Did you know that back pain is one of the most common reasons people go to the doctor or a hospital? Or that back pain is also one of the leading causes of disability across the globe?
In America alone, 75 to 85 percent of people experience back pain in their lifetime.
Of course, back pain can result from many different things, such as arthritis, osteoporosis, sciatica, or scoliosis. However, car accidents are some of the most common causes of back pain.
Unfortunately, back pain after a car accident can be debilitating and even affect you long-term, reducing your quality of life. As such, you deserve to be fully and fairly compensated for such an injury.
The issue is that many insurance companies like to downplay back pain after car accidents, which can result in a settlement that is much less than you deserve. For this reason, it is often necessary to work with an experienced back and spinal cord injury lawyer.
If you need help filing a claim for back pain after a car accident in Indiana, our Indianapolis car accident lawyers at the Crossen Law Firm can help. We specialize in many areas of car accident law, including cases involving back and spinal cord injuries. Our team can help you navigate your claim and get the compensation you need to pay for your back injuries and other damages.
Back Injury From Car Accidents
If you experience back pain after a car accident, it is likely because you sustained a back injury. The injury could be minor, like a strain in the muscle, or it could be something more severe, like a fracture or herniated disc. Back pain can even result from a severe spinal cord injury that could result in permanent nerve damage if not treated properly.
This is why getting checked out by a doctor for back pain is so important. You never know what the back pain could be from, and if it’s the result of a severe injury, your best chances of recovering are going to the doctor and being treated as soon as possible.
Some of the most common back injuries that result in back pain after car accidents include:
- Soft tissue tears and bruising
- Bulging or ruptured discs
- Pinched nerves
- Fractures
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spinal cord injuries
Delayed Back Pain After Car Accidents
One of the biggest concerns with back pain is that it can often be delayed. In other words, car accident victims may sustain a back injury, but the pain might not develop until days, weeks, or even months later. Unfortunately, if you do not get the injury treated right away and wait until the pain develops, it could already be too late for treatment to work.
In some cases, even if you have your back checked out and treated right away, back pain can still linger and even be debilitating long-term. Many people who suffer from back injuries end up experiencing back pain for the rest of their lives.
Another issue is that the back pain might initially seem minimal when you first file your injury claim, but the back pain could worsen over time. Unfortunately, you likely will not be able to reopen your case to get more money down the road.
This is why you must do everything you can to prove the extent of your back injury when you first file your claim. When you work with a back and spinal cord injury lawyer from the start, you are more likely to prove the extent of your injury and get the high-value settlement you need to compensate you for current and future expenses, suffering, and losses.
Treatment for Back Pain After a Car Accident
Treatment for back injuries can vary depending on the specific type of injury you have sustained and how severe it is. A mild sprain or strain, for example, might only require some rest, pain meds, and potentially some at-home stretching and exercises. However, a more severe back injury might require surgery and months or even years of rehabilitation and physical therapy.
Treating back pain, even for a moderate injury, can be expensive. But if you require surgery and therapy or rehab, it can be even more costly—potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars. And that’s just the cost of the actual treatment.
The back pain that lingers can affect you for the rest of your life, making it difficult to live, work, and play. You could end up not being able to work, you could lose out on other experiences because of your pain, and overall you could have a reduced quality of life.
This is why a back pain or back injury claim shouldn’t just compensate you for your medical expenses but for all of your losses and suffering, both current and what you might experience as a result of your back injury in the future.
Average Settlement for Car Accident Back and Spinal Cord Injury
Truthfully, there is no such thing as an average settlement for these kinds of injuries or cases. Every case is unique, and the worth of the case can vary greatly depending on numerous factors.
Specifically, when a personal injury case is filed, the “damages” are the primary factors that will play a role in how much the case is worth. As such, victims need to provide as much evidence as possible to prove what damages they have suffered or will continue to suffer in the future in order to recover the compensation they deserve.
Such damages that can affect the worth of a back injury claim can include:
- Medical bills
- Hospital stays
- Rehabilitation and therapy services
- Future medical expenses
- Loss of income
- Reduced earning potential
- Cost of care, replacement, or household services
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Reduced quality of life
- Disability
- Loss of consortium
How a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Can Help You With Your Back Pain Injury Claim
Back pain is often referred to as the “invisible injury” because a car accident victim can suffer from debilitating back pain even if they were not diagnosed with a severe back injury. And even if they were treated for a severe injury, the back pain can continue to linger and affect their life long-term.
This is why it is crucial that back pain victims work with a back and spinal cord injury attorney after their accident. A lawyer can help you gather the necessary evidence to prove the extent of your injury or back pain to ensure you are awarded the full and fair settlement you deserve.
Such evidence that a lawyer can help you collect to build a strong case can include:
- Medical records
- Police reports
- Accident reconstruction reports
- Doctor statements
- Eyewitness statements
- Photos or video surveillance from the accident
- A pain journal that documents how the pain/injury affects your daily life
Our Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Are Here to Help
At Crossen Law Firm, we understand the physical and emotional damages that can impact your life when you suffer back pain after a car accident. Our Indianapolis car accident attorneys have experience dealing with insurance companies that try to undervalue these claims and know what it takes to ensure you are awarded the fair settlement you need and deserve.
If you are suffering from back pain after a car accident, contact us on our website or call us today at (317) 401-8626 for a free consultation.
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