Back pain is one of the most common injuries that follow after an auto accident. Even if it’s a minor pain, it could affect your everyday life. Severe back injuries like a spinal cord injury can cause paralysis or long-term disability.
Pain in your upper or lower back pain after an auto accident should not be ignored. If you got it in a car accident (caused by a negligent driver) you may be eligible to get a compensation claim for your injury. If this is your case, it’s time to seek legal help. If your accident occurred in Indiana, contact an Indiana car accident lawyer.
Types of Car Accident Back Injuries
Back injuries can be classified into two spinal areas:
- the thoracic vertebrae (upper back)
- the lumbar vertebrae (lower back)
The spinal cord and discs that separate the vertebrate are exposed to a high risk of injuries during car accidents. Besides the spinal cord and discs, your ligaments, nerves, tendons, and muscles can also be injured in car accidents (especially from rear-end collisions).
Although some back injuries can be mild and temporary, others can be severe and may last for months, or even permanent.
Upper Back Injuries
Upper back injuries are the ones that affect the thoracic spine. They are usually quite serious and often occurred as sprains or strains. Some injuries in the upper back can result in permanent nerve damage.
Lower Back Injuries
Lower back injuries are involving injuries to the lumbar (lower part) spine; these injuries manifest in the form of sprains or strains. Like injuries on the upper back, these too can be extremely painful and can affect your everyday simple activities such as getting out of bed, sitting, walking, or moving. This damage often causes bruising, swelling, or tenderness that leads to limited movement and requires suitable therapy.
Spinal Cord Damage
Injuries to the spinal cord are the most dangerous type of these injuries. Mild spinal cord damage can manifest in a temporary loss of feeling or loss of reflex function. Harsh damage to the spinal cord can lead to severe and long-term disability or even paralysis (partial or total).
Herniated Discs
Your spinal discs are the cushions that absorb the shock of your spine. They are located between each vertebra. A herniated disc is a disc that has been displaced; this causes severe pain because the dislocation of the disc is pinching a nerve. The most common symptoms of herniated discs is a sudden and intense back pain that spreads from the lower back and down one or both legs.
Treatment
Back injuries aren’t something to ignore. In fact, even if you want, you won’t be able to ignore the pain. Make sure you get the right diagnosis before you can continue with your treatments. This would include X-rays, MRIs, EMG tests, CT, and bone scans.
Once your diagnosis is set, your doctor will make a plan for your treatment. The treatment and how long it will last will depend mainly on how severe your back injury is. Mild injuries require shorter treatments (pain medication or physical therapy), while severe back injuries often require surgeries.
What to Do After a Spinal Cord Injury
Some accident victims don’t get the back pain symptoms right ahead. It may be days and weeks or even months before the symptoms manifest. If you were involved in an auto accident and feel back pain, schedule a doctor’s appointment as soon as possible.
Even if it’s only mild back pain, see a medical professional. Get a diagnosis so you can start your treatment as soon as possible. After the medical exam, take your doctor’s advice. If you need pills or physical therapy or massage, make sure you get all that.
Finally, talk to an attorney. A car accident attorney is a right person who will tell you what you need to do afterward. If the accident happened because of someone else’s fault, you may be entitled to a compensation claim.
Your injury will require medical exams, treatment, and therapy that will certainly affect your budget. During this time you might not be able to work, so a compensation claim for your injuries would be a good thing. If you have any legal question related to your injuries, don’t wait, call an attorney. Our legal team at Rowe and Hamilton is here to help you. Allow us to answer your questions and help you file for a compensation claim. Our mission is to help you get your much-deserved claim.
