Attorneys
Last Updated: 3/2/2023
Spinal injuries are among the most severe types of injury after a car accident. They may manifest as neck or back pain that the accident victim experiences in the aftermath of a wreck. Accident victims should seek medical evaluation even if they don’t feel injured.
A doctor will perform certain exams and tests to diagnose the problem, and may offer some treatment solutions as well. A medial branch block procedure may be both a diagnostic test and a short-term treatment.
Medial Branch Block Procedure as Treatment & Diagnostic Test
When you seek medical treatment for your back or neck pain after a car wreck, your doctor may recommend a medial branch nerve block as part of your care. Branch blocks treat the facet joints of the spine by reducing irritation and inflammation (a major cause of pain).
Branch blocks temporarily stop or minimize the pain signals sent from the medial branch nerves to the pain center of the brain. These nerves are the communicators between inflamed and irritated facet joints and the brain. Facet joints, when affected by inflammation and irritation, are the culprits of lower back, mid-back and neck pain.
Medial branch blocks are a temporary and minimally invasion solution, and if they succeed in minimizing pain, there is a good chance that a more long-term surgical method called radiofrequency ablation can be used. Thus, a facet block procedure, as it might be called, determines if the patient experiences pain relief. If so, a doctor may recommend the more permanent treatment.
Car Accident Victims Recover Costs of a Medial Branch Block Procedure
As noted, a medial branch nerve block is a temporary solution to pain management when facet joints have been compromised. Thus, if you’re filing a car accident claim, account for medical treatment beyond this procedure. If you’ve only received initial care and the medial nerve block, talk to your doctor and attorney about other treatment that might be necessary.
This allows you to fully account for your medical bills and other damages when filing a bodily injury claim. If a surgical procedure is still forthcoming as part of your overall care plan, you may miss more work, require more prescriptions and/or more physical therapy or chiropractic care. Your claim should account for all of these short- and long-term damages.
If you suffered back or neck pain because of an accident that someone else caused, you can file a liability claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company. You must establish fault as well as the extent of your damages. Save any medical records, bills, and other evidence of your damages, as well as any evidence of fault.
If you have appropriate coverage on your policy like medical payments coverage, you may be able to recover no-fault benefits from your own insurer. This can help you pay for medical care like a medial branch block procedure regardless of whether you or another party caused the accident. Your own health insurance may also help pay medical bills to treat your injuries.
Ultimately, you may recover the most damages via a liability claim against an at-fault party, and if you suffered serious injuries and significant damages, you may need an attorney’s help.
If You Need Legal Help in Iowa, Call Walker, Billingsley & Bair
Walker, Billingsley & Bair is knowledgeable about legislation and state laws that impact auto insurance and car accident claims. We’ll account for short-term medical costs like that related to a medial branch block procedure, as well as any additional medical costs you might expect down the road.
We have helped many people just like you recover fair settlements for their losses following a car accident. Call us today at (641) 792-3595 to set up a free consultation to discuss your case. You can also contact us via our online form to schedule your appointment.
