Back and Neck Injuries

Serious back and neck injuries are often the result of traumatic events such as automobile accidents, slip and fall accidents, workplace accidents, medical malpractice, and more. The effects of a serious injury, including chronic pain, permanent disability, loss of mobility, and interference with work obligations can last for years to come.

If you or a loved one has suffered a back or neck injury in an accident or at the hands of a physician, you may be entitled to compensation for your suffering. An experienced lawyer can ensure that you recover what you deserve under the law. The right attorney can help you find relief from the burdens an accident has left you with including: physical and emotional trauma, strain to family/career obligations, and medical bills.

Common Back and Neck Injuries

Accidents that affect the back and neck often result in extensive soft tissue damage to muscles, tendons, intervertebral disks, ligaments, and nerves. Some of the most common back and neck injuries include:

Whiplash

Whiplash, sometimes called neck sprain or neck strain, is a neck injury that occurs when your head suddenly moves either backward or forward. The sudden jolting motions cause your neck muscles and ligaments to extend beyond their normal range of motion. Often whiplash is a result of rear-end automobile collisions. Although many people can recover from whiplash within a few weeks, some individuals may develop debilitating chronic conditions. Although symptoms of whiplash may not be identifiable until 24 hours or more after the initial trauma, usually within the first few days after the injury, one or more of the following symptoms will develop:

• Neck pain and/or stiffness
• Lower back and/or shoulder pain
• Headaches and dizziness
• Memory/concentration problems
• Irritability, fatigue, and sleep disruptions
• Blurred vision or ringing in the ears
• Pain/numbness in the arm and/or hand
• Nervousness and/or depression

Often, pain-relief medications, physical therapy, massage, heat, ice, injections, and ultrasound are used as treatments to alleviate whiplash.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries often result in permanent disability or loss of movement (paralysis) and feeling below the site of the injury. Frequent causes of such debilitating injuries are:

• Car accidents
• Falls

Those who have experienced spinal cord injuries often find that their ability to live productive, independent lives is compromised. Spinal cord injuries result after your vertebrae, the bone disks that make up your spine, becomes fractured or dislocated. Most accidents do not result in a severed spinal cord, rather, injuries occur as pieces of vertebrae tear into cord tissue or press down on the nerve parts that carry signals. Treatment for spinal cord injuries usually includes use of medication and rehabilitation therapy. A spinal cord injury is a serious medical devastation.

Herniated disks

Also called a slipped disk, a herniated disk occurs when all or part of a spinal disk is forced through a weakened part of the disk, placing pressure on nearby nerves. Symptoms of a herniated disk often include:

• Mild tingling in the lower back and/or neck
• Dull aches in the lower back and/or neck
• Burning or pulsating sensations in the lower back and/or neck
• Numbness or pain on one side of the body including the upper arm/forearm/fingers
• Muscle weakness in the back, leg, or arm

Pain may worsen upon standing or sitting, when sneezing, coughing or laughing, when bending backwards or walking farther than a few yards, or at night. Treatment for herniated disks usually involves the use of pain and anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, steroid injections, and surgery.

Pinched/Compressed Nerves

The term "pinched nerve" describes damage or injury to a nerve or set of nerves which results in disruption to the nerve's functioning. A pinched nerve can be caused by direct pressure or compression, bone spurs, or a herniated disk.
The most common symptoms of a pinched nerve include:

• Numbness
• "Pins and needles" or burning sensations
• Pain radiating outward from the injured area
• Muscle weakness along the nerve's path

One of the most common examples of a single compressed nerve is the feeling of having a foot or hand "fall asleep." Damage from pinched nerve injuries ranges from minor, temporary discomfort to a more permanent condition. Pinched nerve commonly leads to on-the-job injury. Pain medication, physical therapy, and surgery are frequently used to treat pinched nerves. In some cases, the damage from pinched nerve is irreversible.

Sciatica

Sciatica refers to pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling which typically is felt from the low back to behind the thigh and radiating down below the knee. It is caused by injury to or compression of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve starts in the spine and runs down the back of each leg. The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body. This nerve controls the muscles of the back of the knee and lower leg and provides sensation to the back of the thigh, part of the lower leg, and the sole of the foot. Sciatica may result from pelvic injury, pelvic fracture, or slipped disk. Sciatica pain can vary widely and may includes feelings of:

• Mild tingling
• Stabbing pains
• Dull aches
• Burning sensation
• Inability to move/walk
• Leg weakness

Often, the pain from sciatica occurs on one side of the body. People may have sharp pain in one part of the leg or hip and numbness in other parts. The sensations may also be felt on the back of the calf or on the sole of the foot. Symptoms of sciatica may become aggravated upon standing or sitting, when sneezing, coughing or laughing, when bending backwards or walking farther than a few yards, or at night. Over the counter pain relievers, heat and ice, injections to reduce inflammation around the nerve, and physical therapy may be used to treat sciatica. In some instances, partial or complete loss of movement or sensation may result from sciatica. Nerve pain may be severe and persist for a prolonged period of time.

Bone Fractures

A fracture is the medical term for a broken bone. Bone fractures occur when the bone is unable to withstand physical force exerted upon it. There are many types of fractures, but the main categories are open, closed, displaced, and non-displaced. A closed fracture occurs when the bone breaks but there is no puncture or open wound in the skin. An open fracture occurs when the bone breaks through the skin.  Displaced and non-displaced fractures refer to the way the bone breaks. In a displaced fracture, the bone snaps into two or more parts. The bone may break into many pieces, and is then considered comminuted. In a non-displaced fracture, the bone cracks either part or all of the way through, but does move and sustains proper alignment. The most common cause of fractures is due to trauma. A bone fracture can result from high force impact or stress. The following are causes of bones fractures:

• Fall from height
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Direct impact/blow
• Repetitive force

Serious fractures can have dangerous complications. Symptoms of a bone fracture may include:

• Intense pain
• Swelling/bleeding/bruising
• A visibly out-of-place or misshapen limb or joint
• Numbness and tingling
• A bone protruding through broken skin
• Difficulty moving a limb

Treatment of a fracture usually involves the use of pain medication and placement of the broken bone in a cast, but further procedures may be necessary. Such procedures may require surgery with fixation of the bone with pins, plates, screws or rods.

If an individual has suffered such injuries because of someone else's negligence or wrongdoing, that victim may have a legal right to hold the party at fault responsible. A qualified attorney can help ensure that you or your loved one receives the compensation you deserve.

Victims who have experienced back and neck injuries at the hands of another often suffer far-reaching consequences.

 You may be entitled to compensation for:

• Severe pain
• Paralysis
• Burdensome medical bills
• Lost wages and earning capacity
• Emotional suffering
• Other damages

Accident victims suffering from back and neck injuries do have options.

If you or someone close to you has suffered a serious injury due to someone else's careless actions, you need to ensure that your legal rights are protected. Maximize your legal rights and make certain that you recover what you are entitled to under the law by contacting us for a free consultation by calling us toll free at 1-800-992-6878 or filling out the form below.

Please contact the law offices of d'Oliveira & Associates at 1-800-992-6878 or fill out a contact form for a free legal consultation.