Back pain after a car accident is a cause for alarm. The fact is that pain is the body’s signal that you have suffered an injury, so you should go to the hospital for tests. A lower back injury can run the gamut from a mild sprain to major spinal column damage. Some people heal completely with a few months’ rest, but others are disabled for years after the crash.
Call Larson & Gallivan Law after a car crash to see if you can file an injury claim. Any motorist who struck you or ran you off the road should pay compensation. The state requires that motorists carry liability insurance to cover these claims. Give us a call to schedule a time to meet. We offer a free consultation with a Burlington, VT car accident lawyer.
5 Common Lower Back Injuries
Car accidents are traumatic. During a collision, motorists can wrench their backs in rollovers, T-bones, and fender benders. This twisting and turning can easily damage soft tissues, nerves, and bones. Pain might be immediate, but others only notice a dull ache a day or two after a crash.
Here are some common lower back injuries:
1. Lumbar Strain and Sprain
The “lumbar” region is the name for the lower spine. You could easily stretch or tear muscles (strain) or ligaments (sprain) in a car accident. Jarring movements like twists and turns can injure these soft tissues, even at lower speeds.
Lumbar strains and sprains are complicated to diagnose because you might not feel immediate pain. Instead, the pain starts a day or two after the accident. Head to the hospital as soon as you suspect something is wrong.
This might not seem like a major injury. But stiffness, spasms, and pain can limit a person’s movement, making it hard to even sit up for hours at a time. Lumbar sprains and strains often require rest and light stretching, and many people cannot work at all as they recover.
2. Bulging or Herniated Discs
The vertebrae would grind against each other whenever a person twisted their back or bent over, but rubbery discs in between the vertebrae provide cushion and allow for pain-free movement. These discs might be injured in a car accident:
- Herniated disc. The soft inner filling extrudes out through the outer shell and presses against nerves. Violent accidents often lead to herniated discs and chronic pain.
- Bulging disc. The disc protrudes but does not rupture. This injury can result in constant pressure on nerves and difficulty moving your back.
- Treatment options vary. Unlike other parts of the body, a lack of blood flow keeps these discs from repairing themselves. Some minor injuries might improve with only conservative treatment to reduce inflammation and manage pain. But other people need surgery to insert an artificial disc or even to fuse vertebrae together.
3. Vertebral Fracture
The bones in the spine are called vertebrae. They can crack like any other bone when under pressure. These are significant injuries, however, because bone fragments could end up cutting into the spinal cord, leading to irreversible damage.
The most common symptoms are pain. In extreme cases, you might even appear shorter if the vertebrae are compressed.
A doctor can diagnose a vertebral fracture using an imaging test, like an X-ray. Treatment will vary, with some requiring surgery to realign bones or keep pieces in place.
Rest is critical. Many people miss months of work and cannot earn any income. But full rest is necessary to promote healing and reduce the risk of injuring the spinal cord.
4. Sciatica
The sciatic nerve runs from the lower back down through the legs. A car accident can compress or irritate this nerve, leading to shooting pains and numbness in one or both legs. Someone with sciatica might feel completely immobilized.
Minor pain might only require rest, ice, and stretching. However, more serious or longer-lasting pain can require a trip to the doctor’s office and medication to reduce inflammation. You might also benefit from physical therapy to reduce pressure on the nerve.
5. Spondylolisthesis
This condition involves one of the vertebrae slipping out of position and pressing onto the vertebra beneath it. Common symptoms include lower back pain and stiffness. You might also feel like something isn’t quite “right” with your lower back.
Standard treatment for spondylolisthesis includes bracing the lower back and managing pain. However, a higher-grade injury could require surgery. Spinal fusion or spinal decompression surgery might be necessary to fully relieve pain and allow for free movement.
Do Not Ignore Your Symptoms
Back injuries are serious, and they can worsen without adequate treatment. Some motorists simply try to push through by swallowing a handful of aspirin, but that is a mistake. When left untreated, some spinal injuries can damage the nerve roots or the spinal cord. You might be permanently impaired because you did not stabilize your spine.
Prompt treatment also improves your ability to seek compensation for a car accident. The motorist who hit you might claim you are responsible for your back pain because you did not receive timely treatment. That is called a failure to “mitigate your damages.”
Go to the hospital and head back if you notice your symptoms worsening. Medical records help strengthen an injury claim and support your argument that you deserve compensation for pain and suffering.
Contact A Burlington, VT Car Accident Lawyer Today
Back injuries impose high costs on motorists. In addition to medical care, our clients are usually unemployed until they can get on top of the pain and strengthen their back muscles. Without income, they cannot cover their other bills, and many suffer through sleepless nights worrying about their futures.
Contact Larson & Gallivan Law. We are an established Burlington law firm that has strong experience in car accident cases. Our firm can help if you were injured in a rollover, T-bone, head-on collision, or sideswipe accident. We have negotiated settlements for clients struggling with common back injuries. Call to schedule your free consultation with a member of our team.
