Back Injuries from Auto Accidents: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and Costs

Back injuries are common injuries in auto accidents, with even relatively minor accidents causing back pain and other symptoms in many cases. If you have suffered a back injury in an auto accident—or if you think you may have suffered a back injury in an auto accident—getting the treatment you need should be your first priority.

Your next priority should be to speak with an auto accident lawyer about your legal rights. Not only can treatment for back injuries be expensive, but back injuries often negatively impact accident victims’ lives in other ways as well. If your auto accident was someone else’s fault, you may be entitled to just compensation for all of these financial and non-financial costs, and an experienced auto accident lawyer will be able to help you seek the full compensation you deserve.

Recognizing the Symptoms of a Back Injury After an Auto Accident

Being able to recognize the symptoms of a back injury after an auto accident is critical for ensuring that you obtain treatment when necessary. Even if you have already been to the doctor, if you start to notice new symptoms after your first visit, you should make an appointment to see your doctor again as soon as possible.

While general pain is often the first sign of back trauma, Cedars Sinai advises that, “if [back] pain has any of the following characteristics, it is a good idea to see a physician for an evaluation” as soon as possible:

• Back pain that does not improve with rest, ice or over-the-counter pain relievers
• Back pain that gets worse instead of better
• Back pain that is sharp or that worsens with certain movements
• Back pain that is accompanied by abdominal pain
• Severe back pain that wakes you up at night

Along with pain, back injuries can have various other symptoms as well. Depending on the nature of an accident victim’s back injury, additional symptoms may include:

• Muscle cramps or spasms
• Decreased range of motion (or immobility)
• Difficulty walking
• Difficulty bending forward or standing up straight
• Difficulty bending sideways
• Numbness or unusual sensations in the upper inner thighs, groin or buttocks
• Bowel or bladder control issues

These are just examples. If you have concerns about your back after an auto accident for any reason, you should not hesitate to schedule an appointment with your doctor (or go to the emergency room if necessary). In the words of Cedars Sinai:

“The bottom line is that if you are in doubt, consult a physician. If back pain is getting worse over time, it does not feel better with rest and over-the-counter pain remedies, or it involves neurological symptoms, then it is advisable to be evaluated by a back-pain doctor.”

While it is important to pay attention to whether your back pain improves or worsens over time, you should not wait to seek medical attention if you have concerns about a possible back injury after an auto accident. Not only could obtaining a diagnosis and beginning treatment promptly be crucial for your physical recovery, but it could be crucial for protecting your right to a financial recovery as well.

Diagnosing and Treating a Back Injury After an Auto Accident

Diagnosing a back injury after an auto accident begins with an assessment of the specific location of the accident victim’s pain as well as an assessment of any other symptoms the victim is experiencing. As the Cleveland Clinic explains, “[m]ild strains and sprains can usually be diagnosed based on a medical history—including a review of the symptoms and how the injury occurred—and a physical examination by a healthcare provider.” Oftentimes, however, with severe injuries from auto accidents, additional diagnostic testing will be necessary.

When a physical examination is insufficient to fully assess the consequences of a car accident, the next step is typically to take an X-ray, MRI or CAT scan. By examining X-ray images or other scans of an accident victim’s spine, the victim’s doctor should be able to determine if the accident resulted in a fracture, herniated disc or another type of serious back injury.

Treatment options for back injuries from auto accidents similarly depend on the nature and extent of the trauma that an accident victim has endured. While rest and rehabilitation (often while taking pain medications) will be sufficient in some cases, more-serious back injuries can require spinal injections, fusions, laminectomies and other more-invasive procedures.

Understanding (and Recovering) the Costs of an Accident-Related Back Injury

Given the substantial costs typically associated with accident-related back injuries, effectively asserting accident victims’ legal rights can be essential. Under Pennsylvania law, auto accident victims who have suffered back injuries due to other drivers’ negligence (or other issues beyond their control) can seek just compensation for costs including:

• Diagnostic and treatment expenses
• Prescriptions, medical supplies and other out-of-pocket expenses
• Lost income and benefits during the recovery process
• Physical pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and post-traumatic stress
• Loss of consortium and the ability to enjoy life

Recovering these costs starts with hiring an experienced auto accident lawyer to represent you. In addition to investigating your accident and collecting the evidence needed to prove your legal rights, your lawyer will also be able to assist with proving how much you are entitled to recover. Whether your back injury will last for weeks or the rest of your life, you do not want to settle for less than you deserve. Working with you and your doctors, your lawyer will be able to accurately calculate just compensation for your present and future costs, and then your lawyer will be able to seek to recover these costs on your behalf.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Pennsylvania Auto Accident Lawyer Today

Do you need to know more about recovering just compensation for the costs of a back injury you sustained in an auto accident? If so, we encourage you to contact us promptly. To schedule a free consultation with a Pennsylvania auto accident lawyer, please call 888-777-7098 or get in touch online today.