How North Carolina Accidents Impact the Body: Common Back Injuries, Causes & Treatments

At Dewey, Ramsay & Hunt, P.A., our Charlotte personal injury lawyers, with their extensive experience handling back injury cases, understand that these injuries can occur in various accidents. Depending on their severity, they often necessitate long-term medical care and extended time away from work to ensure a proper recovery.

Here, our North Carolina personal injury attorneys discuss the accidents that lead to common back injuries and potential treatments available to injury victims.

Common North Carolina Personal Injury Accidents That Cause Back Injuries

Back injuries can result from various types of personal injury accidents, but some are more commonly associated with causing them than others.

They include, but are not limited to:

• Car Accidents

Car accidents are a leading cause of back injuries due to the forces involved in collisions. Rear-end collisions, T-bone accidents, and high-speed impacts can all result in herniated discs, spinal fractures, and other back injuries.

• Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents can occur on uneven or slippery surfaces, such as wet floors or poorly maintained stairs. Falling onto the back can cause sprains, strains, herniated discs, spinal fractures, and other back injuries.

• Construction Accidents

Construction sites are inherently hazardous environments where workers risk accidents, including falls, being struck by falling objects, or being caught in machinery. These accidents can result in severe back injuries, such as spinal fractures or spinal cord injuries.

• Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle accidents can result in severe back injuries due to the lack of protection for riders. Injuries such as spinal fractures, herniated discs, and spinal cord injuries are common in motorcycle accidents, particularly in high-speed crashes or collisions with other vehicles.

• Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrians struck by vehicles can suffer significant back injuries, especially if thrown onto the hood or windshield of the car or the pavement. These injuries can range from whiplash and spinal fractures to spinal cord injuries.

Regardless of the type of accident, if you suspect a back injury, seek medical attention promptly. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent further complications and improve outcomes.

Common Back Injuries Resulting from North Carolina Personal Injury Accidents & Potential Medical Treatment Methods

Accidents can lead to a variety of injuries, particularly to the back, which is a complex structure vulnerable to trauma. Although each back injury is unique to the injured person, some are more common than others in personal injury accidents.

Some common back injuries resulting from North Carolina personal injury accidents and their potential treatments include, but are not limited to:

• Herniated Disc

A herniated disc, also known as a slipped or ruptured disc, occurs when the soft inner core of a spinal disc protrudes through the more rigid outer layer, putting pressure on nearby nerves. This can cause back pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness.

Treatment may include rest, physical therapy, pain medication, epidural injections, or surgery in severe cases.

• Spinal Fractures

Spinal fractures can result from high-impact accidents such as car crashes or falls. These fractures may involve the vertebrae, the bones that make up the spine and can lead to severe back pain, limited mobility, and nerve damage.

Depending on the severity of the fracture, treatment may involve bracing, pain management, physical therapy, or surgery.

• Sprains and Strains

Sprains involve stretching or tearing ligaments, while strains involve stretching or tearing muscles or tendons. These injuries can occur in various accidents, including slips, trips, and falls.

Treatment typically involves rest, ice, compression, elevation (RICE), pain medication, and physical therapy to regain strength and flexibility.

• Compression Fractures

Compression fractures occur when the vertebrae collapse due to trauma, such as a fall or car accident. They can cause severe back pain, loss of height, and kyphosis (a forward curvature of the spine).

Treatment may include pain management, bracing, physical therapy, or minimally invasive procedures such as vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty.

• Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries can result from severe trauma to the spine, such as a car accident or a fall from height. These injuries can lead to partial or complete paralysis, loss of sensation, and impaired bodily functions.

Treatment may involve emergency medical care, surgery, rehabilitation, assistive devices, and ongoing medical management.

If you’ve been involved in an accident and experienced any symptoms of back injury, it is essential to seek prompt medical attention. A thorough evaluation by a medical professional can help diagnose the extent of your injury and guide appropriate treatment. Once you understand your injuries and have a treatment plan, contact our Charlotte personal injury attorneys to help protect your legal rights and pursue compensation for your injuries and related expenses.

Have You Suffered a Back Injury in a North Carolina Accident?

If you suffered a back injury caused by negligence in North Carolina, our personal injury attorneys in Charlotte at Dewey, Ramsay & Hunt want to hear your story during a free consultation by calling (704)-377-3737 or contacting us online.

We provide unique legal services tailored to each client’s needs and do not get paid unless you do.

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