San Diego Back Injury Lawyers

What is a Back Injury?

A back injury can occur when there is damage to the muscles, bones, or tissue in the back. Back injuries often happen due to playing sports, lifting heavy objects, having a slip-and-fall accident, or being in a motor vehicle accident.

There are many different types of back injuries, ranging from strains and sprains to herniated discs or fractures. Common symptoms of back injuries can include a dull ache in the lower back, shooting pain down the leg, difficulty moving or standing without pain, and reduced range of motion due to stiffness. Back injuries can be difficult to heal and may require extensive treatment.

Most Common Causes of a Back Injury

There are many different factors that may lead to a back injury. Back injuries most commonly occur due to accidents. Common back injury causes include:

• Auto Accidents – Back injuries often occur in motor vehicle accidents and motorcycle accidents. The impact of the collision can cause extensive damage to the back, with the lower back being particularly vulnerable to injury.
• Slip and Fall Accidents – This type of accident commonly results in traumatic brain injuries and back injuries. Most common amongst older adults, this is especially concerning for individuals in this age bracket as this type of injury may result in long-term side effects and treatment.
• Medical Malpractice – A back injury can occur when a medical professional is not careful and makes an error with anesthesia or during surgery. This type of error is called medical malpractice.
• Sporting Accidents – Back injuries are common in sports, most especially contact sports such as football, rugby, snowboarding, and more. Of these injuries, about 20% of all sports injuries happen in the lower back.
• Truck Accidents – Due to the size and weight of commercial trucks, this kind of accident is usually much more severe than automobile accidents. The severity of the back injury will depend on the severity of the accident.
• Acts of violence – Violent acts such as assault can result in serious injuries to the spine, which may lead to physical disability or even death.

Most Common Types of Back Injuries

The severity of your back injury will determine the course of your recovery. This information can also guide you in making decisions about treatment and care. Some of the most common types of back injuries are:

Soft Tissue Damage

When you are involved in an accident, the sudden jolt of your body can cause injuries to the soft tissues in your back. This can include tearing muscles and ligaments or even broken bones. The most common type of injury is a sprain, but thankfully these heal faster than other types of back injuries.

Spinal Fractures

There are different types of spinal fractures, some more serious than others. Compression fractures are common and usually cause only minor pain. However, other types of spinal fractures can be much more painful and may require surgery to fix the problem.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal injuries can be extremely serious, with the potential to cause partial or full paralysis. In addition, back injuries often lead to other medical complications, which can lengthen the time it takes for an accident victim to make a full physical recovery.

Whiplash

Whiplash is a common injury in rear-end collisions. This is because the sudden back-and-forth neck movement can strain the muscles and ligaments in the neck. Symptoms of a whiplash injury may not appear immediately but can include pain in the neck and back, muscle stiffness, and dizziness.

Paralysis

Paralysis is defined as the loss of ability to move a particular area or the entire body. Paralysis usually occurs when an accident victim experiences severe trauma to the head, neck, and spine. These kinds of injuries can lead to permanent disability and drastically change the quality of life of the accident victim.

Herniated Discs

This is a type of back injury that is commonly caused by an accident. The force from the accident can cause the discs in your spine to become herniated, which can lead to pain or discomfort. The nerves in your spine can also become pinched, causing numbness or pain.

When Can You File a Back Injury Claim?

As the injured person, you may be able to recover compensatory damages from the liable parties who caused your accident injuries. To do this, your personal injury attorney will need to prove that the accident was caused by someone else’s acts of negligence. Your San Diego back injury lawyer must prove that any of the following types of negligence occurred:

• Property owners or managers fail to provide the duty of care owed
• Distracted driving
• Substandard medical care
• Failure to recall a defective product
• Unsafe conditions that cause workplace accidents

Back injuries can be difficult to deal with, especially if they are the result of an accident. If your injuries were the result of an accident that was not your fault, you must take legal action.

It is important to have an experienced attorney available to help with the complicated legal matters of an accident claim. This will ensure that all your personal injury matters are handled correctly and efficiently.

Insurance adjusters may try to take advantage of this difficult time by tricking you into lowering the value of your claim in order to avoid offering you a fair settlement amount.

Recoverable Compensation in a Back Injury Claim

Back injuries sustained in an accident can be incredibly costly to the personal injury victim – not just in terms of expensive medical bills, but also in terms of the pain and suffering caused by the injury itself. While no amount of money can fully compensate someone for what they’ve lost, a settlement can help cover these costs and begin to put the pieces of their life back together.

You may be entitled to the following economic and non-economic damages:

• Medical costs
• Care after surgery
• Physical therapy
• Cost of property damage
• Future damages and medical bills
• Loss of income
• Lost future income
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional injuries
• Long-term healthcare facility expenses
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of companionship
• And more

In the event that an accident led to the wrongful death of your loved one, you may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim. Although no compensation is enough to make up for the loss of a loved one, this may help the victim’s family with any additional expenses that may have incurred due to the accident.

Injured in an Accident? Contact Our San Diego Back Injury Lawyers Today!

If you or a loved one have injured their back in an accident caused by the harmful actions of a responsible party, you may be eligible to file a personal injury claim to recover compensation for injury and damages.

As a personal injury law firm, our San Diego back injury lawyers have years of extensive experience handling back injury cases. We will fight to recover the maximum compensation and medical care you need and deserve. Not only will we handle the complex paperwork of your claim, but we will also put you in touch with the best doctors and deal with insurance companies so you won’t have to.

Our team of personal injury lawyers has a track record of winning. We have recovered millions of dollars in compensation for hundreds of clients.

Contact us at (619) 776-3851 for a free case consultation.