Back injuries are a common type of personal injury that many people sustain when involved in a motor vehicle accident. Injuries to the back can be very painful and even debilitating, depending on the severity of the injury. Below are three different types of back injuries that often happen to those who are have been in an accident.
Slipped Disc
Even though the term slipped disc is often used, this injury type is more accurately described using the words herniated disc or prolapsed disc. The pain in the back that comes from this injury type is caused whenever there is a bulging or ruptured disc, and the internal material presses upon your spinal cord or nerve. It’s one of the most common types of back injuries.
Broken Back or Broken Neck
This is one of the most serious things that someone can do to their back. It’s something that can cause things like temporary or permanent paralysis, disability and death, depending on the severity and where the damage occurred. When there is an injury to the back it’s best to have it x-rayed and scanned by a specialist to see what kind of damage has been done. This is especially important if the person feels numb or they have tingling in their extremities. Sometimes a broken back is not as serious, even though it’s quite painful. This type of fracture is to the coccyx, the bone that is sometimes called the tailbone.
Injuries to Soft Tissue
The back’s soft tissue incorporates the ligaments, tendons, nerves, and muscles. When one of these particular types of tissue becomes bruised or damaged, intense pain can result. These kinds of injuries aren’t usually visible on the surface and might not be visible on a scan or x-ray, but the pain that they cause is very real. One of the most common causes of this injury is whiplash.
Depending on how bad your injury is you may be out of work for a long time or even permanently disabled. Why not let us help you with your claim? We have the experience required to review all the intricacies of your case.