Ely Car Accident Injury Attorneys

Accidents and injuries can abruptly disrupt lives. During these tough times, car accident injury lawyers become essential allies. They fight for those hurt by others' negligence, ensuring just compensation. This article highlights the important role these lawyers play in helping people manage their claims and rebuilding their lives.

Recover Damages for Spinal Injuries from Car Accidents

Car accidents can result in a wide range of injuries, affecting various parts of the body and varying in severity. Among these, back injuries, such as bulging discs, fractured vertebrae, and annular tears, are particularly common and can cause significant pain, discomfort, and financial strain. It's crucial for injured drivers to understand their legal options and the steps they can take to recover damages.

Bulging Discs: Causes and Prognosis

The spine is composed of alternating vertebrae bones and cushioning discs, which are somewhat akin to jelly donuts. The outer layer of the disc, known as the capsule, contains a soft, jelly-like nucleus inside. A bulging disc occurs when the nucleus is compressed, forcing the outer capsule to bulge. This bulging can press against nerve roots and other nerve tissue in the spinal column, causing pain and discomfort. Lower back bulging discs typically lead to back and leg pain, while upper back bulging discs can cause shoulder, neck, and arm pain.

Bulging discs can result from aging and normal wear and tear but are often caused by severe trauma such as car accidents. It is important to differentiate between bulging and herniated discs. Herniated discs involve a tear in the outer capsule, allowing the nucleus to protrude through, which also presses against nerves and causes pain.

Treating a Bulging Disc Injury

Treatment for a bulging disc usually begins with conservative methods like rest, physical therapy, and pain medication. If these treatments are insufficient, surgery may be necessary. Procedures such as discectomy, where the bulging disc is removed, or spinal fusion, which involves fusing adjacent vertebrae using a bone graft, can help. Recovery from these procedures can take months.

Recovering Damages for a Bulging Disc

Iowa follows a fault-based insurance system, allowing injured drivers to seek compensation from the at-fault driver's insurance. Bulging disc injuries can lead to significant medical expenses, potential surgery costs, and loss of income due to missed work and reduced earning capacity. These economic damages, along with pain and suffering, can be recovered through an insurance claim or lawsuit. It is essential to prove that the bulging disc was directly caused by the accident, which can be done using medical records, imaging tests, and doctor testimony.

Broken Back After a Car Accident

One of the most severe injuries resulting from car accidents is a broken back. This refers to fractured vertebrae in the spinal column. Commonly affected areas include the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. There are three major types of fracture patterns in these cases: flexion, extension, and rotation fractures. Each type encompasses various specific fractures such as compression fractures and axial burst fractures.

The Dangers of a Broken Back

When vertebrae are fractured or dislocated, they may damage the spinal cord, leading to serious consequences. If the spinal cord is harmed, it can result in paralysis or other neurological issues affecting the nerves, respiratory system, urinary system, gastrointestinal system, and even mental health. Without spinal cord damage, fractured vertebrae still necessitate medical care and lengthy recovery times, potentially affecting one's lifestyle and leading to conditions like PTSD.

Protecting Yourself While Driving

According to the CDC, car accidents are responsible for 46 percent of spinal cord injuries in the U.S. Wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of spinal cord injuries by 60 percent, and combining seat belt use with airbags reduces the risk by 80 percent. It is crucial always to buckle up and ensure airbags are functional to protect yourself in an accident.

Annular Tears from Car Accidents

Annular tears are another common spinal injury resulting from car accidents. These occur in the intervertebral disc's outermost layer, the annulus fibrosis. Trauma can cause these layers to tear, leading to pain as the inner nucleus pulposus irritates the nerves. Annular tears can also lead to disc herniation, which often requires surgery to alleviate pain.

Treating Annular Tears

Diagnosing annular tears may require more than an MRI; a discogram can provide a clearer diagnosis. Treatments focus on pain management and may include chiropractic care, hydrotherapy, deep tissue massage, hot or cold compresses, exercise, pain medications, epidural injections, or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. Surgery is typically reserved for cases involving disc herniation.

Seeking Legal Assistance

Seeking legal counsel from experienced Iowa car accident attorneys such as those at Walker, Billingsley & Bair can provide invaluable support in filing insurance claims or pursuing personal injury lawsuits. With a comprehensive understanding of Iowa law, their team can help gather evidence, establish liability, and secure the compensation deserved by accident victims.

Suffering from the aftermath of a car accident shouldn't impede your pursuit of justice and fair compensation. The Iowa injury lawyers at Walker, Billingsley & Bair work hard to level the field between injured Iowans and insurance companies.

That's why we provide this FREE book; The Legal Insider's Guide to Iowa Car Accidents: 7 Secrets to Not Wreck Your Case. To learn more about what our legal team will do to help you protect your Iowa injury claim, contact Walker, Billingsley & Bair to schedule a no-cost consultation. Call 641-792-3595 to order your free accident book today.