Milford Car Accident Injury Attorneys

Lives can be instantly altered by accidents and injuries. In such challenging periods, car accident injury lawyers are vital allies. They advocate for those injured due to others' negligence, ensuring fair compensation. This article underscores the significant role these lawyers play in assisting individuals with their claims and restoring their lives.

How Does Spondylolisthesis Affect My Car Accident Settlement?

As you may know, spondylolisthesis is a condition of the spine where one or more vertebrae in your back slide forward over the vertebrae below it. This condition can cause back pain, sciatica due to nerve compression (which can cause pain and/or numbness in one or more of your legs), and other even more serious conditions. Treatment can include physical therapy, injections, surgery, and activity restrictions among other things. Often people live with spondylolisthesis their entire lives with no symptoms until they have a traumatic event like a car accident. However, insurance companies will try to blame anything and everything that they can on a prior medical condition. So if they see in your medical records that you have been diagnosed with spondylolisthesis, chances are they will try to blame your current problems on it.

What Can I Do if I Have Spondylolisthesis?

Under Iowa law, a person injured in a car crash is entitled to recover damages for an injury that aggravates a prior condition like spondylolisthesis. Therefore, if your medical records show no history of prior back problems until after a crash and your doctors provide opinions that your current back pain is due to the car accident, then you should be able to recover for the condition. However, this does not mean the insurance company will recognize and agree with your doctors. They may still take the position that they are not going to pay for more than a few weeks of treatment following the car crash because of your pre-existing spondylolisthesis. If you do not believe that the insurance company is offering you a fair amount of compensation, then you should contact an experienced Iowa personal injury attorney for assistance.

Common Car Accident Injuries Requiring Back Surgery

Bulging and herniated discs are common back injuries after car accidents. The spine consists of vertebrae and discs that help increase flexibility. These discs are made of a harder outer shell (capsule) and softer inner cushion (nucleus). With bulging discs, the inner nucleus pushes against the capsule and causes a bulge. Herniated discs occur when the softer nucleus spills out of a tear in the capsule. The results of these injuries are similar. Patients experience pain because the discs push against the nerves in the spinal cord. The pain is usually treated with rest, physical therapy, and medication, but if these treatments don't work, doctors might recommend back surgery.

Spinal compression fractures are another back injury car accident victims might suffer. In some cases, a compression fracture might result in loss of spine height. Back pain and pain in the rest of the body can result from the actual injury and from the vertebrae pushing against the spinal cord. Surgery is common after spinal compression fractures. This is a limited list of back injuries that might require surgery. Accident victims should always receive a medical evaluation after an accident and discuss treatment options with their doctor.

Back Surgery Procedures

For bulging and herniated discs, discectomy and spinal fusion surgery may be necessary. In this surgery, the doctor removes the affected disc (or a portion of it) and fuses the surrounding vertebrae together using a bone graft. The procedure requires a significant healing and recovery period, and patients usually have some activity restrictions for several months after the surgery.

Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are surgical procedures used to treat spinal compression fractures. With vertebroplasty, the surgeon injects a cement-like substance into the vertebrae to help mend the fractures, while kyphoplasty uses a balloon to inflate the vertebrae before injecting the cement. These procedures don't require large incisions and have much shorter recovery times than spinal fusion surgery.

Laminectomy and foraminotomy are procedures that expand the spinal cavity by removing structures in the spinal column, like the lamina on the back of the vertebra (laminectomy) or other structures to widen the opening (foramina) where the nerves leave the spinal canal (foraminotomy). The idea is to reduce pressure on the spinal cord nerves.

Back Surgery and Car Accident Claims

Back surgeries can create substantial medical costs. There’s the initial care after the accident, the cost of surgery, and often a hospital stay. If an accident victim is out of work for a long time after the surgery or cannot perform their old job, then the victim may face a substantial loss of wages and earning capacity. Walker, Billingsley & Bair is committed to helping accident victims in Iowa achieve fair settlements that account for the full range of their damages. Contact our office at (888) 435-9886 to set up a consultation to speak with an attorney about your case.

Should I Get a Car Accident Lawyer?

If you are considering hiring a car accident lawyer for your Iowa claim, then you should know that qualified lawyers usually operate under the following:

1. No Up-front Fees or Charges: You do not have to pay a retainer or any money.
2. Contingency Fee: The attorney is only paid if they win, usually taking a percentage ranging from 30% if the case settles, 33.33% if the case is litigated, and up to 40% if the case ends up on appeal.
3. Selective Case Acceptance: The attorney does not take every case but rather only those where they believe they can make a difference in the amount of compensation you will receive.
4. Full Service: The attorney handles all contact with the insurance companies, obtains your medical records and bills on your behalf, and keeps you updated about your case.

If the lawyer you are considering hiring varies from the above, this may be a red flag, and you may want to consider speaking with another lawyer. For example:

- Case Quality: Some law firms take every case that comes in the door, hoping a few of them will end up being good cases. This approach can result in less time spent on each case.
- Expenses: Some lawyers may ask you to obtain your medical records and bills. If a lawyer is not willing to spend a few hundred dollars on these items, how invested are they going to be in your case?

At our office, we handle all injury cases on a contingency fee, never require up-front payments, only take cases we believe can make a difference, and obtain all medical records and bills for our clients. We also deal with insurance adjusters, subrogation holders, and keep our clients informed throughout the process. For more information about Iowa car accident cases and how we may be able to help, request a copy of our Iowa Car Accident book which reveals seven secrets to avoid wrecking your claim.

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.