Back Injuries Associated With a Car Accident
Costly treatment and time lost from work are but two consequences of back injury. Annually, close to 50 million people are injured or disabled in a mishap. These range from minor injuries to serious ones to those that cause persistent problems for years to come. It is critical that injured parties have a working knowledge of back injuries. Here, we will look at the most common back injuries associated with an accident and how a Myrtle Beach car accident lawyers can help obtain the compensation you need.
Jeff Morris - A Personal Injury Attorney in South Carolina
Morris Law fights for their client’s rights. They help ensure that the injured will be treated fairly and respectfully. They also work hard to ensure that the damages their clients deserve are obtained. If you are injured in an accident caused by an automotive crash, dog bite or another type of trauma, reach out to us online or at (843) 232-0944 or at (803) 470-4444.
Back Anatomy
The human back is composed of a cervical (neck) area to the trunk or thoracic region to the low back or lumbar/sacral region. There are seven vertebrae in the cervical area, 12 in the thoracic spine and five in the lumbar area. The sacrum consists of five fused vertebrae and four, also fused, in the tailbone or coccyx.
Common Back Injuries
The most common back injuries are:
- Strain: This happens when the tendons and muscles are stretched too far.
- Sprain: When ligaments, normally used to connect the bones in a joint, are torn or overstretched, it is referred to as a sprain.
- Herniated discs: A jelly-like substance keeps the vertebrae, which make up the backbone, from irritating the nerves that pass between them. When this disc is damaged in an accident, it will leak and cannot cushion the vertebra any longer. This process is called a herniated disc, and it puts pressure on the nerves exiting the spinal cord, causing numbness, pain and disrupted nerve function. Often, the herniated disc must be surgically treated.
- Fracture: Vertebrae can be fractured, causing dysfunction to the spine.
- Radiculopathy: This is compression of the nerve as it passes through the damaged vertebrae. It can result in pain, loss of sensation and numbness.
- Spinal cord injury: An injured spinal cord can result in a wide range of consequences from weakness to paralysis. Paralysis can be limited to weakness in one or all four of the extremities. Monoplegia refers to issues with one extremity while paraplegia refers to the paralysis of both arms or legs. Quadriplegia refers to the paralysis of both the upper and lower extremities. There are newer ways to treat spinal cord injury. However, restoration of spinal cord function is difficult.
How Back Injuries Are Diagnosed
There are three main ways to diagnose a back injury:
- X-ray
- CT scan
- MRI scan
Treatment of Back Injuries
The choice of treatment depends on the severity of the back injury. Some respond well to analgesia, physical therapy and rest. Others require surgical intervention. In some cases, the injured individual may require long-term care. The cost can vary with spinal cord injury being the highest expense. Aside from treatment in the hospital and rehabilitation, spinal cord injury may necessitate home care for the remainder of the person’s life. Your injury attorney will take long and short-term treatment into account when configuring the compensation you deserve.
Morris Law
At Morris Law, we do everything possible to ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve. We investigate the accident, determine liability, and build a strong case in our client’s favor. Call us to set up a free consultation at (843) 232-0944 in Myrtle Beach or at (803) 470-4444 in Aiken. You will receive an idea of your choices going forward. It has been proven that a plaintiff with legal representation is able to secure higher compensation in most cases.
