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- Missouri Valley Car Accident Injury Attorneys
- Phone: 641-792-3595
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Every year, thousands of Iowans are injured in car accidents, and Missouri Valley residents are no exception. From fractures and whiplash to serious spinal injuries like crushed vertebrae, the type of injury a Missouri Valley driver sustains often determines how much medical treatment is needed and how a claim should be handled. The attorneys at Walker, Billingsley & Bair have spent years helping Iowans through exactly these situations, and this guide breaks down what every Missouri Valley accident victim should know.
Common Car Accident Injuries and Treatments
Car accidents in Iowa can take many forms, including being hit by a semi driver, a person with no insurance, an underinsured driver, a drunk driver, or a person driving a corporate vehicle. The nature and type of injuries, the facts of the collision, and the available insurance coverage will all affect how a Missouri Valley case or claim is considered.
Fractures and Broken Bones
If the fracture is severe enough, surgery will be performed to stabilize the bones and prevent further injury. If the fracture is not as bad, doctors may use traction to reduce the fracture and apply a cast, with follow-up X-rays to confirm proper healing. These are serious injuries which may have lifelong consequences.
Herniated Discs and Fractured Vertebrae
Car crashes are very violent and can sometimes cause severe injuries to the spine with long-lasting and permanent effects. These injuries often require spinal surgery, which could include a laminectomy, discectomy, fusion, or other spinal procedures. If your doctor recommends spinal surgery, it is a very serious situation.
Shoulder Injuries, Strains, and Sprains
The force of a car accident can tear tendons and rip muscles. Sometimes these injuries show up on an MRI, CT scan, or X-ray, and sometimes they do not. Just because a test comes back normal does not mean you are not injured, which is why continuing to see your doctor if pain persists is so important.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Even accidents involving a seemingly minor impact can cause serious head injuries if the victim strikes their head on the window, steering wheel, roof, or windshield. Any head injury should never be taken lightly and must be treated immediately to prevent permanent brain damage.
Whiplash
Perhaps the most common injury in rear end accidents, whiplash pain often sneaks up on a Missouri Valley victim hours or even a day after a wreck. Caused by the sharp back and forth movement of the head when a car is struck, whiplash can cause severe pain to the neck, back, head, and shoulders and should not be taken lightly.
Steps to Take if You Have Sustained One of These Injuries
- Seek medical care and attention right away. If you don't go to a doctor to document your injuries, your injuries may not be considered real in the eyes of the insurance company, a judge, or a jury.
- Follow up with medical care. If you are not 100 percent better within 7 days of treatment, go back and seek additional care, since waiting longer can hurt your credibility with an adjuster, judge, or jury.
- Seek a second opinion if the doctor you see says you will heal with time but you are not improving.
Crushed Vertebrae From a Missouri Valley Car Accident
When someone suffers crushed vertebrae, the spinal bones become compressed and fracture. It takes a great deal of force for this to happen, and it may occur in the lower back as well as other parts of the spine.
How a Car Accident Can Cause Crushed Vertebrae
A vertebral compression fracture requires significant trauma to the back. This can happen in a serious car crash, such as a head-on collision or when a victim gets pinned inside the vehicle. Sometimes it results from the occupant of a passenger car getting struck by something much larger, such as a semi.
Treating Crushed Vertebrae
Treatment for a compression fracture of the spine usually starts with conservative measures such as rest, a back brace, ice or heat therapy, and medication, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and sometimes muscle relaxants. When there are other serious injuries or the symptoms are significant, the individual may be admitted to the hospital, and surgery is often required if the crushed vertebrae are unstable or compressing the spinal cord. Following surgery, or sometimes without it, physical therapy is used to strengthen the muscles and prevent further injury. Most of the time, crushed vertebrae heal without complications, though recovery takes longer for severe injuries, and long-term complications are possible.
What Damages Can You Seek for Crushed Vertebrae?
If another party caused the accident that led to crushed vertebrae, Iowa law permits the accident victim to pursue a liability claim against the at-fault driver. Medical costs associated with the fracture may be recoverable, including future expenses resulting from the injury such as long-term care, and if the patient suffered a spinal cord injury, damages can be especially substantial. It is also important to consider other financial losses, such as time missed from work, lost earning capacity in the case of a permanent injury, and physical and emotional losses such as mental anguish, disability, and reduced quality of life.
Why Hire a Car Accident Attorney in Missouri Valley?
You do not need to hire an attorney for every car accident case. Here are some examples of when you may not need to.
| Situation | Consideration |
|---|---|
| Only property damage occurred | If the insurance company for the other driver has already taken care of the damage, an attorney may not be necessary. |
| Minor injuries requiring minimal treatment | If you hire an attorney in a case like this, you may be paying a portion of your settlement to the attorney for no good reason. |
| You reach a fair settlement on your own | Make sure to get everything in writing, including who is paying outstanding medical bills and who is repaying your health or car insurance. |
There are also many cases where you should at least consult with an attorney before signing forms or giving a statement to an adjuster, including when you have been hospitalized, required surgery, sustained permanent injuries, or the other driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Common Mistakes People Make Representing Themselves
- Accepting an offer that was far too low, then finding out they had to pay back their health insurance from the money received, leaving little to no compensation
- Accepting the policy limits of the other driver without verifying, by affidavit, that this is the only coverage available and that the driver has no attachable assets
- Failing to contact their own insurance company to obtain compensation through underinsured motorist coverage, since specific steps must be followed under the policy or a claimant can end up with nothing
What a Qualified Attorney Can Do for You
- Make sure your rights are protected under Iowa law
- Handle contact with all the insurance companies on your behalf
- Find all applicable insurance policies to make the best recovery possible
- Handle contact with subrogation companies, hospitals, and other medical providers
- Provide experienced advice about how much the case is worth, and be your spokesperson in court if necessary
Seeking Legal Assistance in Missouri Valley
Seeking legal counsel from experienced Missouri Valley 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.