Despite that back pain is among the most common symptoms for which people seek medical treatment, it is hard to know how much it interferes with your everyday life unless you have experienced it yourself. Back pain can have so many causes that it is often difficult for doctors to attribute it to one specific precipitating event. Even worse, the symptoms tend to change over time, so managing your symptoms is an ongoing process. Managing back pain to the point where you can continue to remain physically active and, if you are young enough, to remain in the workforce is a big job. Not having the money to pay for the treatment you need for a back injury makes things even harder, especially if the injury resulted from a preventable cause such as a car accident. For help getting the compensation you need for a car accident-related back injury, contact a Santa Fe motor vehicle accident lawyer.
What Types of Back Injuries Can Result From Car Accidents?
The personal injury lawsuits that make the news are the ones that result in catastrophic injury, such as a spinal fracture that causes severe spinal cord injury and paralysis. The worst kinds of back injuries represent only a small fraction of the many car accident-related back injuries that cause people years of physical and financial pain. These are some common types of back injuries related to car accidents:
- Burst fractures, in which a traumatic blow causes the same vertebra to break in multiple places
- Stress fractures, which appear on X-rays as a crack in one or more vertebrae
- Soft tissue injuries, such as whiplash injuries and muscle sprains
- Nerve damage
- Herniated discs, also known as slipped discs or ruptured discs
Even a relatively minor injury can result in degenerative conditions or a narrowing of the spinal canal, which can cause pressure on nerves and cause pain. Therefore, it is important to get a thorough medical examination after an accident and prompt treatment for acute injuries and monitor any conditions that could worsen.
Getting the Treatment That You Need to Manage the Symptoms of a Back Injury
No two back injuries are alike, and managing symptoms often requires trial and error. Treatment sometimes involves anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, or both. In more severe cases, especially if the symptoms do not improve with medication and physical therapy, you might require surgery, such as a discectomy or spinal fusion.
If your injuries are the result of a car accident, you may be able to get your treatment paid for through an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit. A personal injury lawyer can help you prove that your injuries are the result of the accident and not of a pre-existing medical condition.
Contact Slate Stern About Car Accident Lawsuits
Slate Stern is a personal injury lawyer who represents plaintiffs injured in car accidents, including those that resulted in back injuries. To discuss your case, contact Slate Stern in Santa Fe, New Mexico, or call (505)814-1517.
Sources
https://alexanderorthopaedics.com/blog/common-back-injuries-from-a-car-accident
Photo by Joyce Hankins on Unsplash