Spinal cord injuries in car accidents and motorcycle accidents are so common that insurance companies often seek settlements as quickly as possible since subsequent surgeries have the chance of rendering the patient worse off than they were. A spinal cord injury can cause a lifetime of pain or can slowly slip the victim into paralysis if not properly treated.

Spinal cord injuries are also very easy to reinjure once they have occurred. Often, a victim of a major spinal cord injury, if not crippled or paralyzed by the ordeal, are not able to go back to some of their more rigorous activities such as extreme sports that can end in a traumatic injury.

It is impossible to tell whether the victim will also suffer from chronic pain without time, therapy, and proper exercise. Chronic pain is extremely common for back injury patients and can lead to a life of pain management through medication that may hamper their ability to retain gainful employment and retain their previous quality of life.

That is another reason why insurance companies generally like to either settle quickly. But the victim not only needs adequate compensation to address these issues, but also deserves compensation for the life that they lost due to no fault of their own. To achieve this they will need an attorney experienced in personal injury litigation to fight for justice on their behalf.

Types of Back Injuries

Slipped Disks – The term ‘slipped disc’ isn’t really a medical term and doesn’t really describe the injury properly. The discs are a soft buffer between the vertibrae. They consist of a circle of connective tissue with a central gel-like core. This makes the spine flexible and at the same time acts as a protective buffer. Actually, the disc does not actually slip out of place, but bulges out towards the spinal cord. A slipped disc is when the soft part of the disc bulges through the circle of connective tissue. This can happen very easily in a car accident and could potentially be a life long ailment.

Herniated Disk – A herniated disc may occur suddenly in car accident or may seem okay in the beginning, becoming worse gradually with repetitive straining of the spine after the accident. When the disc ruptures, a portion of the spinal disc pushes outside its normal boundary. At this point the disc is considered herniated. When a herniated disc bulges out from between the vertebrae, the spinal nerves and spinal cord can become pinched. As herniated disc continues to rupture and push out, the nerves become more pinched causing more pain. With further use the space for the nerves is further diminished, and irritation of the nerve results. This most likely will require surgery to alleviate.

Lumbar Spinal Problems – A lumbar sprain in a car accident occurs when the ligaments, the tough bands of tissue that hold bones together, are torn from their attachments. This generally happens in the lower back and can take months, even years, to correct and depending on the victim’s age, it may be a serious issue for the rest of their lives. This can also lead to:

• Bladder or bowel problems
• Progressive lower extremity weakness
• Severe chronic pain
• Loss of mobility

Sciatica – Sciatica occurs when there is pressure or damage to the sciatic nerve. This nerve starts in the spine and runs down the back of each leg. This nerve controls the muscles of the back of the knee and lower leg and provides sensation to the back of the thigh, part of the lower leg, and the sole of the foot. This can also lead to temporary loss of mobility.

Facet Joint Problems - The vertebrae in your spine have three main points of movement: the intervertebral disc and the two facet joints. These facet joints are small, stabilizing joints located on either side of each vertebra and consist of bony knobs coated with a slippery cartilage. In a car accident, fractures, torn ligaments, and disc problems can all cause abnormal movement and alignment, putting extra stress on the facet joints.

Broken Bones - When an injury occurs in the back section of the spinal column, and the individual vertabrae become fractured or dislocated, the back can be described as broken or fractured. If the individual vertebrae are fractured or severely dislocated, but the spinal cord is unharmed, then no neurological problems (paralysis) results. Individuals with this type of injury are treated very carefully while the bones heal to avoid potential damage to the spinal cord and nerve roots. The bones, over time, can heal normally.

Spinal Cord Injury – Spinal cord injury causes weakness and sensory loss at and below the point of the injury. The severity of symptoms depends on whether the entire cord is severely injured (complete) or only partially injured (incomplete). Paralysis and loss of sensation of part of the body are common. This includes total paralysis or numbness and varying degrees of movement or sensation loss. Death is possible, particularly if there is paralysis of the muscles that help the victim breath.

Treatment of a Back Injury

You will find that many healthcare professionals choose to take a soft touch when it comes to back injuries and potential traumas to the spinal cord. They often use good old ice and anti-inflammatories to take care of the swelling and take the pressure off of the spinal cord before making a full diagnosis or even moving the patient more than they have to.

It is only later, after thorough examination will they determine whether they are willing to risk surgery or allow the patient to heal naturally. This takes a longer period of time, but has proven to be effective if monitored correctly. Studies have shown that with proper exercise and physical therapy, back injury patients can heal from partial paralysis and alleviate pain. But sometimes, surgery in unavoidable.

Laminectomy – This operation is also referred to as decompression and is fairly common for victims of a back injury from a car accident. It is a surgery that removes the lamina (the back part of the vertebra that covers your spinal canal). By doing this, the surgeon enlarges your spinal canal, relieving pressure on the spinal cord or nerves caused by narrowing of the spine. A laminectomy may also be performed as part of surgical treatment for a herniated disk.

Vertebroplasty – This is commonly an outpatient procedure for stabilizing compression fractures in the spine from a car accident. Bone cement is injected into vertebrae that have cracked or broken, often because of osteoporosis. The cement hardens, stabilizing the fractures and supporting the spine. Vertebroplasty can greatly reduce pain and allow the victims of the broken back to return to fairly normal activity.

Spinal Fusion - Spinal fusion involves placing extra bone to fill the space between two spinal vertebrae. The bone graft material used in spinal fusion contain plastic, carbon fiber or metal cage. The surgeon also uses plates, screws or rods to hold the vertebrae and graft in place to promote healing after spinal fusion. Once the bone graft heals, the vertebrae are permanently connected.

Disk Surgery – When it comes to operations on the back and spine, disc surgery or surgery to replace a disc is fairly uncommon. The reason for this is about 50% of people with a herniated disc in the low back recover within 1 month. And within 6 months, 96% recover. Only 10% of people with herniated disc problems that cause noticeable symptoms eventually have surgery.

Washington Personal Injury Lawyer

Phillips Webster is a law firm of legal professionals dedicated and focused on victims of car accidents. We will work hard to represent you against insurance companies and the person that caused the accident in order to get the compensation you deserve. Call us today for a free consultation.

Learn More About:

• Back Injuries and Car Accidents
• Neck Injuries
• Whiplash Injuries and Car accidents