What to Do About Car Accident Back Pain
On average, the economic loss of a person involved in a car accident in Pennsylvania is $1,414 as reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation in 2017. If you suffer from a back injury, the costs can quickly add up. Fortunately, you can seek compensation to recover your medical expenses as long as you follow the correct procedures.
Causes Behind the Pain
You should never wait to see if your back pain goes away when you experience discomfort after an accident. All of the potential causes behind auto accident back pain are important health issues that need to be addressed. You can experience long-term health problems by not immediately seeking treatment. You’ll also weaken your personal injury case if you don’t see a doctor within a timely manner. Consult with our Allentown car accident attorney for guidance on what to do from a legal perspective.
Common back injuries from car accidents include whiplash, herniated discs, fractures, spinal cord injuries, sprains, and strains.
If you have pain in the neck or shoulders, you might have whiplash. Other symptoms of whiplash include headaches, numbness, dizziness, neck stiffness, blurred vision, insomnia, difficulty concentrating, and memory problems. Whiplash is an injury of the soft tissues in your neck. It often results from rear-end collisions, even if the car was going at a low speed.
Sudden and intense pain in your back is a sign of a herniated disc. Other symptoms of herniated discs are numbness in the legs or arms, pain in the legs or arms, and muscle weakness. People who have herniated discs may feel worse pain after sitting or standing. Pain might worsen at night as well.
High-velocity car accidents might cause a fracture or sprain in your back. If you have a spinal fracture, you often feel pain where the fracture is. The pain may get worse when you breathe, sit, or walk. Numbness, weakness, and bladder control problems may also occur with a spinal fracture. You could experience nerve damage from a spinal fracture that negatively affects your quality of life.
Spinal cord injuries are serious and can occur even in low-velocity car accidents. A severed spinal cord sometimes causes paralysis. Symptoms of spinal cord injuries include muscle weakness, muscle spasms, overactive reflexes, coordination problems, bladder control problems, leaking stool, sweating, feeling faint, and a pins-and-needles sensation.
What to Do About Back Pain and Other Symptoms You’re Feeling After an Accident
Regardless of what symptoms you experience after an accident, you need to see a doctor for a checkup. Some problems aren’t evident to the doctor directly after an accident, so schedule another appointment even if a few weeks have passed since your incident. Soft tissue injuries, for instance, are hard to detect early on.
Keep a journal of the symptoms you’re experiencing after a car accident, including emotional effects. You can sometimes receive compensation for depression, anxiety, anger, and other emotional pain that results from an accident. Having a journal of the symptoms you’re experiencing after an accident helps you argue your case more effectively in court and against the insurance company.
Be sure to also track your doctor’s appointments and write down how much money was spent on each appointment. Hold onto important documents and receipts, too, as this will help you defend your claim.
Don’t sign a release without first consulting with a car accident attorney. Even if it’s been a few weeks since the auto accident, you may become aware of an injury. Also, stay diligent about taking care of your health and seeing a doctor as needed. When people delay going to the doctor, this can be used to argue they are either partially or fully responsible for their injuries.
Back pain should always be taken seriously whether it occurs right after an accident or weeks later. What might seem minor to you can be more serious or transform into a debilitating issue when it goes untreated. In order to receive the maximum compensation in a personal injury claim, you need to go to a doctor for a checkup directly after the accident and follow up with a doctor whenever new symptoms arise in the weeks following the accident. Record these doctor’s visits, your symptoms, and any negative emotions you feel related to the accident to best help a potential injury claim you need to make.
Consult with a car accident lawyer to ensure your rights are protected and you don’t unintentionally harm your case. Metzger & Kleiner has an Allentown car accident attorney who works hard to provide high-quality representation. Our law firm has been representing clients in the area for more than 40 years. Call our office today at (610) 435-7400 for representation or consultation in the Lehigh Valley.
Speak Your Mind