Can I Get Compensation for Back Pain After a Car Accident?

Feeling sore after a motor vehicle accident is fairly common. Even minor accident injuries may leave victims with some level of pain for days or weeks after the collision, such as bruising or sprains. More serious injuries can cause accident victims to suffer significant amounts of pain for much longer, though.

If you were involved in a motor vehicle crash that left you with chronic or debilitating pain, you may be asking: Can I get compensation for back pain after a car accident? The easy answer is that personal injury claims provide a legal avenue for individuals to seek and recover compensation for their car accident injuries, including back pain. However, auto insurance companies who are responsible for footing the bill for accident settlements will often do everything within their power to limit how much compensation you are able to recover.

How Common Is Back Pain After a Car Accident?

Back pain is not uncommon after a car accident. However, every person will experience back pain differently depending on their pain threshold or whether they have any pre-existing injuries. Pain may occur in the upper, middle, or lower back, and can vary in sensation, including:

• Stabbing
• Burning
• Tingling
• Throbbing

It is also not uncommon for back pain to come and go, especially if you are rotating heat and ice, taking over-the-counter pain relievers, and resting. This does not mean that you are not suffering from a serious back injury, though.

What Car Accident Injuries Cause Back Pain?

While back pain can sometimes be the result of a minor strain on the muscle, it can also be an indication of an underlying injury. Injuries that may be associated with back pain after a car accident include:

• Whiplash – Although perhaps more commonly associated with neck pain, whiplash may also cause pain in the upper, middle, and lower back.
• Fractures – Fractures in your thoracic or lumbar vertebrae can cause back pain. Depending on the fracture, you might feel immediate and intense pain that you cannot ignore. For minor fractures, the pain may be dull or hardly noticeable at first but build gradually over time.
• Spinal disc damage – Any damage to the spinal discs that make up your spine may result in mild, intense, or chronic pain. Slipped or bulging discs are some of the most common forms of spinal disc damage after an accident.
• Spondylolisthesis – This type of injury occurs when a stress fracture displaces a vertebra.

Back injuries are serious, and, if not treated, could result in chronic pain, a narrowing of the spinal canal, nerve damage, poor nervous system functioning, loss of feeling, or an inability to walk or move.

When Should I Seek Medical Care for Back Pain After an Accident?

You should be evaluated for injuries by a medical professional any time that you are involved in a motor vehicle accident. The severity of your pain will provide guidance on the type of care you should seek:

Emergency Care

Back injuries are serious and have the potential to cause life-long harm, including chronic pain and severe nerve damage. If you believe that you may be suffering from a back injury after a car accident, immediately proceed to the emergency room or call 911.

The following symptoms may indicate a severe back injury for which emergency medical care is required:

• A sudden loss of feeling or sensation in one or both legs
• An inability to stand or walk
• A sudden loss of control over bladder movements or trouble passing urine
• A sudden loss of control over bowel movements
• Severe or intolerable pain in any part of your back or your legs
• Back pain that radiates through your abdomen
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain or feelings of pressure in your chest
• Feelings of pressure along any part of your back or spine

Never ignore signs of a possible traumatic back injury. Failing to seek timely medical care could result in avoidable long-term damage to your physical health and well-being.

Urgent Care

An urgent care location can provide immediate medical services if your injury does not warrant going to the emergency room, but you are still waiting to see your regular doctor. Minor back pain (including pain that is throbbing, stabbing, or burning) can typically be evaluated and treated in these facilities. An urgent care doctor can also order additional testing and prescribe medications.

If your injury seems particularly severe, the urgent care facility might refer you to the emergency room for immediate medical treatment.

Your Primary Care Doctor

You should always schedule an appointment with your primary care physician after an accident. Even if you are not experiencing any injury symptoms, mention that you’ve been involved in a crash when you call to schedule your appointment. You should see your doctor for follow-up care even if you were first treated in an emergency room or urgent care facility.

When you are dealing with only minor pain or are not experiencing any symptoms or pain at all, seeing your regular doctor may be sufficient. However, if you experience a sudden onset or worsening of pain, do not hesitate to seek emergency medical care.

Can I Get Compensation for Back Pain After a Car Accident?

You can recover compensation for back pain after a car accident by filing a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver. You may be eligible for some of the following types of compensation:

• Medical bills related to treatment you sought for back pain
• Lost wages related to the time you had to take off work due to back pain
• Pain and suffering compensation for the physical and emotional trauma your back pain causes you

Your attorney will help you determine all compensation you may be owed for your Biloxi accident.

How Do I Prove My Back Pain Is Causing Me To Suffer?

Proving that you are suffering from back pain after a car accident shouldn’t be difficult, but the insurance company may try to refute your claim at every turn. At Corban Gunn, Attorney at Law, we have experience dealing with complex car accident claims and are ready to take on your case.

We have the resources it takes to prove that you suffering as a result of your accident, including reviewing your medical records and securing the testimony of expert witnesses.

Coban Gunn, Attorney at Law Advocates for Accident Victims

If you were involved in a car accident in Biloxi, MS, through no fault of your own, you deserve to be fully and fairly compensated for your injuries. This includes compensation for back pain after your car accident.

Contact our law offices today to schedule your free, no-obligation case evaluation with a car accident attorney.