Spinal injuries are some of the most common injuries you could face after a car accident. While most back, spine, and neck injuries are somewhat mild, they can still cause permanent effects and disabilities that might bother you for the rest of your life. The medical bills and costs of not being able to work could be substantial, and it is important to talk to a lawyer about getting compensation for these injuries
If you or a loved one faced serious back, neck, or spine injuries in a car crash in South Florida, contact our Miami attorney for spinal injuries caused by a car accident.
Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys PA’s experienced car accident attorney represents victims and their families in legal claims to get them the compensation they need to support themselves and their families after a serious back injury. For a free legal consultation, call Prosper Shaked today at (305) 694-2676.
Types of Back, Neck, and Spine Injuries from Car Accidents
Car accidents often put excess pressure on the back and neck during a crash. Low back injuries and whiplash are some of the most common injuries in car accidents, especially rear-end accidents. Other back injuries and spinal injuries could result from more severe crashes.
Back Injuries
Low back injuries are common in car crashes because of the intense pressure put on the lumbar spine during many crashes. When you are hit from behind, the car and the seat attached to it can lurch forward into your body, pressing hard on the lower part of your back. This can cause extreme pressure on the soft tissue between the vertebrae in your back, potentially causing a herniated disc, or it could fracture the bones in your back, potentially leading to more damage to the spinal cord within. These injuries are often mild but may still result in prolonged pain and suffering from the injury.
Whiplash
Whiplash is often caused in a similar way. When the car suddenly stops or is struck from behind, the seat may move forward into you, bending your head and neck backward over the top of it. Headrests work to limit this range of motion, but when your body stops moving, your head may once again whip forward, then back into position. This whipping motion can cause damage to the muscles, tendons, bones, and disc tissue in your neck. This often does not cause damage to the spinal cord itself, but it is possible. Whiplash injuries are permanent in a surprising number of cases, leading victims to face pain, discomfort, reduced range of motion, and other symptoms for the rest of their lives.
Broken Vertebrae and Herniated Discs
More severe back and neck injuries could result in damage to the spinal cord and fractured bones in the back and neck. If you fracture any of your vertebrae, it may result in structural weakness that causes serious pain and inability to walk or move as you would like to. Surgery might help restore your spine to working order, but you may still be left with residual effects and disabilities. Injuries to the discs between the vertebrae can also cause pain and suffering, especially if a herniated disc impinges on your spine, causing partial paralysis, pain, and numbness.
Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis
Damage that reaches down to the spinal cord itself can be permanent. Spinal cord injuries can make motor control difficult below the point of injury or cause numbness, pain, and pins-and-needles sensations. Damage severe enough to sever the spinal cord can cause total, permanent paralysis below the point of injury, requiring wheelchairs and intensive medical care. If the injury is high up in the neck, it could cause quadriplegia or total body paralysis.
Suing for Damages for Spine Injuries from Car Crashes
In Florida, every driver is required to carry “no-fault” car insurance that can pay for their own injuries and vehicle damage in the event of a car crash. Typically, these policies cover at least $10,000 worth of damages, excluding compensation for pain and suffering, and covering only a percentage of the damages you faced for medical expenses and lost wages. In cases of severe injury, you may be entitled to take the case to court, suing the at-fault driver and their insurance company for additional damages beyond what your policy would cover.
When you file a lawsuit for car accident injuries, you must be able to prove that the other driver was responsible for the crash. This means pointing to some error that the other driver committed, like driving drunk, speeding, running a red light, or texting while driving. These allegations must be proven in court “by a preponderance of the evidence,” which means that the jury believes it is more likely than not that your story is true.
Once you prove your case, you must also prove the damages you are claiming. Moderate to severe back injuries might require extensive medical care. This could mean seeking compensation for bills for hospital stays, surgeries, medical imaging, crutches, wheelchairs, homecare, rehabilitation, physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, and other physical and mental health care. If you missed work, you can also claim damages for any wages you missed or will continue to miss in the future because of these injuries. Lastly, you can claim damages directly for the pain, discomfort, and mental/emotional distress of the injuries.
Call Our Miami Car Accident Spinal Cord Injury Attorney for a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one suffered a severe back or spine injury in a car crash in South Florida, Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys PA might be able to help. For a free legal consultation on your case and help understanding what financial compensation you might be entitled to, contact Prosper Shaked today at (305) 694-2676.