Back Injury Attorney

Do you need an attorney who will fight for you to get the most compensation possible for your back injury?

One of the most jarring injuries someone can suffer is a crippling injury to their back. One bad incident could mean the difference between having full mobility of all of your limbs and spending your life in a wheelchair. Severe back pain in and of itself can be debilitating and completely alter your way of life. It could make you unable to work or prevent you from engaging in any activities that would require you to have any range of motion, such as doing housework, playing your favorite sport, or even picking up your child. However, there are preventative measures that you can take to reduce your chances of hurting your back. Also, if someone’s carelessness caused your back injury, then there are some legal options that you can take up to obtain compensation from them. Here’s more.

Back Injury Attorney For Consultation If Injured

If you are a back injury victim, then you should consult with an experienced back injury attorney with a strong success rate. A free consultation with a back injury attorney can enable you to figure out what steps to take legally and how to make the most of your case. The serious injuries lawyers at My Rights Law are focused on helping clients get the best resolutions to their situations. We will carefully evaluate your circumstances, advise you on your legal options, and aggressively negotiate with the defendant and their insurance company to help get you the compensation that you deserve. Most cases are pursued by our law firm on a contingency fee basis meaning that attorney’s fees are not charged to you without you obtaining a recovery in your matter. For a free consultation with My Rights Law, we can be reached by phone ]at (888) 702-8882 or by leaving a message on our secure web form.

How Common Are Back Injuries?

If you do not have any back issues, you may not think much about your back or spine health. The truth is, though, that the back takes on a lot of stress. An average of eight out of ten adults suffers a back injury in their lifetime. The good news is that 95% of people who have a back injury fully recover. Unfortunately, the other 5% continue to be plagued by a persistent, chronic condition following the injury.

The workplace is a common site for back injuries to occur. One out of every five workplace injuries concerns the back. Back injuries on the job can result in time out of work as well as pain and limitations for those who have been injured. A host of legal issues may also arise from a back injury, on the job or elsewhere, and an attorney with experience in claims involving back injuries may be able to assist you in navigating workers’ compensation or other legal options such as a personal injury lawsuit.

The Anatomy Of The Back

The back consists of bones, muscles, ligaments, and soft tissues, which collectively allow movement and support the internal organs and structures of your body. The main structure of your back, the spine, is made up of a chain of bones that protects the spinal cord. The spine connects to ligaments and muscles to support your body and allow for movement.

The spine consists of 33 bones (vertebrae). The spinal cord, which is a packet of nerves, passes through the foramen of each vertebra. Between the bones of the spine rests a soft, gel-like disc that cushions the spine, keeping the bones from rubbing together and protecting the spinal cord within.

The vertebrae down the spine are divided into four different segments. The top collection of vertebrae is called the cervical spine, which goes from the base of the head to about shoulder level. The next section is called the thoracic spine, and the bones of this part connect to the rib cage to support and protect the heart and lungs. The next group is called the lumbar spine, and it goes from mid-back down to the pelvis. The lowest section of the spine is called the sacrum, which connects to the pelvis and is different from the upper three sections in some important ways. Unlike the vertebrae of the upper three parts of the spine, the vertebrae of the sacrum are fused together to form one bone that connects to the hip bones.

Between each set of vertebrae, nerves go out from the spinal cord to send signals from the brain to muscles and organs around the body, as well as to transmit sensations to the spinal cord and up to the brain. When you move a muscle in your arm or leg, it is because your brain has sent a signal down the spinal cord and out to the muscle, which moves when it gets the message from your brain. When you feel pain, it is because a nerve sends a signal from the point of pain to the spinal cord and then to the brain.

Connected to each vertebra of the spinal column are ligaments and muscles that hold the spine together and allow you to move your body. Whenever you bend forward or backward, turn your shoulders to the left or right, or tilt your torso from side to side, these muscles and ligaments are working to move the joints of the spine slightly.

What Are The Types Of Back Injuries?

With the large number of individual pieces that make up the back, it may seem understandable why back injuries are so prevalent. Back injuries come in many forms, including:

• Ruptured or bulging discs
• Strains to muscles or ligaments
• Irregularities of the spine from birth called congenital deformities
• Osteoporosis
• Arthritis

Depending on what caused the injury and how far the problem has progressed, there may be treatments and therapies that can help you to improve the condition or at least slow the progression or alleviate associated pain.

What Are The Causes Of Back Injuries?

There are many different causes of back injuries. Some are conditions that you may have been born with, called congenital deformities, that could involve vertebrae or spinal structures that did not develop properly in the womb. Other back injuries may involve problems that develop over time based on how you use your back or that arise just with aging. Some injuries may be caused by some physical trauma, like a car crash or sporting incident.

The most common back injury is a strain or pull of the muscles and ligaments that support the spine. With this, you may feel pain immediately, or it may become noticeable in the days following the injury. Usually, these types of injuries heal with time, as long as you take care not to stress or overextend the muscles or ligaments as they are healing.

If the injury involves damage to the discs between the bones of the spine, the problem may be more difficult to repair. The discs of the spine cannot heal like other tissues of the body because they don’t have a direct blood supply and nerves that can help them to regenerate after an injury. Damage to discs can happen with the natural aging process. Over time, the gel within the discs can dry out and compress. Other disc injuries can happen from a sudden impact like a car accident, sports injury, or a fall, and may be referred to as a “slipped disc.” Disc deterioration or displacement can cause the bones of the spine to rub together and to pinch the nerves where they pass from the spinal column out to the body. The discs can also push inward on the spinal cord and cause irritation.

Treatment And Care

Treatments for back injuries to the muscles, ligaments, or discs can involve a broad range of types of care, including the following methods of treatment:

• Medication
• Injection or epidural
• Chiropractic care
• Physical therapy
• Acupuncture
• Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) therapy, which involves sending low-voltage electric currents out through nerves to treat pain
• Exercise and stretching

Since most back injuries come from strain to muscles or ligaments of the back, they can usually be treated with some combination of exercises and stretching, physical therapy or chiropractic care, and the use of ice or heat packs to soothe the injured area. Working with your doctor or another medical professional, you can come up with a treatment plan and learn exercises that can help to keep the muscles that support your back limber and strong.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries are the most serious type of back injury. In a spinal cord injury, the bundle of nerves that passes through the bones of the spine is damaged. When those nerves are damaged, the parts of your body that rely on those nerves to move or to send signals to the brain may not function.

Among the most common causes of spinal cord injuries, auto accidents top the list, causing an estimated 40% of spinal cord injuries. Other common causes include:

• Falling
• Violence (mostly gunshot injuries)
• Sports and recreational activities
• Medical and surgical events

Spinal cord injuries typically result in permanent damage. If the injury is to a lower portion of the spinal cord, the person may lose the use of their legs, which is called paraplegia. This happens in about 40% of spinal cord injury cases. If the injury occurs in the neck or upper back, the person may lose function in both their legs and their arms, which is called quadriplegia. Quadriplegia happens in the remaining 60% of spinal injury cases.

Back Care And Health

Taking good care of your back is a crucial part of overall good health. If you have been among the 95% of adults who have had a back injury, you know how difficult it can be to function in everyday life when your back is in pain.

There are a few simple things you can do to protect your back against potential injuries. In the car, you should wear your seat belt and drive safely to avoid accidents. Adjust your seat so that you can sit upright without slouching or reaching too far to get to the steering wheel or pedals. At work and at home, remember to maintain good body posture while standing and sitting, and be sure to arrange your desk and chair to have good posture and balance during the hours that you spend in front of a computer. Also, when lifting and moving heavy items, try to keep your back as straight as possible and lift using your leg muscles rather than your back.

Back Injury Lawsuits

If you have been involved in an accident that injured your back, you may have a legal claim against the person who caused your injury. In a legal case, the person who caused the accident and injury is called the defendant, and the injured person who brings a lawsuit is called the plaintiff. A legal claim is complex, though, so a skilled attorney who is familiar with back injury claims is your best ally in pursuing your claim.

Time Limits To File

The law has time requirements that say you must file your claim in court by a certain time. For a back injury that happened in a car accident, for example, you typically have a short period after an injury or event that has caused harm. Other types of claims have different filing requirements and rules, so it is best to consult with an attorney who is experienced in handling injury claims.

Compensation For Damages

In the law, the problems that you have gone through because of the injury that was caused by the accident are called your “damages.” There are two main types of damages that are usually involved in a personal injury claim.

One category is called “economic damages,” sometimes also called special damages. These are amounts that you have been billed or paid for directly, like medical charges and expenses, or else they are the exact amounts that you have lost because of your injury, like lost wages for the number of weeks that you were off work after the crash, for instance.

Another type of loss is called non-economic or general damages. These types of losses are emotional or personal feelings of pain, stress, anxiety, and general suffering related to the injury and its impacts on your life.

Comparative Fault

In some states, the law allows the judge or jury who is finding the facts of your case in court to divide the blame, called fault or “liability,” for causing the accident. If more than one person acted negligently or somehow was partially to blame for the event, all people involved get a percentage of fault assigned to them.

A person who was injured and is suing the person who caused the crash may get less than the full amount of damages that the accident caused if they were partly at fault in causing the crash. So, someone who is found to be ten percent at fault in causing the accident will be allowed to get ninety percent of the damages that weren’t caused by them.

Filing A Lawsuit For Your Back Injury

There are many possible causes of back injuries, but sometimes another person’s negligence could be to blame. Essentially, someone is negligent when they fail to exercise a duty of care towards you, and their lack of care causes you to sustain or exacerbate a back injury. If you or your loved one suffered a back or spinal cord injury that may have been caused by someone else’s negligence, contacting a lawyer with experience in back injury claims could be the smartest course of action. They may be able to help you obtain compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, emotional distress, lost wages, and more. Keep in mind that you have a limited time from the date of your back injury to file a lawsuit, so time is of the essence.