Back injuries can quickly impact your life, requiring medical care and preventing you from working or doing your favorite activities. If you sustained this injury because of another party’s conduct, there may be legal steps you can take. Learn more about back injuries, what causes them, and what your options may be.
These injuries can range from minor muscle strains to severe spinal damage, often resulting in chronic pain or limited mobility. Understanding the cause of your injury and seeking timely medical and legal help can make a major difference in your recovery and your ability to pursue fair compensation.
Common Types of Back Injuries
There are numerous types of back injuries, but some are more frequent than others.
For example:
Sprains and Strains
If you tear a muscle or overstretch a ligament, you can suffer a sprain or strain. These injuries may occur as a result of trauma, as can happen in a car accident, or from repetitive movements like twisting and lifting.
Herniated Discs
Between the vertebrae that make up your spinal column, you have cushion-like structures called discs that prevent the bones from rubbing against each other. These cushions are full of a jelly-like substance.
If they sustain any kind of trauma, the discs can bulge out of place or their contents can leak. All of this can put pressure on nearby nerves and lead to pain and stiffness.
Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis occurs when the spinal canal narrows, pressing down on the spinal cord. It can result in pain, numbness, and loss of sensation in your back, legs, or arms. Collisions are some of the most common reasons for these injuries.
Broken Spinal Vertebrae
A slip and fall accident or a crash can cause trauma significant enough to break vertebrae. A break of this kind can cause substantial pain, and bone fragments could cut or press into nerves.
Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis happens when one vertebra slips out of place and presses on the one below it. It can cause significant pain and could make movement very difficult. Trauma is usually the cause.
Most Common Causes of Back Injuries
Motor vehicle accidents are, by far, the most common reason for back injuries. Even relatively minor crashes could twist your body in an unnatural way, leading to herniated discs and, in the most severe cases, spinal cord injuries.
Falls from heights can leave you battling broken vertebrae, but even ground-floor slips or trips can cause all manner of injuries. The most serious of these tend to affect your cervical spine area, which is your neck.
Workplace accidents and overuse can lead to back injuries, too. Being struck by heavy machinery, doing a lot of lifting without the right equipment or training, or repetitive motions can all lead to potentially life-altering injuries.
Legal Options After Suffering a Back Injury
If your back injury resulted from someone else’s actions, you may have several legal options for seeking compensation. In most personal injury cases, you must show that another party acted negligently — meaning they failed to use reasonable care under the circumstances.
You may be able to file a personal injury claim if you can demonstrate that:
- The other party owed you a duty of care.
- They breached that duty through careless or reckless behavior.
- Their actions directly caused your back injury.
- You suffered damages such as medical expenses, lost income, or emotional distress.
Workplace injuries are handled differently. Most employers carry workers’ compensation insurance, which covers medical bills and a portion of lost wages without requiring proof of fault. However, it doesn’t include compensation for pain and suffering.
If a third party, such as a contractor or equipment manufacturer, contributed to your injury, you may be able to file a personal injury claim against them in addition to your workers’ compensation benefits.
Contact the Charleston Personal Injury Lawyer at Ty Robinson Law Firm for Help Today
After sustaining a back injury in an accident, you need assistance from experienced attorneys to obtain the compensation you deserve. It’s not easy to pursue these claims on your own. You’d have to negotiate aggressively with insurance companies, and that’s not something most people know how to do.
Our Charleston personal injury attorney at Ty Robinson Personal Injury & Car Accident Law Firm can guide you through the legal process. We can calculate your exact losses and fight for the economic and non-economic damages you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation.