Causes of Back Pain After a Car Accident

After a car accident, many are left wondering why they have neck and lower back pain. This pain may last a couple weeks, but may even last years if not treated properly. If you are involved in an accident, our experienced car accident injury attorneys at Heidari Law advise you to seek medical treatment immediately. Even if you don’t feel any pain, it us still advised to seek a medical diagnosis for any underlying problems that have been aggravated.

Back pain is a very common injury drivers deal with after an accident, almost everyone experiences it, from young to old drivers. Causes of back pain include, but are not limited to:

• Whiplash: Whiplash is a very common car accident injury, whether it is the driver at fault or the driver who has been hit. Whiplash generally stems from when your car hits another. The sudden impact from the hit causes your body to abruptly move The sudden movement causes pain in the lower back. Whiplash could affect both muscles and bones located at the lower back. In severe cases, the back disks could get damaged, which need long term medical care for the pain it causes. This trauma has lasting effects, and drivers who have suffered any time of whiplash motion should seek medical attention immediately to see if they have sustained any injuries. For more information, please visit our blog
• Herniated disc: the main bone that runs down out back is the vertebrae. The vertebrae is made up of lateral discs. These discs are very fragile. When your body suddenly moved from the impact, these discs absorb the movement. From absorbing the movement, the discs then become herniated. Herniated discs need medical treatment since it is very difficult to determine if the pain will be temporary, or have permanent lasting effects that require some type of treatment. The herniated disc should be evaluated by a medical professional immediately.
• Lumbar sprain: a sprain is another common injury many in an accident suffer. When there is force placed on the back (when your back is pushed towards the chair with high impact), the tendons in your back could get strained. This should be looked at by a medical professional. A doctor may need to take photos to better determine if it is a strain or something more serious.
• Spinal disorder: unfortunately sometimes, a car accident may aggravate underlying injuries and disorders that were not treated or diagnosed before. An example includes the degenerative spinal disorder. This disorder occurs when the spinal cord starts to break down. Many may experience this as they get older. This in turn then may then lead to pinched nerves. It is best advised to seek treatment immediately.

Diagnosing Lower Back Pain

Discs in our backs start to become weaker as we age, this then makes us more susceptible for more severe back injuries. Back pain has several different causes, and so it is highly advised to seek medical attention to better diagnose the problem. Medical attention may include a general physician, or even a spine surgeon if determined that surgery is needed to prevent further pain.

Damages

When plaintiff seeks damages from defendant for their injuries, there are many different types of damages they can seek, these include, but are not limited to:

• Medical treatment: Usually, doctors may have to perform x rays to further examine the back vertebrae and determine if there is any severe damage. These imaging tests could be very costly, and so could be just one of the several costs that plaintiff could seek for their back pain.
• Medications: commonly, doctors prescribe pain or anti-inflammatory medication to help with the back pain. These drugs could be costly, and plaintiff should not need to bear the expense.
• Injections: oftentimes, along with medications, spinal physicians recommend injections to the bones for long term relief.
• Back surgery: surgery is often not that common for plaintiffs to undergo, but if they have to undergo surgery to fix their spine and be able to walk comfortably, plaintiffs could recover any surgery costs.
• Physical therapy: physical therapy is very common after an accident, and many attorneys advise their clients to get physical therapy, even for minimal injuries. It will temporarily help with the pain, and could increase proper blood circulation and functionality of limbs.

Other Common Accident Injuries

• Knee injury: A common injury that is overlooked are knee injuries. Many may feel pain at their back, and only seek treatment for their back. Knee injuries are especially more common in passengers next to the driver seat, because their knee hits the dashboard after sudden impact.
• Chest injuries: there are many different causes for chest pain after an accident. For example, a chest injury may occur when the seatbelt pulls the driver back during an impact. This is seen through dark bruises that may form a couple days after the accident. Further, chest pain could be caused by rub damage that may occur. Regardless, it is still advised to wear a seatbelt because not wearing one could lead to fatalities.
• Cuts: Cuts are caused by objects that fly around in the car and break apart as a result of the impact. Although car windows have become safer and less likely to break through time, they still have a chance of breaking and causing severe injuries.
• Head injuries: When the airbags fail to go off, a driver may hit their head at the hard steering wheel if they are pushed forward as a result of the impact. This could lead to headache and migraines that follow for the next couple days after the accident. However, it could also have lasting effects such as sleep deprivation.

These causes listed above are only a couple causes and of injuries that could be suffered as a result of a car accident. If you have suffered any other injuries that are not on this list, contact our attorneys to see what type of damages you could potentially recover from the other driver. We have convenient offices located in major cities, including Los Angeles, Fresno, San Jose, Irvine, and Las Vegas. If you have been involved in a car accident (whether in California or Nevada), our experienced car accident lawyers at Heidari Law Group will be able to help you throughout the legal process, and ensure that you are equipped with all the tools that you need in order to receive fair compensation for your injuries. Our attorneys will also work to make sure you have sought optimal medical treatment for your injuries. Our experienced attorneys are specialized in various types of car accidents, and can help get you the representation you deserve. For more information regarding our car accident attorneys, you can view our legal experience here.

***Disclaimer: This blog is created by Heidari Law Group for educational purposes. This article provides a general understanding of the law. It does not provide specific advice. By using this site and reading through this blog, there is no attorney-client relationship created between you and any member of Heidari Law. Further, due to the constant change of the law, some parts of the information above may no longer be good law.