cases, we can hammer out a deal without ever having to step foot in a courtroom. But insurance companies only offer fair value when they know your attorney is ready to go the distance if they need to.

What If the Insurance Company Tries to Say My Neck Condition was Preexisting?

You’d be surprised, but California law lets you recover even if you already had a neck condition – as long as the accident made things worse. This is known as the “eggshell plaintiff” rule. And the bottom line is: if the accident made things better or worse for you, then you deserve to be compensated for that.

Can I Even Handle My Neck Injury Claim On My Own?

You can try to handle it on your own, but it’s probably not a good idea. Studies have shown that people who have a lawyer get 3.5 times more cash than those who don’t. And that’s even after lawyer fees! The truth is, insurance adjusters are pros – their job is to give you as little money as possible, especially when it comes to neck injuries.

Schedule Your Free Case Evaluation

Agemian Law Firm provides free consultations for all personal injury and employment law matters. Case evaluation includes liability assessment, damages calculation, and explanation of legal options with no obligation.