NECK INJURIES

NEW YORK CITY NECK INJURY ATTORNEY

NEW YORK CITY NECK INJURY ATTORNEY

Neck injuries are one of the most common injuries from traffic accidents, and the symptoms are not always present right away.  That’s why you need an experienced New York City neck injury attorney to represent you.  After a car, bus, truck, or bicycle accident, it’s a good idea to check to see if your neck has a full range of motion. Gently moved your down and around in a circle and notice if there is any pain with this movement.  Our necks are less protected than other parts of the body, and what might feel like a slight twinge initially could be a herniated disc, a torn ligament or even a slight fracture. This is all the more reason you should seriously consider taking an ambulance to the hospital directly from the scene of an accident.

It’s also a good idea to call an expert New York City Neck Injury Attorney to find out what you might need to do right away to preserve your rights.  At Wittenstein & Wittenstein, we’ve been holding client’s hands through their cases for over 60 years. Let us work on the legal aspects of your situation, while you focus on returning to full health.  Please call us for a free consultation at 718-261-8114.

Strains and Sprains (Whiplash)

Whiplash is the lay term for mild traumatic injuries to the neck.  Sensitive tendons, muscles, and ligaments work together in your neck.   A strain of the neck is when the muscle or tendon is suddenly contracted or stretched.  A sprain is when the ligaments are stretched or torn. It is very difficult to diagnose a neck problem with any certainty without Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) films.  With an MRI, a doctor can determine the extent of your neck problem and recommend the best treatment.

Herniated Disc

The neck (cervical spine) is made up of discs with a hard shell and a soft gel filled interior.  This works to absorb force and protects the spine. When the gel inside the disc protrudes, due to trauma or degeneration, this is known as a herniated disc.  Symptoms include a shooting pain that radiates down the arms, numbness or tingling and muscle weakness.

A herniated disc is usually diagnosed with an MRI and clinical testing of reflexes, range of motion and pain level.  Treatment is usually a combination of physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, pain relievers and muscle relaxants. Rarely, surgery is necessary to relieve the pain.

These are the most common types of traumatic neck injuries from traffic accidents.  If you have sustained an injury to your neck, you should seek medical treatment and consider suing the negligent party for compensation.  Please call Wittenstein & Wittenstein for a free consultation at 718-261-8114

Are You Underinsured?

  Suppose you were walking on the sidewalk, minding your own business, and an out-of-control car came up onto the sidewalk and knocked you over, causing very serious injuries.  You might never be able to work again, and are expecting a large amount of compensation. You’d be very disappointed to find out that the car that hit you only carried the minimum amount of insurance. Someone with a minimum policy in New York would have the following policy limits: Bodily Injury liability coverage: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident Property Damage liability coverage: $10,000 per accident Uninsured Bodily Injury coverage: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident Personal Injury Protection: $50,000 If you were to [...]

Honest Personal Injury Attorney – Is this an Oxymoron?

I tend to be the kind of person that expects the best from others, but lately, so many of my clients have been telling me horror stories about their experiences with other Personal Injury Attorneys. True, Personal Injury Attorneys and especially Car Accident Attorneys do not have the best reputation for honesty. My father trained me thirty years ago to be honest and treat all the clients with the utmost respect. I find it shocking how few attorneys actually do this. That's what prompted me to write this blog post, "Honest Personal Injury Attorney - is this an Oxymoron?" Are we like jumbo shrimp? Are so few of aware of the ethical rules and willing to [...]

Head to the Emergency Room After a Traffic Accident!

Despite increases in safety of motor vehicles, people are injured in traffic accidents every day. Airbags and other safety devices will help minimize the extent of injuries in many cases, but will not prevent them completely. Airbags can also cause injuries of their own, such as severe burns. Seatbelts can sometimes cause internal injuries in the upper body. If you’ve been involved in a serious traffic accident, you should head to the emergency room. Your vehicle and your other responsibilities can wait; you must ensure that your health comes first. Internal Injuries, Concussions and Fractures Require Immediate Attention Any Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, Manhattan or Brooklyn traffic accident attorney can tell horror stories of people that [...]

FOOD POISONING 101 : HOW TO PROTECT YOUR GUESTS ALL SUMMER ’18

With a little over a month left until the end of summer, many of you may try to squeeze a barbecue in while the days are still long. We all know with these type of events, careful planning and a trip to Costco’s for your food and supply needs is usually required. It is important however, to also keep food safety in mind, rather than leave it as an afterthought.  According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about 48 million Americans experience food poisoning (also known as foodborne illness) every year- that’s 1 in 6 Americans! As a Queens food poisoning lawyer for over 60 years, here at Wittenstein & Wittenstein, we've [...]

Understanding New York’s No-Fault Law

New York is one of the twelve states in the country with no-fault motor vehicle accident laws. The other no-fault states are Florida, Kansas, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Minnesota, Michigan, New Jersey, North Dakota, Utah and Pennsylvania. It’s called no-fault because your medical bills, lost wages and some out of pocket expenses are paid regardless of how the accident happened. What many people don’t know is that the law was passed to decrease personal injury claims, so it limits lawsuits against the at fault parties to cases where there is a “serious permanent injury.” This law is complicated and failing to properly meet the requirements can cause your case to be delayed or even dismissed. That’s why [...]

Why Is Every Lawyer Rejecting My Case?

You had a car accident and you’ve called every Queens car accident attorney, every Brooklyn car accident attorney and every attorney in Manhattan, The Bronx and Staten Island and they’ve all told you to get lost.  You don’t understand - you were injured, and it wasn’t your fault, so you’re wondering, “Why is every lawyer rejecting my case.?”  Accident attorneys work on a contingency fee, meaning that they only get paid if they are successful. They don’t want cases that are likely losers, so it’s important to understand what might make your case a loser. Do You Have A Serious Injury? New York is a “no-fault” state.  This means that vehicle owners are required to carry [...]

For Goodness Sake – Don’t Leave Your Car in Storage!

If you have collision insurance (aka full coverage) for your car, your insurance company will inspect your car and pay you promptly for the damage.  If you don't have this coverage, you can make a claim against the car that caused the accident to collect money to fix your car (or the book value of your car if it is "totaled.") This can sometimes happen quickly as well.  If you are hit in the rear by somebody that insured with, let's say, GEICO, they will come and inspect your car and pay you for the damages or book value.  This will seem not much different than if you had full coverage (and there's no deductible.)  That's [...]

What’s Your Personal Injury Claim IQ?

Everybody’s a “know-it-all” when it comes to personal injury claims. Even people that are lucky enough to never have an accident claim to know everything. Everybody has a friend that slipped on a banana peel and collected a million dollars or an uncle that drove his car into a tree and retired on the proceeds on his personal injury settlement. The reality is that nobody collects anything unless they can prove that they were badly hurt as a result of somebody else’s carelessness or recklessness. Let’s see if you know as much as you think. It’s a “No-Fault” Claim No. “No-fault” refers to the “Personal Injury Protection” that’s required in New York, and many other states, [...]

WHAT IS A CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYER?

A Civil Rights Lawyer can bring an action on your behalf for violations of Civil Rights guaranteed under New York City, New York State and Federal Law.  There are several common types of civil rights actions: Employment Discrimination: - An employer cannot treat you differently because you are a member of a "protected class" and must reasonably accommodate disabilities.  In the United States most workers are "employees at will," which means that they can be terminated without cause, but they cannot be terminated because of their race, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, etc.  They can be fired for talking too much, not dressing well, or having blue eyes. Sexual Harassment/Hostile Work Environment: You have a [...]