Kentucky Back Injuries Attorneys

Every year, over 2 million back injuries occur in the United States. About 15% of those are caused by the types of accidents we handle here at our personal injury law firm.

Whiplash, herniated discs, and fractures can all lead to long-term complications. Each of these conditions may also require costly treatment. In some cases, they can lead to a loss of independence and the need for long-term care.

Types of Back Injury

There are several types.

• Soft-tissue back injuries involve damage to ligaments and tendons in your back.
• Herniated discs involve the rupture of the supportive discs located between the spinal segments.
• Fractures of your spinal bones.
• Spinal cord injuries involving the bruising, laceration, or damage of the spinal cord, directly.

Any of these injuries can lead to a limited range of motion, a limited ability to participate in daily activities, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, and mental health problems.

Many who endure back injuries find that they have difficulty working their former jobs, engaging in child care, exercising, or handling house chores.

Long-Term Complications of Back Injuries

Back injuries become chronic and disabling in 5% of cases.

If you have a soft-tissue injury, you might see the following long-term complications:

• Nerve damage
• Joint damage
• Reduced mobility
• Chronic pain

If you have a herniated disc, you might see the following long-term complications:

• Nerve damage
• Loss of sensation in arms or legs
• Incontinence
• Partial paralysis

If you have a spinal fracture, you might see the following long-term complications:

• Chronic pain
• Kyphosis (curvature of the spine)
• Loss of height
• Loss of mobility
• Chronic pain
• Difficulty swallowing
• Acid reflux

If you have a spinal cord injury, you might see the following long-term complications:

• Incontinence
• Weakness in the arms and legs
• Loss of sensation in arms and legs
• Severe pain
• Difficulty breathing
• Loss of motor function
• Paralysis

Average Cost of Treating Back Injuries

Any hospital bill can give most people sticker shock, and back injuries are no exception.

Even a soft injury back issue could cost up to $25,000 by the time all the costs are tallied up. Other injuries may require several major surgeries and can cost the average patient up to $400,000. These are, of course, the kinds of numbers that could put just about anyone into bankruptcy court.

If you have a major back injury or spinal injury it is absolutely imperative for you to reach out to a firm like ours. We can ensure that your insurance company pays their share of these costs. We can also ensure that the person who caused your accident reimburses you, either out of their own pockets or via their own insurance policies.

Legal Complications in Back Injury Cases

Insurance companies will almost always try to claim that your back pain is the result of a pre-existing condition. By the time you turn 35%, for example, you’ll already be showing some natural disc degeneration. You might well have some medical records out there which mention back pain.

Another common tactic is to downplay the severity of back injuries whenever and wherever possible.

Fortunately, the person who caused the accident is still responsible for any complications arising from the fact that they exacerbated a pre-existing condition. We can argue for a full, fair settlement even if you’ve had back trouble in the past.