A severe back injury can derail your life in an instant. A sudden jolt, slip, or strain can cause your back never to be the same. These injuries often mean more than just sore muscles or morning stiffness — they cause intense pain and immobility that can impact every part of your daily routine.
A back injury can affect how you work, walk, sleep, and even breathe. It can keep you from making a living, drain your savings, and strain your relationships. To make matters worse, the damage isn’t always apparent right away.
Common Types of Back Injuries
Some back injuries come on suddenly, while others develop over time. Either way, damage to any structures in the back can be devastating.
Here are some of the most common types of back injuries in the United States:
Herniated Discs
A spinal disc herniates when the soft, gelatinous center pushes out through a tear in the tough exterior. Such an extrusion can pinch surrounding nerves and lead to pain, numbness, and limb weakness.
Spinal Fractures
A fracture in the vertebrae can arise from a sudden trauma, such as a car crash or a slip and fall. These are serious injuries that often come with other complications, especially if the spinal cord itself is damaged.
Sprains and Strains
These injuries might sound minor, but they can take weeks (or longer) to heal. Sprains affect the ligaments, while strains impact the muscles or tendons. Both conditions can limit movement and cause sharp, persistent pain long after the original injury.
Degenerative Disc Disease
Despite the name, degenerative disc disease isn’t exactly a disease. It can be more accurately described as wear-and-tear on the spinal discs over time.
However, accidents can worsen the deterioration and trigger symptoms much earlier or faster than they otherwise would have.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Injuries affecting the spinal cord are some of the most severe types of back injuries. Damage to the spine can lead to loss of sensation or control over certain body functions and partial or total paralysis.
Back Injury Causes
Back injuries can happen almost anywhere, but certain situations make them far more likely.
For example:
- Car Accidents: Sudden impacts can cause the body to jolt in unnatural ways
- Slips and Falls: Wet floors, uneven pavement, or unmarked hazards can cause unsuspecting individuals to fall hard and land awkwardly
- Workplace Injuries: Back injuries can occur at construction sites, warehouses, and even offices, whether from heavy lifting or repetitive strain
- Sports and Recreation: Contact sports, weightlifting, and other high-impact activities can do severe damage to the spine and surrounding tissues
No matter the cause, the effects of a back injury can last a lifetime.
The Long-Term Impacts of Back Injuries
Back injuries aren’t just physical. Their effects can ripple into every part of your life.
You might be left unable to work (especially if your job involves standing, lifting, or sitting for long periods), leading to lost income.
In the meantime, medical bills from doctor visits, physical therapy, pain management, and surgery can pile up. Insurance might cover some of these costs, but it rarely covers enough.
Chronic pain can quickly start to take a toll on your mental health, bringing frustration, stress, and potential depression. Even everyday tasks like getting dressed, making dinner, or playing with your kids can feel impossible.
Who Is Liable for My Back Injury?
A back injury caused by someone else’s negligence isn’t your fault, and yet you’re the one left to deal with the emotional, physical, and financial fallout.
That’s why determining liability is so important.
In legal terms, liability means that another person or entity failed to take reasonable steps to keep you safe. They may be legally responsible for the costs your injuries have created.
If someone else’s reckless or malicious actions led to your back injury, there’s a path forward — and it doesn’t have to come out of your pocket.
What Compensation is Available for Back Injuries?
By filing a personal injury claim for your back injury, you stand to recover compensation.
For example, this may include:
- Medical bills (including future treatment)
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Emotional distress
In severe cases that involve spinal cord damage or permanent disability, the compensation awarded can also include long-term care costs, home modifications, and support for caregivers.
Contact the Lexington Back Injury Attorneys at Ross Mann Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Back injuries are severe, painful, and disruptive, and if you’re living through one, you already know how much your life has been altered. You don’t deserve to suffer in silence.
If you’ve sustained a back injury and someone else is to blame, our team can help you make things right. We’re ready to seek full, fair compensation on your behalf — we’ll settle for nothing less.
For more information, contact an experienced personal injury attorney at Ross Mann Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation at (859) 413-3900.
