Home > Blog > Neck And Back Injuries -The Dangers To Consider

Neck And Back Injuries -The Dangers To Consider

Posted by: at 11:39 AM on January 21st, 2018

As anyone who’s suffered one knows, injuries to the neck and back are among the worst types of trauma that can happen to your body. The pain from such an injury can be chronic and debilitating, limit your range of movement, and often take the longest to heal. At the same time, symptoms from such an injury do not always manifest themselves immediately, and you may not even realize at the time of an accident that you’ve been injured.   
 
  • Low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide
  • Back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work.  In fact, back pain is the second most common reason for visits to the doctor’s office, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections.
  • One-half of all working Americans admit to having back pain symptoms each year.
  • Experts estimate that as much as 80% of the population will experience a back problem at some time in their lives.
  • Most cases of back pain are mechanical or non-organic—meaning they are not naturally occurring pain caused by health conditions, but are caused by an injury or accident of some type. 
  • Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on back pain—and that’s just for the more easily identified costs.
Neck and back injuries are common in many types of accidents and from a number of activities. Examples include all of the following:
  • Car, truck, and motorcycle collisions
  • Impacts and falls in sports-related activities, including football, basketball, hockey, and baseball
  • Injuries caused in and around swimming pools
  • Jobs that require repetitive movements, heavy lifting, or a great deal of physical labor
Because of the nature of these injuries, insurance companies will often look for excuses to deny claims. For instance, if the symptoms don’t appear immediately and the victim does not promptly seek out treatment, the insurance company might deny coverage and cite the fact someone waited as proof you aren’t really injured. Or if they've previously suffered a neck or back injury, they might contend that this is a pre-existing injury.

Back and neck injuries include whiplash, disc injuries, partial or total paralysis and other grave, long-term damage. Symptoms include sharp pain, a tingling sensation, headaches, and reduced mobility. The medical bills can quickly add up, with medication, MRIs, x-rays, and CT scans, plus the cost of the hospital and follow up visits. You may also require surgery, rehabilitation, and you might miss time from work or even become permanently disabled.

If you have suffered an accident and you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.  For over 40 years the staff at LeBell, Dobroski and Morgan have dedicated themselves to getting justice for their clients.  If you or a loved one are injured, contact our offices for a free evaluation of your case.