Of all the injuries one can suffer in a vehicle collision, back injuries from car accidents can be highly frustrating. Once a back has been injured, the recovery can be long, difficult, painful and infuriating. Sometimes the injury is permanent, meaning you will never fully recover the mobility or pain-free existence you enjoyed before the accident.
You may not realize that you are injured initially because of the onset of adrenaline that can dull pain. The next day, you may feel all over muscle pain and realize that the sudden jolt has caused something serious. As personal injury attorneys, we at Paxton Law have seen this phenomenon many times and have warned our readers time and again “Seeking immediate medical attention is vital after a car accident, even if you think you’re not injured. If you don’t, you may worsen an injury you didn’t realize you had.” An emergency room doctor, urgent care medical personnel, or your own personal physician should have a look at you to document what they find immediately after the collision. Without treatment, you may experience long-term chronic pain that can take longer to heal and require additional treatments that may not be as effective if you had begun treatment immediately.
Back injuries from car accidents as well as other similar internal injuries, are still possible in a vehicle with good seatbelts, airbags, and other advanced safety features. These features can save a life and minimize injury but they cannot prevent injuries if the collision is severe enough. Accidents in rideshare vehicles or motorcycle accidents can also result in serious back injuries.
Symptoms Of A Back Injury
Because of the way your spine is made, pain can travel to nearly all areas of the body. Fractures, inflammation, and/or compressed nerves can produce from soreness to a level of pain and inflammation that causes you difficulty doing everyday activities, even walking.
Symptoms can include:
- Numbness or tingling
- Pain or discomfort while standing or walking
- Stiffness
- Muscle spasms
- Sharp pain when changing positions, such as standing from a sitting position
- Burning pain in the lower back that radiates into one or both legs
Any one of these symptoms may appear shortly after the accident, or a few days later. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, go see a doctor and explain the accident and the resulting pain. The accident should help a healthcare provider to narrow down what could be the issue and may recommend an MRI or other type of testing to see if there is a tear, a fracture, or more serious spinal injury. By the way, this is not the time to “suck it up.” You want to be honest about the level of pain you are experiencing. You may be surprised to find that back injuries from car accidents is very common and there is a range of types of back injuries.
Types of Back Injuries
Because of the force involved in most car accidents, the back is the most vulnerable. The forceful motion and sudden stop combined with restraints and airbags can cause painful injuries to the back, even in the absence of lacerations and other injuries. The most common injuries are:
- Fractured Vertebrae—when one of the vertebrae protecting the spinal cord is damaged, it can lead to severe pain in the back, tingling in the legs, and numbness.
- Herniated Disc—the impact can lead to damage to the spinal disk, causing it to bulge outward and put pressure on sensitive nerves in the surrounding area. Sciatica, leg, and lower back pain are frequent.
- Lower Back Pain—caused by strains or other injuries to the discs, muscles, or ligaments in the lower back area.
- Soft Tissue Injuries—involving damage to any ligaments, tendons, or muscles that occurred in the impact or aftermath, leading to chronic pain, swelling, and possible impact on a person’s mobility.
- Sprains and Strains—twisting and turning during the accident can lead to stretching or tearing of ligaments, the tissue that holds bones together, known as a sprain. Strains involve the stretching or tearing of tendons, which hold muscles and bones together.
- Whiplash—another soft tissue injury. The violent shaking from the vehicle’s impact causes the head to whip around wildly in opposite directions. This leads to damage and pain in tendons, ligaments, and muscles in the head and neck area, as well as injuries to nerve roots and the spinal cord. It can range from mild to severe.
These injuries can leave you with considerable medical expenses to treat and manage. Serious injuries may also leave you out of work for a length of time. As an experienced and talented Houston car accident lawyer, Richard Paxton can help you obtain the compensation you need to take care of your injuries now and for future treatment as well as for other related damages you are entitled to. Our objective is to make sure you are not low-balled by some insurance rep whose goal is to pay as little as possible in a settlement.
Contact a Texas Car Accident Lawyer Today – Paxton Law
Back injuries from car accidents on Houston’s roads can be painful, disruptive, and expensive. When you’ve been in an accident, you need a good personal injury lawyer who knows how to deal with the insurance company or other party to get you a fair settlement. Your lawyer will be able to include things you may not consider as a damage that is recoverable such as lost job wages, or cost of retraining if you can’t continue at your job because of a permanent back injury.
You shouldn’t have to handle everything yourself especially if you are recovering. You certainly shouldn’t suffer financially or risk financial ruin for you and your family. Get help from someone who understands Houston car accidents and how they’re handled. At Paxton Law, we handle cases on a contingency basis, meaning you do not need to pay us up front; we are paid from the settlement we negotiate for you.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, you could be entitled to compensation. Contact Paxton Law Firm today by calling (281) 978-2244 or filling out our online contact form. During your free consultation, you can learn more about your legal options. If you can not come see us, we can make arrangements to meet with by phone or at a location that is easier for you. If the injured party is a loved one who is so injured that they cannot talk with us, please talk to us on his/her behalf. The sooner you have a lawyer watching out for you the better.
