Common Back Injuries that Lead to Lawsuits
Original publish date: September 19, 2014 (Updated)
In December 2011, Gregory Mack Anderson failed to yield the right of way to a GMC SUV, driven by Beatriz Gutierrez in Waco, Texas. What resulted was a head-on collision between Anderson's pickup truck and Gutierrez's SUV -- a crash that left Gutierrez and her 23-year-old daughter, who was a passenger in the vehicle, with a plethora of injuries, including debilitating back injuries. Anderson was uninjured in the crash.
The Gutierrez family filed a lawsuit and, as of September 2013, saw that lawsuit come to resolution to the tune of a $2.25 million dollar settlement. A car accident is just one common way that people sustain back injuries. And while Gutierrez needed three surgeries within a week of the accident to help her on the path to recovery, it's not uncommon to be symptom-free after initial trauma and for the pain to set in later. In fact, in some cases, back pain won't set in until years after the initial trauma was sustained.
Back pain and back injuries are a serious issue, often caused by trauma, whether it be a workplace injury, slip-and-fall accident or bicycle accident. In fact, lower back pain is the worldwide leading cause of disability around the world. Nationally, back pain is the No. 2 most cited reason for seeing a doctor. And according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 1 million workers suffer on-the-job back injuries each year, with worker's compensation claims escalating into the billions of dollars. Americans as a whole spend tens of millions of dollars in an attempt to treat back pain and back injuries -- of which success varies. Needless to say that back pain and back injuries are a huge deal for people in the United States. And if such injuries are caused unnecessarily, it can only make the matter worse.
Here's a closer look at some of the more common types of back pain as well as when legal representation may be necessary to help you get the compensation you rightfully deserve, should your injury have occurred from the irresponsible actions of another person.
Common Types of Back Injuries
We've already ticked off some common causes of back injuries (i.e. car accident, slip-and-fall accident, workplace accident, etc.), but the various different types of back injuries that a person is likely to suffer from vary greatly. Here's a look at some of the more common back injuries that people suffer from:
- Disc injuries (i.e. bulging, ruptured, herniated, collapsed)
- Slipped or torn discs
- Compression fractures
- Spinal cord injuries
- Neck injuries
- Nerve damage
- Vertebrae fracture
- Minor injuries (i.e. strains, sprains, spasms)
Back injuries vary in their severity, but are one of the trickiest injuries to treat. While some injuries are able to heal with nothing more than rest, other back injuries may require physical therapy. The most severe back injuries may require a combination of surgery and physical therapy - not to mention plenty of rest.
Needless to say that back injuries can be debilitating. They can force people to take time away from work (and lost out on much needed income), cause people to forgo physical activity for a period of time, and, in the most dire situations, paralyze a person, altering life as they knew it for good. That's why it is important to contact a personal injury lawyer if you believe that you aren't being rightfully compensated for your injuries if they resulted from the actions of another person. A lawyer will go to battle for you in an effort to get you the compensation that you are rightfully entitled to.
Back pain varies based on the person that is experiencing it. It can come on suddenly after trauma or come on gradually over time, sometimes over the course of several years. That's because as people age, so does the spine. And while this aging of the spine normally doesn't stop people from engaging in everyday activities and living thorough, healthy lives, it can make them more susceptible to back pain, especially if there's a triggered incident like a car crash, fall or workplace injury.
How to Act
If you or someone you know is suffering from debilitating back pain due to the actions of another person or form the rigors of a daily job, they may be eligible for legal representation to get the compensation that is rightfully deserved from the respective injury. Costly medical bills, time away from the office, physical pain and disability are potentially life-changing circumstances. Contact a reputable local attorney to set up an initial consultation to see if your situation qualifies.
If your accident occurred in Arizona, Friedl Richardson Trial Lawyers have extensive experience with successfully representing back injury victims throughout the state. As an experienced Phoenix Personal Injury Attorney, we'll fight for you to get the compensation that you rightfully deserve so you can truly get on the path to healing.