Following a collision, soreness in the neck, back, and other body parts can cause significant discomfort and an inability to perform daily tasks. Lower back pain after car accident compensation can help injured victims achieve financial remedy for the injuries they sustained. The Philadelphia car accident lawyers at the Wieand Law Firm are personal injury attorneys who represent victims of serious car accidents.
Back pain following a car accident is extremely common. The injury you sustain can vary based on how the accident occurred. Frontal-impact collisions can cause head and torso to be thrust forward, causing damage to the cervical area of the spine. These types of collisions can also result in herniated disc of the neck. Sometimes, a seat belt restraint will stop the torso from moving forward but cause a severe spinal cord injury in the neck.
Rear-end collisions can cause the struck care to accelerate forward and force the occupant’s torso into the seat. The pressure caused by the lap seat belt can cause damage to the thoracic discs and vertebrae.
Individuals injured in a side-impact accident can be particularly dangerous to occupants sitting on the impacted side of the car. These collisions can cause the torso to be thrown sideways. Seatbelts do little in these situations to hold the neck, head or back in place.
Unlike cars, motorcycles lack seatbelt restraints. Spinal injuries are very common, occurring in over 50% of motorcycle accidents. Injuries from motorcycle accidents can occur on various places in the spine. Sadly, motorcycle accident spine injuries result in a fatality in approximately 10% of cases.
Car accidents are traumatic events that can leave victims with serious injuries that persist for weeks to months, or even longer. If you have one of the following injuries, consider contacting Philadelphia car accident lawyers to discuss if you can file a claim or lawsuit for your injuries.
Fractured Vertebrae – Fractured vertebrae are a major cause of trauma to the spine. A spinal cord injury can cause partial or total loss of sensory function, breathing issues, loss of continence, and other life-changing medical problems.
Herniated or Bulging Disks – A herniated disk refers to a problem with one of the cushions that lie between the vertebrae of your spine. Most herniated disks occur in the lower back, but they can also occur in other locations, such as your neck. A herniated or bulging disk can cause back, leg, or arm pain, numbness or tingling, and weakness.
Whiplash – Whiplash is a common cause of pain after a car accident. Sudden, overextension of the neck can cause pain and stiffness, even in a low-speed crash. When whiplash is severe and its symptoms persist past several weeks, a personal injury lawsuit may be considered.
Pinched Nerves – A pinched nerve in the back can occur when too much pressure is placed on a nerve from surrounding tissue, such as bones, muscles or cartilage. Sometimes, a pinched nerve causes pain, numbness, and weakness that radiates to other parts of the body. This is called radiculopathy. Rest and other conservative treatments can allow some pinched nerves to heal within a few weeks. However, surgery is sometimes needed to relieve pain from a pinched nerve.
If you have experienced one of these injuries causing lower back pain after a car accident, compensation can help you to pay your medical expenses and other damages from the accident. The lawyers at the Wieand law Firm handle PA back injury cases and help their clients get the best possible results for their injuries.
Lower Back Pain After Car Accident – Compensation for Your InjuriesPhiladelphia car accident lawyers are frequently asked how much compensation you can expect when suffering lower back pain after a car accident. Back injury cases can result in substantial settlements, with a median award of over $200,000. However, the amount of compensation can vary widely depending on the type and severity of the injury you sustained. For example, a victim who suffers permanent paralysis from a spinal cord injury would likely be compensated far more than a victim with back soreness from a soft tissue injury.
Spinal cord injuries are typically one of the highest compensated injuries following a car accident. Compensation for damage to the spinal cord, including fractured or dislocated vertebrae, can be significant. Some spinal cord injury lawsuits have resulted in settlements or verdicts for millions of dollars.
Herniated and bulging disc can cause significant lower back pain after a car accident. Compensation for disc injuries depend on the injury’s symptoms, treatment, and impact on the victim’s life. Typically, herniated disc cases achieve a higher settlement amount that ruptured or bulging disc cases.
Some disc injuries may require expensive surgeries to achieve pain relief and improve mobility. Settlement amounts for car accident lawsuits in which surgery was required are generally higher than in cases where surgery was not necessary. Philadelphia car accident lawyers seek maximum compensation to help victims recover from the significant damages caused from these back injuries.
Clients in PA back injury cases with radiating pain can sometimes experience partial or full pain relief with epidural steroid injections. Juries have provided substantial settlements in these back injury lawsuits. When shown the needle used to administer these injections, juries often understand that the pain experienced by the client is significant and life-impacting. In many cases, the defendant is willing to agree to demands in these cases prior to going to trial.
Compensation for whiplash and soft tissue injuries are typically lower than the payouts for the other PA back injury cases on this list. The total compensation for these PA back injury cases is dependent on a variety of factors, including: the credibility of the plaintiff, the severity of the injury, the presence of any pre-existing back issues, the insurance company involved, and the jurisdiction of the case.
PA back injury cases can be complicated when a plaintiff has a pre-existing condition, such as spinal stenosis. Insurance companies will attempt to use MRI technology to argue that the plaintiff’s back was already problematic prior to having lower back pain after a car accident. Compensation can still be obtained in these situations to account for the change in the plaintiff’s back condition after the accident. For example, a plaintiff who was active and not in pain prior to the accident and noticed a significant change in their back condition following the accident can attribute the change in condition to the impact of the car crash.
Philadelphia car accident lawyers at the Wieand Law Firm understand that to win these cases, they must be able to demonstrate the difference between your back problems before the accident and your current back issues. If the crash did not worsen your condition, it’s unlikely that the plaintiff will succeed in obtaining compensation. However, when a noted change in your condition occurred because of the accident, Philadelphia car accident lawyers can pursue the maximum compensation for your injuries.
When you have lower back pain after a car accident, compensation for your injuries can help you pay for your medical expenses and pain and suffering. The lawyers at the Wieand Law Firm have years of experience in litigating PA back injury cases for car accident victims. We understand that choosing the right attorney is vital for the success of your case.
When choosing legal representation for your case, consider the following points:
The Wieand law Firm prides itself on its track record of success and its client-centric philosophy. By tailoring our approach to each case and client, we separate and distinguish ourselves from the “mega law firms” in the Philadelphia market.
Philadelphia car accident lawyers have experience representing clients with back injuries. In our experience, soft-tissue back injuries such as back sprains can be more difficult to prove, as they cannot be identified on diagnostic imaging. However, this means that attorneys will turn to other information, such as physical exams by a licensed physician, to help support your claim.
According to Philadelphia car accident lawyers, the biggest factor that impacts the settlement value of a compensation for PA back injury cases is the severity of the injury sustained in the crash. Back injuries from car accidents can range from very minor sprains to life changing injuries, such as paralysis. You can anticipate higher settlement values as injury severity increases.
The age of the plaintiff and previous health status will also affect the case value. Plaintiffs who are younger and/or have no history of prior back issues often receive settlements that exceed settlements for older victims with a history of previous back problems.
Call the Wieand Law Firm to speak directly with an attorney for a free case review and evaluation. We understand that you will have many questions after a car accident, and we will take our time to explain you legal options. We never earn a fee unless we win money for you. Call 215-666-7777 or send a message via the online form.
