It is common for people to feel pain after car accidents, and back injuries can be debilitating for some car accident victims. Many back injuries resolve themselves in a few days or weeks with over-the-counter medications, ice, and rest, but others cause long-term, serious problems.
During a car crash, your car experiences a force of impact, but your body keeps moving until something stops abruptly, like a seat belt, steering wheel, dashboard, or airbag. That kind of violent, uncontrolled motion can easily injure different body parts and affect the neck, spinal cord, and back. Even if the vehicles were not traveling at high speeds, minor incidents can still cause serious injuries.
You should get immediate medical treatment after a car accident because many injuries do not become apparent until time has passed. A timely diagnosis and care plan helps people recover faster; it is also better for insurance purposes and can serve as evidence.
Back injury symptoms vary depending on the individual and the type of accident. You might experience back or neck pain, headaches, fatigue, or weakness; someone else might feel dizziness, tingling, and lose their range of motion.
These are some of the more common back injuries related to car accidents:
- Back sprains and strains: Back sprains damage ligaments that connect joints to bones and vice versa. Strains affect tendons in the back that connect bone to muscle.
- Herniated disks: When disks in the spine shift and compress nerves, they can herniate. That is when the inside part of the disk pushes out through its outer ring.
- Lumbar or thoracic vertebrae fractures: The back has 33 bones, and these spinal fractures can be severe.
- Spondylolisthesis: This condition happens when a stress fracture displaces a vertebra. In serious cases, it compresses the nerves or spinal canal.
Other categories of back injuries include discogenic pain, facet joint injuries, and degenerative spinal disorders – the latter can develop over time after a car accident. Back injuries can also cause secondary conditions to develop, like bladder and kidney problems, deep vein thrombosis, and depression.
What Compensation Can I Get for a Back Injury From a Car Accident?
The answer to this question depends on a host of factors that are unique to your case. The amount would reflect the actual losses you experienced because of the crash and any degree of negligence that caused the accident.
The categories for car accident compensation include:
- Payment for medical bills resulting from the accident. This includes current and future bills.
- Compensation for current and future lost wages if the back injury impacts your ability to work.
- Compensation for pain and suffering and emotional distress.
It is challenging to determine compensation, but an experienced car accident lawyer can estimate your case is worth during a consultation. You will need to do your part in the evidence-gathering process, but your lawyer will also focus their efforts on proving your case.
Our Delaware Car Accident Lawyers at McCann Dillon Jaffe & Lamb, LLC Will Help You if You Have a Back Injury From a Crash
Contact our Delaware car accident lawyers at McCann Dillon Jaffe & Lamb, LLC for legal help after a collision. Call us at 302-888-1221 or complete our online form to schedule a free consultation. Located in Wilmington, Delaware, we proudly assist clients in Dover, Newark, and Middletown.