Attorneys
- Maquoketa Car Accident Injury Attorneys
- Phone: 641-792-3595
- Directions
Every year, thousands of Iowans are injured in car accidents. Their injuries range from fractures and broken bones to herniated discs, fractured vertebrae, paralysis, cervical strain, lumbar strain, damaged shoulders, traumatic brain injuries, complex regional pain syndrome, and more. Car accidents in Iowa can take many forms: being struck by a semi-truck, hit by an uninsured driver, hit by an underinsured driver, or colliding with a vehicle operated by someone under the influence of alcohol. The nature and type of injuries, the facts surrounding the collision, and the available insurance coverage all affect how your case and claim will be evaluated.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident in or around Maquoketa, understanding the specific injuries you may be dealing with, the right steps to take right now, and when to call an attorney can make the difference between a full recovery and leaving thousands of dollars on the table. The attorneys at Walker, Billingsley & Bair have been representing injured Iowa car accident victims for over 28 years.
Common Car Accident Injuries and How They Are Treated
Fractures and Broken Bones
Fractures are among the most common serious injuries resulting from car accidents. If a fracture is severe enough, surgery will be performed to stabilize the bones and prevent further injury. Less severe fractures may be treated with traction to reduce the fracture and a cast to hold the bones in place while they heal. Follow-up X-rays are standard regardless of the severity, to confirm that the bones are healing properly. These are serious injuries that can have lifelong consequences, and you should at the very least consider getting legal help when a fracture results from someone else's negligence.
Herniated Discs, Fractured Vertebrae, and Paralysis
Car crashes are violent events, and they can cause severe injuries to the spine with long-lasting and permanent effects. Injuries in this category often require spinal surgery, which may include a laminectomy, discectomy, fusion, or other spinal surgical procedures. If your doctor tells you that you need spinal surgery, the situation is serious enough that you should have qualified legal assistance. You are always permitted to seek a second opinion from another qualified surgeon, but if you are already hospitalized waiting for spinal surgery, understanding the full severity of your situation and your legal rights is critical. For these types of injuries, getting both medical and legal help as early as possible is essential.
Shoulder Injuries, Strains, and Sprains
The tremendous force of a car accident can tear tendons, rip muscles, and cause widespread damage throughout the body. Sometimes doctors can identify these injuries through an MRI, CT scan, or X-ray, and sometimes they cannot. A normal test result does not mean you are not injured. Injuries frequently cannot be detected by any machine test. This is why it is so important, even when your testing comes back normal, to continue seeing your doctor if you remain in pain. If you wait weeks or months without seeking care, hoping things improve on their own, you can significantly reduce the value of your claim.
Traumatic Brain Injuries and Head Injuries
Many people are surprised to learn that even accidents involving a seemingly minor impact can cause serious head injuries if the victim's head strikes the side window, steering wheel, roof, or windshield. Any head injury should be taken seriously and treated immediately to prevent permanent brain damage. Never assume a bump on the head is insignificant after a car accident. Symptoms of a brain injury can emerge hours or even days after the initial crash.
Whiplash
Whiplash is perhaps the most common injury in rear-end accidents, and its effects often sneak up on a victim hours or the day after a crash. Caused by the sharp back-and-forth movement of the head when a car is struck from behind, whiplash can produce severe pain in the neck, back, head, and shoulders. It should never be taken lightly. The full extent of whiplash injuries is often not apparent at the scene of the accident, which is one of the reasons prompt medical evaluation is so important.
ACL Tears: A Serious Knee Injury That Can Result from Car Accident Trauma
The legs and knees are particularly vulnerable in car accidents, and the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) can be torn as a direct result of the trauma involved. The ACL is the ligament found in the center of the knee. It is responsible for stabilizing the knee joint and works in concert with the posterior cruciate ligament to prevent the femur and tibia from sliding too far over one another. When an ACL injury occurs, a person may have difficulty performing even basic movements like walking and will require medical intervention. ACL tears are also frequently accompanied by additional injuries such as a fibula fracture.
How an ACL Tear Happens in a Car Crash
In a car accident context, an ACL tear can result from the knee changing direction quickly, such as when an object forces the knee sharply in one direction, or from a direct collision in which part of the vehicle makes contact with the leg. The sudden and unpredictable nature of crash impact is what makes these injuries so common even in collisions that victims initially believe were not severe.
Symptoms and Treatment of an ACL Tear
An ACL tear is one of the most painful injury types. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, it is characterized by the loss of full range of motion, tenderness, significant swelling, and the inability to walk or move the leg comfortably. Both surgical and nonsurgical options may be pursued depending on the severity of the injury. Nonsurgical options typically involve a brace combined with physical therapy. When the ACL injury is severe, surgical reconstruction of the ligament is usually necessary. According to the Emory University healthcare website, most people are able to return to their regular lifestyle activities, including sports, approximately six months after surgery.
Car accident victims who suffer ACL injuries may have to miss significant time from work and will face considerable medical expenses. When the accident was not your fault, you deserve to be compensated for your lost wages, medical costs, and the pain and suffering you have endured. You should seriously consider getting a lawyer after a car accident in Iowa if you have sustained this type of serious soft tissue injury.
Cervical Strain: Understanding Whiplash and Neck Injuries After a Crash
Cervical strain occurs when the muscles or tendons in the neck are overstretched or torn. In a car accident, this happens when the sudden force of impact causes the head to move rapidly back and forth or side to side. The injury is also commonly referred to as whiplash or hyperflexion-hyperextension injury. It is one of the most frequently reported injuries following rear-end collisions, and it can affect victims of even low-speed crashes.
What Happens Inside the Neck
Cervical strain is an injury to the ligaments, tendons, and muscles of the neck. Soft tissue damage can cause blood to pool in muscle tissue, irritating the muscle and triggering pain and spasms. That pooling can also lead to scar tissue, which alters muscle structure and produces further pain and spasms over time. An MRI is often ordered to detect muscle changes related to cervical strain. Additionally, tiny tears in the cervical disc can place pressure on your joints, which is another source of pain that may require injections for temporary relief.
Symptoms of Cervical Strain
Cervical strain injuries are painful, frustrating, and significantly reduce your range of motion. Common symptoms include:
- Pain, tenderness, and tightness in the neck
- Knotted or hard muscles in the neck region
- Headaches
- Inflammation
- Pain radiating into the shoulders or arms
- Inability to fully turn your head through its normal range of motion
- Numbness or weakness in the arms or hands
- Muscle spasms
It is important to understand that while some cervical strain injuries are apparent immediately after the crash, others may take time to fully develop and manifest. If you suffered a blow to the head or your head was jolted violently during the accident, you may also have sustained a concussion. This is why every car accident victim should receive a thorough medical examination after a crash, even if no injuries are immediately visible.
How Cervical Strains Are Classified
Cervical strains are categorized by degree of severity according to recommendations from the Quebec Taskforce on Whiplash-Associated Disorders:
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| Grade 0 | No physical signs or complaints |
| Grade 1 | Stiffness and tenderness only |
| Grade 2 | Musculoskeletal signs including decreased range of motion and point tenderness |
| Grade 3 | Above symptoms plus neurologic signs such as weakness and sensory and reflex changes |
| Grade 4 | Most severe; includes a fracture and/or dislocation in addition to all of the above symptoms |
Treating a Cervical Strain Injury
The sooner you are treated for a cervical strain injury, the better your long-term outcome. Early rehabilitation helps to prevent chronic pain and disability. Common treatments include applications of heat and ice, electrical stimulation, neck braces, massage, myofascial release, cervical traction, doctor-recommended stretching and strengthening exercises, and medications including pain relievers, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, and sleep aids.
One important challenge with cervical strain claims is that many of these injuries do not show up on X-rays or other standard medical tests. This makes proving the injury in a legal claim more complex. An experienced attorney can help you collect the evidence needed to substantiate your claim and take the steps necessary to give you the best chance of being adequately compensated.
Critical Steps to Take After a Car Accident in Maquoketa
Regardless of the type of injury you have suffered, the steps you take in the days following your accident will have a direct impact on both your physical recovery and the value of your legal claim. Here is what you need to do:
- Seek medical care immediately. This is not the time to be tough and hope things improve on their own. If you do not see a doctor to document your injuries, the insurance company and ultimately a judge or jury may not consider your injuries real. Go to a doctor as soon as possible because the longer you wait, the more difficult it becomes to make a financial recovery.
- Follow up with ongoing medical care. If you were treated in an emergency room, urgent care, or by your family physician and you are not fully recovered within seven days, go back and seek additional care. Waiting longer risks having a judge, jury, or insurance adjuster view your injuries as less serious than they truly are.
- Seek a second opinion if necessary. If your doctor tells you that your injuries will heal with time but you continue to have pain, it is completely appropriate to consult another qualified physician. Our attorneys can guide you toward doctors who have strong track records in car accident cases in Iowa, and away from those with close ties to insurance companies who may minimize your injuries regardless of the facts.
Seeking Legal Assistance in Maquoketa
Seeking legal counsel from experienced Maquoketa Iowa car accident attorneys such as those at Walker, Billingsley & Bair can provide invaluable support in filing insurance claims or pursuing personal injury lawsuits. With a comprehensive understanding of Iowa law, their team can help gather evidence, establish liability, and secure the compensation deserved by accident victims.
Suffering from the aftermath of a car accident shouldn't impede your pursuit of justice and fair compensation. The Iowa injury lawyers at Walker, Billingsley & Bair work hard to level the field between injured Iowans and insurance companies.
That's why we provide this FREE book; The Legal Insider's Guide to Iowa Car Accidents: 7 Secrets to Not Wreck Your Case. To learn more about what our legal team will do to help you protect your Iowa injury claim, contact Walker, Billingsley & Bair to schedule a no-cost consultation. Call 641-792-3595 to order your free accident book today.