Personal injury incidents, like car, truck, and slip and fall accidents, can cause back and neck pain that can result in severe injury. Trauma to the back and neck from the impact of an accident can cause numerous injuries, such as disc, facet, and cervical spine injuries, that can lead to immense back and neck pain. Living with severe back and neck pain can be a challenge, making everyday tasks seem impossible due to the pain and suffering.
You could pursue compensation for back and neck injury damages if a negligent or reckless party caused the personal injury incident. A personal injury lawyer can help you file the claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company, collect evidence to prove your case, and negotiate a settlement. The experienced personal injury lawyers at The Russo Firm have helped clients that suffered from back and neck injuries and can use that experience to put you in the best position to recover fair compensation.
What Causes Back & Neck Injuries in a Personal Injury Incident?
Back and neck injuries from personal injury incidents result from force and pressure that damage the neck and back. The most common personal injury incident associated with back and neck injuries is automobile accidents. These types of accidents can cause whiplash, which is when a person’s body violently shakes and applies trauma to the neck and back. Rear-end collisions commonly cause whiplash and can result in severe back and neck pain.
Slip and fall accidents can cause neck and back pain, as a person may slip and fall directly onto their back. The pressure generated on the back and neck from the collision with a hard surface can damage the joints, tendons, and muscles in the back and neck. A person can also suffer from back and neck injuries from bicycle accidents, motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice, etc.
Symptoms of Back & Neck Injuries From Personal Injury Incidents
The debilitating symptoms of back and neck injuries can reduce a victim’s standard of living and make everyday tasks more difficult. It can be hard for a person to walk, run, climb stairs, drive a car, or lift objects due to intense back and neck pain. These symptoms can also affect a person’s ability to work if they have a job that involves physical labor or that can inflame their intense back and neck injury symptoms.
The following are some of the symptoms of a back and neck injury:
- Sharp pain in the neck or back
- Stiffness along the spine
- Numbness in the legs
- Consistent discomfort in the middle or lower back
- Loss of bladder control
- Headaches
- Shoulder pain
Back & Neck Injuries Caused by Whiplash
Whiplash results from an automobile accident and refers to the violent shaking of the body caused by the force of the automobile accident impact. When a car accident occurs, the car and everything in it will move in the direction the car was struck from. For example, a rear-end collision will cause the car and the contents to move forward. However, a person only has so much room to move, with a seat belt, dashboard, and other obstacles in their way.
The force of the car accident can easily cause a back or neck injury. Whiplash generally affects the muscles, tendons, and joints along the spine, which can cause immense back and neck pain.
Lower Back Pain Caused by Disc Injuries
Trauma to the back during a personal injury incident can cause damage to the spinal discs, which are round pieces of cartilage that cushion the bones from impact. Disc injuries involve damage to the discs that can reduce movement and stability. The discs can tear from intense pressure and trauma, resulting in a herniated disc that can irritate the surrounding nerves. This can cause lower back pain, numbness, and weakness in the arms and legs.
Facet Injuries Can Cause Back & Neck Pain
Facet joints secrete a viscous fluid that lubricates the joints and allows for easy movement from the spine. These are essential to the functioning of the spine and movement of the back, but a personal injury incident can expose them to damage. Direct trauma and pressure can damage the facet joints and lead to a facet injury which can cause severe back and neck pain.
A facet injury is much like arthritis, as it can lead to the degeneration of the joints between the spinal bones. The cartilage in these joints can break down and become inflamed, leading to intense pain. Although this can happen naturally over time, a personal injury incident can also expose the facet joints to trauma that can accelerate a person’s path toward facet joint injuries that can cause back and neck pain.
Back & Neck Pain Caused by a Cervical Spine Injury
The top portion of the spine is referred to as the cervical spine, and it serves as a shock absorber and allows the spine to move freely. It comprises eight vertebrae from C1 to C8, with trauma to any of these vertebrae resulting in a cervical spine injury. These injuries can result in intense back and neck pain that can cause debilitating effects.
The following are some of the other adverse health effects caused by cervical spine injuries:
- Lack of bladder control
- Complete or partial sensory function loss
- Paralysis in the arms, legs, and hands
- Impaired speaking ability
- Inability to control breathing independently
Damages Caused by Back & Neck Injuries
A back or neck injury from a personal injury incident is likely to result in damages that you will not be able to pay for out-of-pocket. You will incur expensive medical costs to pay for treatment of your injuries necessary to restore your physical health back to normal. You also may not be able to work while you deal with your injury, meaning you will have lost wages you can pursue compensation for.
The above are economic damage associated with your back or neck injury. You can also pursue compensation for non-economic damages, which are intangible losses associated with your injury. These reflect how your standard of living was affected by your neck or neck injury and can include loss of society, pain and suffering, and mental anguish.
The following are the damages you can pursue compensation for back and neck injuries:
- Medical bills
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Lost wages
- Lost earning potential
- Disability costs
- Loss of consortium
- Mental anguish
- Loss of companionship
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of society
How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help You Pursue Compensation for Back & Neck Injury Damages?
Hiring a personal injury lawyer can help put you in the best position to recover damages for your back and neck injury. They can assess your damages and determine the liable party responsible for causing your injuries. Due to their experience with personal injury claims, they will know what steps to take and when is the right time to take them.
Recovering compensation for a back or neck injury requires negotiations with the at-fault party’s insurance company. This can be a difficult task, as they will attempt to deny, devalue, or delay your claim to keep their profits up. An experienced personal injury lawyer will understand how an insurance company will try to accomplish this and can combat these attempts. Working with an experienced personal injury lawyer is your best chance to recover compensation that can pay for the full cost of your back and neck injury damages.
Contact The Russo Firm for Help With Pursuing Back & Neck Injury Damages
At The Russo Firm, our personal injury lawyers specialize in all types of personal injury incidents that can cause back and neck injuries, including car, motorcycle, and truck accidents. We have helped back and neck injury victims recover compensation for their damages with our vast resources and experience. The Russo Firm can help you recover back and neck injury damages through personalized legal counsel that caters to the specifics of your case.
We offer free consultations so potential clients can see how our personal injury lawyers can help with the claims process for pursuing compensation for back and neck injuries. Contact us today at (561) 270-0913 or leave a message on our online contact page for a free consultation.