Sioux Falls Lawyers Fighting For Victims Of Neck And Whiplash Injuries

Last updated on March 11, 2026

If you were in a car accident yesterday and woke up today unable to turn your head, it could be more than simple soreness. It is a classic pattern for a neck injury, and it deserves to be taken seriously.

At Alvine Law Firm, LLP, our Sioux Falls attorneys know how serious neck injuries like whiplash can be for people in our community. We bring over 25 years of trial experience to fighting for injured people in our community who have suffered falls, car wrecks and other accidents.

Low-Speed Crashes Can Still Cause Serious Neck Injuries

Whiplash is a violent whipping motion of the cervical spine. It can damage discs, joints, muscles, ligaments and nerves, and it can turn into chronic pain, weakness or numbness that affects work and daily life.

These neck injuries do not require a high-speed, totaled-vehicle collision. Even low-speed impacts can create severe cervical torque, especially in rear-end crashes, because your body moves with the seat while your head lags behind and then snaps forward. That rapid motion can strain or tear soft tissues, injure neck joints, create or worsen disc bulges and trigger nerve pain. As a result, you might suffer a variety of injuries like:

• Herniated discs
• Nerve impingement, or pressure on a nerve root that can cause pain, numbness, tingling or weakness
• Cervical radiculopathy, which can create radiating symptoms down the arm due to nerve root irritation/compression
• Sprains/strains that become chronic due to instability or ongoing inflammation

The Symptoms Of A Neck Injury

It is common to walk away from a crash feeling okay. Adrenaline, shock and the immediate focus on safety can mask pain for 24 to 48 hours. However, that does not mean that there is no injury.

Neck injury symptoms after a crash often start as stiffness or soreness and then escalate into sharp pain, reduced range of motion, and muscle spasms that make it difficult to turn your head, look over your shoulder, or even sit comfortably. Many people also develop headaches (often starting at the base of the skull), pain between the shoulder blades, and sleep disruption because they can’t find a position that doesn’t aggravate the neck.

More serious cervical spine involvement can cause nerve-related symptoms like burning pain that radiates into the shoulder, arm or hand; numbness; weakness; and dizziness or vertigo. These signs warrant prompt medical evaluation, especially if symptoms worsen or do not improve over the first several days.

More Than A Neck Brace: Understanding The Real Cost Of Whiplash Injury Care

Insurance adjusters like to frame whiplash as a short-lived inconvenience. However, cervical injuries can require months of treatment – and sometimes invasive procedures. Depending on severity, care may include:

• Medical evaluations and diagnostic imaging
• Physical therapy for stability, range of motion and strength
• Prescription medication and pain management
• Epidural steroid injections or other interventional treatments
• Specialist care (orthopedics, neurology, spine specialists)
• Spinal fusion surgery in severe cases when the injury causes structural damage

And even after treatment, some people are left with chronic neck pain, headaches, restricted motion or recurring flare-ups that affect driving, sleep and work.

Don’t Sign Anything Before You Understand Your Injuries

The other driver’s insurer may pressure you to take a settlement to get you to sign a release. Once you sign it, your claim is typically over.

Unfortunately, an MRI is often the test that reveals disc and nerve-related damage that an X-ray cannot. If you have signed a release, you may not be able to get compensation for your real injuries even if an MRI later shows a herniated disc or nerve impingement that requires injections or surgery.

To protect yourself, you can:

• Get medically evaluated and follow up if symptoms worsen.
• Document when symptoms began and how they affect your day.
• Do not give a recorded statement without legal advice.
• Do not sign a settlement or release until your condition is properly diagnosed.

How A Sioux Falls Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help With A Whiplash Claim

Neck injury cases often become a credibility fight: you’re in pain, but your insurance provider may claim that you are exaggerating. We work to remove doubt by building the claim around medical evidence and the real-life impact of the injury.

That includes:

• Collecting medical records and imaging
• Documenting lost wages and time missed from work
• Showing the mechanics of the crash and how it caused your injuries

By collecting evidence and building a strong case, we can pursue full compensation. Not only does this mean that your claim can provide support today, but it can also keep you from paying for long-term care yourself.

Take The First Step Toward Fair Compensation Today

Neck and back injuries are serious, and you deserve to have a strong legal advocate to fight for the support you need to recover. Contact our Sioux Falls personal injury office to discuss what happened, your symptoms and what steps to take before you sign away your rights. You can reach out online or call 605-275-0808 to schedule your initial consultation.