After the common cold, back injuries are the next common reason for calling in sick for the general US workforce and lower back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide. American workers sustain over one million back injuries each year, and one-third of injuries sustained in an auto accident involves back injury or traumatic spinal injury. It is very important to have a full understanding of your injury over time, as the severity of your injuries unfold throughout medical treatment and physical therapy before you consider a quick financial settlement. Back injury resulting from both one-time incidents and repetitive stress often worsens over time.
An experienced catastrophic injury attorney in California will be your legal advocate to negotiate for the settlement you deserve. Legal representation will safeguard your legal rights and ensure you recover the maximum compensation for expenses incurred as a result of a back injury from a vehicle accident, workplace accident or physical assault, including:
- Medical Expenses including Rehabilitation
- Future Medical Expenses
- Loss Wages and Future Loss or Income Reduction
- Pain and Suffering
- Loss of Consortium (damages suffered by your spouse or family member)
- Punitive Damages (if the defendant displayed an intent to harm or disregard safety)
Back Injury Diagnosis
While the causes of back pain can vary, there are two main diagnoses for a back injury that are determined by symptoms, a physical exam, medical history review and diagnostics like X-ray, an MRI scan or a CT scan. The main types of back injuries are:
Spondylolisthesis
The backbone is a column of 33 vertebrae, cartilage and connective tissue; it extends from the skull to the pelvis. Spondylolisthesis injury occurs when one or more vertebra slips out of place. This type of back injury occurs as a result of a congenital birth defect, arthritis, overuse or trauma from an accident. Symptoms of spondylolisthesis can include:
- Pain in the back, buttock or down one or both legs.
- Weakness or numbness in the legs.
- Walking difficulty as a result of pain.
- Bladder or bowel incontinence.
Cervical Radiculopathy
Cervical radiculopathy is caused by damage to nerve function resulting from the compression of a nerve root near the cervical vertebrae. Damage from compression in one of these nerve roots can cause extreme pain, muscle weakness, loss of feeling and a lack of coordination mainly in the hands.
To ensure the best results for your legal claim, keeping records and notes along with preserving evidence from early-on, will be vital to prove your claim and receive just compensation for your back injury. While it may be challenging to keep up with medical treatment and dealing with everything that goes with being the victim of a catastrophic injury, you need to take the time to:
- Document the Accident – Writing out the events of the accident will help you with details that may be forgotten over time. Try to document the accident as soon as possible to maintain accuracy.
- Identify Evidence – Because evidence can be less reliable as time goes by, it is important to identify and preserve items that may be a relevant source to prove your claim.
- Notes/Timeline – Conversations with witnesses, law enforcement, and insurance company representatives should be well documented and include the date and time to keep track of events in order.
- Medical Records – Keep all medical records, bills and any related expense receipts filed together for easy reference and access to help accurately determine your settlement amount.
- Written Communication – It is important to hold onto all communication regarding your accident including letters, emails, and handwritten notes.
Contact an Experienced Back Injury Attorney
Call Johnson Attorneys Group at 1-800-208-3538 for your no-cost case review, we will not charge any legal fees until we successfully settle or win your case. Our back injury lawyers have recovered over $50 million for our clients in California over the past few years; learn more about clients we’ve helped by viewing our case results. It is very important to take action and contact an experienced, qualified back accident injury attorney to preserve your legal rights.
