Back and neck injuries are commonly caused by automobile and commercial vehicle accidents.
Severe injuries can occur even from what initially appeared to be a minor accident—that is because the human body is not designed to withstand the impact of a car accident. Back and neck injuries, especially, can significantly affect your daily life.
The back and neck together make up the spine, which can be divided into three distinct areas: cervical vertebrae (neck), thoracic vertebrae (upper back), and lumbar vertebrae (lower back). Each segment of the spinal cord and its vertebrae are surrounded by discs, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves—and pain can result if any of those parts are injured.
Schedule your free consultation with a skilled Atlanta personal injury lawyer today. Call (404) 738-9162 or fill out our online form.
How Are Back And Neck Injuries Diagnosed?
Injuries to the back and neck can cause pain in multiple locations throughout the body. As a result, diagnosing the specific cause and location of an injury is sometimes very difficult. Doctors will use the patient’s medical history, observations of the patient, and objective tests to conclude. X-rays, MRIs, and CT Scans are regularly used.
What Are Common Back And Neck Injuries?
- Thoracic spine injuries: injuries to the upper back, which connects the ribs and the chest area, and usually the most serious. Sprains and fractures in the thoracic spine are usually caused by high force auto accidents and may result in permanent nerve damage.
- Lumbar spine injuries: the lumbar spine is made up of the 5 largest vertebrae and the strongest muscles needed to keep the spine stable. Consequently, a sprain or strain in this area can be particularly painful. A sprain is when there is actual damage to the ligaments, and a strain is when ligaments, tendons, or muscles and over-stretched. Sprains and strains to the lumbar spine may limit movement and cause swelling, bruising, and tenderness.
- Herniated discs: between vertebrae are discs that separate the vertebrae and protect the spine. A herniated disc is when a disc is moved out of place. Usually herniated discs place pressure on the spinal cord or the nerves that surround it. Herniated discs can cause sudden and intense pain in the low back and numbness in the legs.
How Are Back And Neck Injuries Treated?
- Spinal fusion: done to repair a herniated disc or fractured vertebrae. During a spinal fusion, the surgeon fuses 2 or more vertebrae together by using a bone graft or metal implants. Patients are usually admitted to the hospital for a few days during surgery and then need several months of rehabilitation afterwards.
- Laminotomy/Laminectomy: both of these procedures seek to decompress the spinal cord or surrounding nerves to relieve pain from herniated discs or bone spurs. During a laminotomy and laminectomy, the lamina—a bone that covers the spinal cord—is removed in whole or in part.
- Vertebroplasty: this is a minimally invasive surgery performed to relieve pain from spinal compression fractions. Doctors inject cement into cracked or fractured vertebrae to stabilize the bone.
- Epidural injections: these injections are commonly used to help people deal with pain in many locations of the body, including the back and neck. The injections provide temporary relief for pain; but unfortunately, do not fix the cause of the pain.
Subrogation in Spinal Cord Injury Cases
Once you win your lawsuit, the next part is keeping your recovery. If your health insurance paid for the treatment you received, then it is important you know about something called “subrogation.” To read more about how to keep your recovery and not hand it over to your insurance company, click here.
The Atlanta back and neck injury lawyers with Rafi, Brown and Stokes have helped countless clients who have suffered back and neck injuries. If you have suffered a back and neck injury from a car accident, trucking accident, or any other type of accident, contact us.
