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Neck and spine fractures

Michael Agruss

Written and Reviewed by Michael Agruss

  • Managing Partner and Personal Injury Lawyer at Mike Agruss Law.
  • Over 20 years of experience in Personal Injury.
  • Over 8000+ consumer rights cases settled.
  • Graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law: Juris Doctor, 2004.


The neck and the spine are extremely essential parts of our bodies since they support your body and head, protect your nerves, and can damage a person’s quality of life if a spinal injury results in central nervous system damage. If you or a loved one has sustained a neck or spine fracture from an accident, contact Mike Agruss Law for a free consultation so we can help you recover from this experience and get fairly compensated.

Neck and spine fractures can be incredibly serious and definitely require immediate medical attention. These two structures are essential to our overall structure and function. A neck fracture is also called a cervical fracture and it usually results from very high-energy trauma such as a motor vehicle accident or a contact sports injury. These occur when one of the seven vertebrae bones in the neck breaks. Symptoms include a tingling or numb sensation in the area, trouble breathing or swallowing, limited range of motion in the neck, pain, swelling, or muscle spasms in the neck. Treatment in mild fractures will likely include immobilizing the neck with a brace for a month or two. More severe cases may require a cast or surgery and require a longer recovery time until you can reach a full range of motion.

Spinal fractures also occur from high-energy traumas and commonly cause one of the bones in the thoracic (mid-back) or lumbar (lower back) spine to fracture. There are three types of spinal fractures:

  • Flexions – This type of fracture occurs when a small fragment of bone gets broken apart from the spine at some point, which can either be only the front of the vertebra or both the front and the back.
  • Extensions – This fracture occurs when the vertebra is pulled apart and detaches, commonly from seatbelts holding a person’s lower half in place while their upper half is flung forward.
  • Rotations – This fracture occurs when a vertebra is displaced from an adjacent vertebra. Rotation fractures can cause serious nerve damage.

Diagnosis for spinal fractures will likely consist of a physical examination, X-rays or CT scans to view the condition of the vertebrae, and neurological tests to test how your nerves respond in case of nerve damage. The following treatment would include anything from a brace for up to three months or surgery to repair the injury. It would depend on the location, type, and severity of the injury.

These are particularly dangerous since the central nervous system (CNS) runs through the center of the vertebrae. Any damage to the CNS could cause temporary or permanent paralysis in one half of the body, the body from the neck down, or even death. These injuries need diligent treatment and attention from medical professionals, as well as your part in doing everything in your power to follow their treatment recommendations so that you can recover as much as possible.

If another person caused your injuries, you can file a claim against them for monetary damages. Medical care for a bone fracture is not cheap, and it certainly is not cheap when it involves surgery or potential complications that you may have had to deal with. With our help, we can help you recover the costs of your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages that resulted from another person’s actions.

Helping our clients is about counseling, advocating, and ultimately solving problems. With years of experience successfully representing the people, not the powerful, we will take care of the insurance adjusters, your medical bills, your property damage, and your lost wages, and monitor your treatment so you can focus on healing and getting your life back to normal. Our unique formula has earned us over 1,000 outstanding client reviews on our website, an A+ BBB rating, and over 135 five-star reviews on Google. Call 888-572-0176, e-mail us at [email protected], or schedule a meeting with us here. We’re here 24/7.

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