One of the most common symptoms of a car accident is back pain. If you have been involved in a car accident and have back pain, you may think that because you may not have visible injuries, you do not have legal options. This is not true.
Back pain can be indicative of serious injuries. If you are suffering from back pain after a car accident, our team at J.D. Silva & Associates can help you explore your legal options.
What Can Cause Back Pain
According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), there were over 15,200 motor vehicle accidents last year, and nearly 19,000 individuals sustained serious injuries as a result. One of the most common injuries after a car accident is back pain.
Back pain after a car accident can be caused by a number of factors:
- Seat belts: While wearing a seat belt may save your life during a car accident, it can also be the cause of back injuries. When your vehicle is impacted, your seat belt holds you in place during the force of impact and can lead to injuries such as spine fractures.
- Airbags: As with seat belts, airbags are meant to protect you from major injuries or death in car accidents. However, they can also cause back injuries, such as whiplash, as a result of their impact.
- Steering wheels: During a car accident, you may suffer an impact with your steering wheel. If this happens, you may experience trauma to your back as a result of the force with which you hit the wheel.
- Windshields: When you are in motion and your vehicle is suddenly stopped by a car accident, you could collide with your windshield. The force of the impact could cause injuries to your back.
Often, even just the sudden jolt of a crash can cause back pain. As Newton’s first law of motion purports, an object in motion will stay in motion. In the case of a car accident, your body stays in motion until the impact of the collision suddenly and forcefully stops it. This abrupt stop can cause back pain and injuries.
What Back Pain Can Indicate
Back pain after a car accident can indicate a number of potentially serious injuries for which you may be entitled to compensation. It is wise to contact J.D. Silva & Associates as soon as possible after your auto accident, as you may be suffering from one of the following injuries:
- Strained or sprained muscles and ligaments: When a muscle or ligament is overstretched or torn
- Bulging or herniated discs: When the discs between the vertebrae in your spine are swollen or ruptured
- Whiplash: Sudden back-and-forth movement of your neck
- Pinched nerves: When too much pressure is put on your nerves
- Spinal cord damage: Direct injury to your spinal cord or to the tissues and vertebrae that surround it
- Lumbar fractures: A broken vertebrae in your lower back
Symptoms of Back Pain
These and other back injuries can cause a myriad of symptoms, including:
- Bruising
- Difficulty Standing or Sitting
- Inflammation
- Muscle Spasms
- Numbness
- Sciatic Pain
- Swelling
- Tenderness
- Tingling
It is important to seek medical treatment as soon as possible after your car accident for pain relief and to create a record your personal injury lawyer can use to demonstrate the validity of your claim. Obtaining immediate medical care is one of several steps you should take after your car accident, even if you do not feel pain immediately. Do not assume that because you do not have injuries that are not visible, that you are not hurt.
How to Relieve Back Pain
There are many types of relief for your back pain that your medical provider may recommend after your car accident:
- Rest
- Ice
- Heat
- Mild Exercise
- Massage Therapy
- Chiropractic Treatment
- Medication
- Steroid Injections
- Surgery
It is important to follow your doctors’ instructions and recommendations. Not only will you begin to feel better, but you will also strengthen your legal claim.
You should also keep copies of your medical bills and notes regarding your visits with your doctor after your car wreck. Having recorded evidence of your injuries and treatment is important to support your claim against the parties responsible for the injuries suffered in your crash.
Compensation You Can Receive for Your Back Pain After a Car Accident
If you are suffering from back pain after a car accident, you should consult with the personal injury lawyers of J.D. Silva & Associates as soon as possible after your wreck. We can help you file a claim and collect damages for your injuries. There are many expenses for which you may be entitled to compensation, including the following:
Medical Treatment
Costs for medical treatment include medical bills, prescription costs, co-pays, supplies, and many of the treatment options listed above. You should even record the mileage traveled for your visits to medical professionals.
Lost Wages
Keep a record of any days of work you missed as a result of your back pain or resulting doctors’ visits.
Loss of Future Earning Capacity
If you are unable to work as much as you did prior to your accident or not at all, make sure your doctor makes a note of your inability to work in your medical records.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life
This damage applies if you are unable to participate in the hobbies and other activities that you participated in prior to your car crash.
Pain and Suffering
Texas law allows you to recover damages for past and future pain and suffering you obtained as a result of your car accident.
Emotional Distress
To prove emotional distress due to your back pain, retain copies of your medical records, keep a journal of how you feel each day, and take photos of your injuries if they are visible.
Why Consult with a Personal Injury Lawyer for Your Back Pain
After your car accident, you will likely be contacted by one or more insurance companies. The primary goal of an insurance company is to minimize its liability exposure. This means that the insurance company will try to pay out as little money to you as possible.
Without the help of an experienced car accident attorney, you run the risk of obtaining much less compensation for your back injury than you deserve. Let an experienced Pearland car accident lawyer deal with the insurance companies on your behalf. Contact J.D. Silva & Associates today to determine whether you may be eligible for compensation for back pain after a car accident.