Common Types of Back Injuries After a Car Accident
Unfortunately, car accidents cause a significant amount of injuries to drivers every year.
In 2019, 4.5 million people sustained injuries in car accidents that required medical attention.
These injuries add up to a staggering $463 billion of damage to society per year.
Some injuries have more severe consequences than others. Back injuries represent some of the worst injuries. A back injury car accident is an accident where one or more people involved sustain an injury to their back or spinal cord.
Common Back Injuries from Car Accidents
Car accidents cause back injuries for a variety of reasons. One reason is the impact people get from being thrown back against their seats during an accident.
Some of the common back injuries from car accidents include:
- Herniated discs,
- Spinal cord injuries,
- Lumbar or thoracic vertebrae injuries, and
- Back sprains and strains.
In severe cases, spinal injuries can lead to paralysis, which involves lifelong treatment and complications.
Car Accident Back Injury Symptoms
Symptoms of back injuries range from mild to severe, with the very worst leaving victims immobile. Each type of back injury has a variety of symptoms that are commonly associated with them. Back injuries must always be dealt with very carefully, even if they are mild, because of the back’s importance to the body’s functions.
Herniated Discs
Herniated discs happen when one of the rubbery spinal discs that separate the body’s spinal vertebrae becomes slipped or ruptured. Herniation means a protrusion or abnormal rupture of a body part.
Herniated disc injuries can be very painful or have no symptoms at all; it depends on the individual damage. Herniated discs cause pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in the body near where the disc is located.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spine injuries from car accidents represent some of the worst injuries, which can leave victims immobile. The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that runs from the skull down the back and performs vital motor and sensory functions.
A car accident spine injury can result in loss of control of limbs, loss of sensation, loss of bowel control, and loss of movement. Any bruise, cut, or strain to this crucial body part will leave a victim with serious symptoms to deal with.
Lumbar or Thoracic Vertebrae
The vertebrae are the bones that protect the spinal cord. The lumbar vertebrae are located in the lower back, while the thoracic vertebrae are in the chest. A study published by the U.S. National Institute of Health found that the lumbosacral spine area was most regularly fractured in car accidents.
The lumbosacral area is specifically located at the small of the back parallel to the hips. Injuries to these vertebrae are most frequently compression fractures and bone bruises. Each of these eventualities can carry the symptoms of reduced movement, change in posture, severe pain, and breathing problems.
Back Sprains and Strains
Back sprains and strains usually constitute the least serious back injuries. If the back is thrown into an awkward position by a car accident, it can sprain or strain the back muscles, ligaments, or tendons.
The difference between the two is sprains involve harm to ligaments while strains are harmful to muscles and tendons. Sprains commonly carry more significant harm because of the importance of ligaments in the back.
Each can have the symptoms of back pain, muscle fatigue, muscle spasms, and possible loss of motion. A sprain or a strain can worsen over time if the victim moves the injured back around too much.
Back Injury Damages
Some symptoms are immediately felt after sustaining a back injury, while others creep in over time. You must consider both when calculating damages for a back injury car accident.
Back injuries carry uniquely high costs because of their long recovery times and the amount of physical therapy required.
If you have back pain from a car accident, here are some of the damages you could possibly prove:
- Lost income,
- Pain and suffering,
- Medical bills,
- Payments to physical therapists,
- Loss of companionship or consortium, and
- Future lost earnings.
Damage calculations for back injuries can rack up to very high amounts of money due to these factors.
Contact The Peace Law Firm Today
Should you suffer a back injury after a car accident, make sure to reach out to Peace Law Firm. We know what it's like to deal with insurance and we understand the tactics they use to lowball you for your claims.
Our auto accident lawyers in Greenville, SC only represents people like you, not insurance companies. We will fight hard on your behalf to get you compensation for your injuries.
Contact us today for a free consultation.
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