What to Do After a Back Injury

Back injuries can be particularly debilitating. Whether it is a temporary back injury or a more serious injury to the spine, people suffering from any kind of back injury generally need to seek medical care and take time off work while their body recovers. This can present significant financial challenges, such as medical bills, lost wages, and more. If your back or spine injury occurred due to someone else’s negligent or intentional behavior, you may be eligible to file a personal injury claim in order to seek compensation for these expenses, referred to as “damages”. To learn more about what to do after a back injury, reach out to a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

Common causes of back injuries include the following:

• Car accidents
• Work accidents
• Falls
• Acts of violence
• Sports injuries
• Alcohol use
• Disease

According to the Mayo Clinic, car accidents are the most common cause of spinal cord injuries, and alcohol use is a factor in 1 out of every 4 spinal cord injuries. Other common causes of back and spinal injuries include cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis, and other inflammation-causing diseases. For people over the age of 65, falls are the most common cause of back and spinal injuries.

Always seek medical care if you may have sustained an injury to the back.

Regardless of how severe the injury feels at first, it is important to see a doctor if you may have sustained an injury to the back or spine. Spinal cord injuries can be serious, and if left untreated can worsen exponentially. Whenever the spine is involved, it is particularly important to consult a professional. If you believe someone may have suffered a spinal cord injury, it is important to refrain from moving them and call 9-1-1; paramedics are trained in how to transport a potential spinal cord injury victim with as little risk as possible. Severe spinal cord injuries can even lead to full or partial paralysis, so it is important to exercise extreme caution when the back or spine is involved.

Not all back injuries are serious, but they should all receive treatment.

It is important to talk to your doctor before deciding on a home treatment plan for your injury. Some treatments may not be effective for certain kinds of injuries, while others may need more serious medical treatment. At home treatment for back injuries generally includes icing the injury and resting, but a doctor should always be consulted before deciding on a treatment plan.

Even if the injury does not require more serious medical care, a doctor can often offer support in the form of helpful exercises to regain mobility and medication to help manage the pain. If a back injury is left untreated and someone returns to the activity that caused the injury without proper recovery, the injury could worsen and become harder to treat.

If someone else was responsible for your back or spine injury, consult a personal injury attorney.

Whenever another person might have been responsible for your injury, whether through negligence in regard to safety or intentional conduct, you may be eligible to file a personal injury claim. In a personal injury claim, you can seek compensation for damages such as medical bills, wages lost during recovery, pain and suffering, and more. Spinal cord injuries can be particularly damaging, and depending on the severity could be life-altering.

Personal injury attorneys understand the toll a chronic injury or physical disability can take on a person’s life and family; this is why they offer free consultations and work on a contingency fee basis, allowing families to focus on healing and recovery rather than worrying about how to pay another bill.

To learn more about your options for physical and financial recovery after a back or spinal cord injury, reach out to a personal injury attorney.