Legal Question in Personal Injury in California

You've left out some important details. How did a "verbal altercation" lead to a physical injury? Whether you have a case against your co-worker will depend on what happened. And if you do have a case, whether it will be worth pursuing will depend on details about your injury.

I need some more information. How exactly did a verbal altercation cause the injury?

Usually you can sue someone for battery if he or she threw the first punch (slap, kick, whatever). It doesn't matter who started the verbal argument, as the general rule is that words are not sufficient provocation to justify an assault.

If your neck wasn't physically injured by the other person - if it was injured because you yelled too much, then that's on you.