It is a miraculous thing to get out of a car accident unscathed. Indeed, if you got off with no broken bones, no sprains, no torn wounds, no cruel wounds, or no visible catastrophic trauma, you’re in luck. Neck and back pain are the most dangerous pain in the human body.
However, there is ample evidence that visible injuries are only half of the problems facing accident victims. Postponed and hidden injuriesThe most common of which is neck and shoulder pain, can appear immediately or several hours or even days after a car accident.
Other common injuries associated with automobile accidents include a variety of back injuries that can adversely affect a victim’s spinal cord, soft tissue, and overall range of motion for an extended period or even permanently.
When dealing with insurance companies after a car accident, you can never fully assess your damages and legal options. This is because insurance companies always try to minimize their liabilities at all costs.
If you like to work with an experienced law firm Greathouse Trial LawThey will put you or your loved one in the best position to establish a successful personal injury case. By working with an experienced car accident attorney, accident victims can better and better perform their medical treatments and physical therapies as they are not bound by their own legal process.
If you or a loved one has neck and / or back pain after a car accident, it is important that you Contact us for a free consultation This will allow us to assess your scenario and point you in the right direction for your lawful compensation.
Common types of neck injuries
There are a large number of different types of neck pain that can result in serious injury if a car accident victim does not receive adequate medical care once they notice symptoms.
A neck injury is the type of injury that always requires the assistance of a doctor such as a chiropractor or other health care team. Therefore, after a car accident, you should always get a full examination to make sure you are not suffering from any of the following types of neck injuries:
Whiplash
A Whiplash An injury is a neck injury caused by a forceful, rapid back-and-forth motion of the neck, like the crack of a whip. Whiplash most commonly results from rear-end collisions, when the impact pushes the body forward, forcing the neck to stabilize the head by sending it backwards.
This rapid movement often stretches the intervertebral discs that surround the nerves and ligaments, which then leads to severe pain and inflammation.
Symptoms of whiplash, if not seen immediately, can occur between 24 and 72 hours or, in unusual cases, days after the accident. Some of the most common symptoms are:
- Neck pain and stiffness
- Loss of movement in the neck
- Headache from the base of the skull
- Mild tingling or numbness
- Facet joint pain
- Fatigue
Pinched nerves
There are many types of disc injuries caused by automobile accidents, and a pinched disc in the neck or upper back is a very serious type of injury. If your spinal nerves are seriously pinched, it can cause pain, muscle cramps, numbness, or tingling in your extremities.
These serious auto accident injuries may require extensive amounts of pain relievers, chiropractic care, or even surgery to be fully corrected.
disc prolapse
The soft discs between the neck bones in your vertebral canal protect the bones from mutual damage. A herniated disc occurs when a hard force, such as a car accident, causes the discs to swell badly or even tear.
Herniated discs put tremendous pressure on an accident victim’s spinal cord and surrounding nerves, which can ultimately cause an incredible amount of long-term pain.
Common back injuries in car accidents
Back pain resulting from a car accident can also result in a wide variety of soft tissue injuries, spinal cord injuries, and other serious injuries that require the assistance of personal injury attorneys.
Our spinal cord is divided into three areas, and each of these areas contains its own intervertebral discs, spinal nerves, soft tissues and ultimately the possibilities for many different medical treatments. Some of the most common types of back injuries associated with car accidents include:
Injuries to the thoracic spine
There are many cases where thoracic spine injuries are among the most serious types of back injuries. The thoracic spine is made up of the upper back that connects our ribs to our chest region, so any type of sprain or fracture caused by the effects of a car accident can result in serious injuries such as nerve damage, shoulder pain, and disc injuries.
Injuries to the lumbar spine
Our lumbar area is made up of very large vertebrae and strong muscles, so any injury to that area will result in serious lower back pain. A sprain in the lumbar spine causes damage to the surrounding nerves and can also be the result of a herniated disc.
Many accident victims who have sustained a lumbar spine injury will seek alternative medical treatments such as chiropractic, as certain imaging tools such as X-ray and CT scans may not be sufficient to fully diagnose these problems.
disc prolapse
Just like with neck injuries, a herniated disc can be a serious back injury. The pressure caused by a herniated disc can seriously affect the nerves around the spinal canal, which can subsequently lead to a lot of pain and numbness in the back and extremities.
Spinal cord injuries
Spinal cord injuries are among the most extreme forms of back injury, and this is mainly due to the potential for permanent damage and disability. It is not uncommon for spinal cord injuries to result in partial or even total paralysis in a particular region of an accident victim’s body.
Stenosis of the spine
Technically speaking, spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the bone canal of the spinal canal. This is typically caused by aging, but it can also be caused by the trauma that typically occurs in a major car accident. There are also many cases where a herniated disc or a fragment of bone invades the space in the spinal canal, causing tremendous pressure and pain.
Degenerative spinal diseases
Although degenerative spinal diseases are typically associated with age, the effects of a car accident can induce these disorders, which can then lead to a variety of medical conditions and other injuries. Some common types of degenerative spine disease are:
- Osteoarthritis of the spine
- Bulging or herniated discs
- Degenerative disc disease
- Degenerative scoliosis
- Stenosis of the spine
- Bone spurs
- sciatica
- Foraminal stenosis
Treating neck and back pain after a car accident
Since back pain from a car accident doesn’t seem so bad at first, you might be tempted to try ibuprofen or other over-the-counter home remedies. While these can provide temporary relief, they cannot remedy the underlying damage. If symptoms persist after weeks and half-measured treatments clearly don’t help, you need to see a doctor or chiropractor.
A doctor will usually do a physical exam to understand what you can and cannot do about your neck and / or back by identifying areas where you are in the most pain. They can also ask you questions about your injury, such as: B. when and how it occurred and whether the pain is dull, stabbing, or sharp.
Given the severity of the situation, they could request an x-ray or other tests such as CT scans and MRIs to rule out other injuries and degenerative diseases.
Depending on the severity of the pain, treatments for back injuries may include physical therapy, medication in the form of tablets, and injections or even surgery. Therefore, it is important for accident victims to understand that their back pain treatment can take anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks to an extended number of months. It goes without saying that the earlier treatment starts, the better.
This whole ordeal is very expensive, not only for the mind and body, but also for the bank account. Recovery can take some time, and it is very likely that you will not be able to work for the entire duration.
Fight for your rightful compensation
When you have had an accident and are in the middle of an expensive, time consuming, and life changing recovery; then you should know that you have the right to claim damages.
It is precisely for this reason that you have paid those high insurance premiums every month. You deserve to receive the billing you need to cover not only the cost of your treatment but also the emotional pain and suffering caused by the accident.
In addition, if there is only a small possibility that the other party involved in the accident acted or was irresponsible carelessYou deserve to be compensated for lost time and money. Hence, you are right in your place to file a lawsuit against this party and reach a fair settlement.
Can you do this alone?
While you are legally allowed to file and fight a case, finding a trusted, skilled, and experienced personal injury attorney to represent you on the matter is advisable for several reasons.
First, they have experience in dealing with the police, Insurance companies, Opposition lawyers and all other parties that need to be reached.
Second, a good lawyer will always be up to date Change lawsto help you come up with the most robust argument that will lead you to victory.
As you need to know, legal proceedings can take months or even years and are an arduous task. Treatment during medical treatment can be overwhelming and lead to neglect. It is therefore wiser to turn to an expert and use their skills to your advantage.
If you’ve had an accident and need a trusted attorney in and around Greater Atlanta, reach out to the attorney Riah Greathouse for a free consultation today!
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