Independence Car Accident Injury Attorneys

Broken Backs After a Car Accident: What You Need to Know

In 2012, 2,362,000 people were injured in car accidents across the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Among the most severe injuries that can result from a crash is a broken back, which refers to one or more of the vertebrae in the spinal column becoming fractured as a result of trauma. In a car accident, the two areas of the back most commonly affected are the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, though any area of the spine can be fractured or dislocated in a crash.

There are three major types of fracture patterns that a car accident victim may experience: flexion fractures, extension fractures, and rotation fractures. Within each pattern, various subtypes can occur, including compression fractures, fracture-dislocations, and axial burst fractures. The type and pattern of the fracture will significantly influence both the medical treatment required and the severity of long-term consequences.

The Dangers of a Broken Back and Spinal Cord Damage

The vertebrae in the spinal column are responsible for protecting the spinal cord. When those vertebrae are disturbed by a fracture or dislocation, serious consequences are likely. If the vertebrae are damaged but the spinal cord itself remains uninjured, no permanent neurological problems should result. However, if the spinal cord is damaged, the consequences can include paralysis and other long-term neurological injuries.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a traumatic injury to the spinal cord can produce long-term neurological damage affecting the nerves, the respiratory system, the urinary system, the gastrointestinal system, and the psyche through depression or anxiety. While paralysis and loss of physical function are typically the most feared outcomes of a spinal cord injury, loss of mental capabilities and changes in mood and personality are also serious and recognized consequences.

Even when no spinal cord damage occurs, fractured vertebrae may still require surgery and extensive medical care, demand painful and lengthy healing periods, and permanently affect a person's ability to return to the same active lifestyle they previously enjoyed. A car accident resulting in a broken back can also cause post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in victims who were subjected to the trauma of the crash itself.

How Seat Belts and Airbags Reduce Your Risk

The CDC reports that car accidents are responsible for 46 percent of spinal cord injuries in the United States. However, wearing a seat belt while driving can reduce the odds of sustaining a spinal cord injury by 60 percent. Using both a seat belt and airbag together can reduce those odds by 80 percent. Whenever you are on the road, ensuring that your safety systems are properly functioning and that all occupants are buckled can profoundly change the outcome of an accident if one occurs.

Common Car Accident Back Injuries That Require Surgery

Bulging and herniated discs are among the most frequent back injuries sustained in car accidents. The spine is composed of vertebrae and cushioning discs that provide flexibility and support. These discs consist of a harder outer shell called the capsule and a softer inner cushion called the nucleus. With a bulging disc, the inner nucleus pushes against the capsule and creates an outward bulge. With a herniated disc, the softer nucleus breaks through a tear in the capsule. Both conditions cause pain because the displaced disc material presses against the nerves in the spinal cord, often causing pain that radiates into the legs and other parts of the body. Rest, physical therapy, and medication are typically attempted first, but when these do not provide relief, back surgery may become necessary.

Spinal compression fractures are another serious back injury common to car accident victims. These fractures can cause a loss of spine height and produce back pain along with pain radiating into other areas of the body when the affected vertebrae press against the spinal cord. Surgery is a common outcome after spinal compression fractures.

Back Fusion Surgery: What It Involves and What It Costs

During a car accident, discs between the vertebrae can slip from position, begin to bulge, or rupture entirely, placing pressure on the nerves of the spinal column. When this pressure is severe and other treatments have failed, a physician may recommend a discectomy to remove the damaged disc, followed by back fusion surgery. In a fusion procedure, surgeons remove the damaged discs and fuse the adjacent vertebrae together using a bone graft taken from the patient or a donor. Screws or plates are often used to hold the fusion in place until the bones fully join together.

Recovery from back fusion surgery is extensive. Immediately after the procedure, patients must avoid all strenuous activity. They must relearn how to properly sit, stand, and walk to avoid forcing the fused vertebrae out of alignment, and a brace may be required during the healing period. Physical therapy is typically needed afterward to teach proper lifting mechanics and other movement patterns. The entire recovery process can take several months, during which the patient may be unable to work or perform many normal daily activities.

Your Legal Right to Recover Back Fusion Surgery Costs

Back fusion surgery comes with substantial medical bills, but if the surgery was necessitated by an accident caused by another driver's negligence, victims have legal options to recover those costs through a car accident claim. To succeed, the victim's legal team must prove that the other driver was negligent, that the negligence caused the accident, and that the accident caused the back injuries requiring surgery. Negligence generally means failing to use reasonable care to prevent harm, which includes behaviors such as violating traffic laws, driving while distracted, or engaging in other reckless or careless conduct.

One challenge in these cases is overcoming arguments that the back injury was the result of a pre-existing condition rather than the accident. Degenerative wear and tear can produce slipped discs, ruptured discs, and other back conditions that may look similar to traumatic injuries on imaging. Doctors use X-rays, CT scans, and MRI scans to evaluate disc degeneration and back problems. If a victim had these imaging tests performed before the accident and the results were normal, that prior clean imaging can serve as powerful evidence showing the back condition resulted from the crash rather than pre-existing degeneration. Expert medical testimony can also support causation in these cases.

Medical bills, records, and evidence of lost wages are all essential to establishing the full extent of damages. Health insurance may provide coverage while waiting for a settlement, though it will likely place a lien on any recovery to recoup those costs. An attorney can negotiate those liens to maximize the client's net recovery.

Disfiguring Injuries From Car Accidents in Iowa

Among the most devastating consequences a car accident victim can face is permanent disfigurement. When a severe crash leads to a disfiguring injury, the victim confronts not only immediate and ongoing medical treatment but also profound uncertainty about the future, including the ability to work, socialize, and live the life they previously enjoyed. A car accident that leads to disfigurement can give rise to a claim that addresses all of the victim's financial, physical, and emotional losses.

Types of Disfiguring Injuries That Can Result From a Serious Crash

Different types of disfiguring injuries can result from a serious car accident. These include loss of a limb, burns resulting in permanent scarring, and facial injuries such as loss of an eye, broken teeth, or a broken nose. Each of these injuries affects every dimension of an individual's life.

Burn injuries are among the most expensive to treat due to the extended hospital stays, follow-up visits, time spent in a burn care facility or unit, surgical procedures, skin grafting, and long-term medication requirements. Beyond the physical impact, burn injuries with visible permanent scarring carry significant emotional consequences. Accident victims who suffer serious injuries of any kind are at elevated risk of developing anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. When the injuries produce visible, permanent changes to a person's appearance, the psychological burden is even greater and may require professional counseling or other psychological treatment over an extended period.

When a traumatic amputation occurs, the permanent loss of a limb may force the use of a prosthesis. If one or both legs are involved, the victim may face life in a wheelchair. This level of mobility limitation can affect the ability to socialize, work, and carry out ordinary daily activities. The emotional trauma of such an injury can last a lifetime, and the ongoing costs of prosthetic devices, adaptive equipment, and modified living arrangements must all be addressed in the damages calculation.

Facial injuries may require surgery to repair broken bones, orthodontic care, neurological procedures, or implantation of an artificial eye. Despite treatment, many victims are left with a permanently altered appearance, including a misshapen face, blotchy skin, and other lasting scars. The resulting emotional injuries require the same serious legal attention as the physical ones.

Compensation Available for Disfigurement Claims

When a car accident in Iowa leads to disfigurement, a claim can be filed to address all of the financial losses suffered, including medical bills for treatment, surgery, hospitalization, and ongoing care, as well as lost wages during recovery. When disfigurement prevents a return to the same job or causes permanent disability, loss of future earning capacity also becomes a significant component of the claim. Beyond economic losses, compensation may be available for the non-economic dimensions of disfigurement, including emotional distress, pain and suffering, and the diminished quality of life that results from permanent physical changes caused by someone else's negligence.

Seeking Legal Assistance in Independence

Seeking legal counsel from experienced Independence 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.

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