Urbandale Car Accident Injury Attorneys

Accidents and injuries can disrupt lives unexpectedly. During these tough times, car accident injury lawyers are invaluable allies. They represent individuals harmed by others' negligence, ensuring they obtain fair compensation. This article examines the essential role these lawyers play, guiding people through the intricacies of their claims and helping them rebuild.

Understanding Spinal Injuries After a Car Accident

Spinal injuries are among the most severe types of injuries that can occur following a car accident. Victims often experience neck or back pain in the aftermath, even if they initially feel uninjured. It is crucial for accident victims to seek medical evaluation promptly. Doctors can perform various exams and tests to diagnose the issue and suggest treatment solutions. One such treatment is the medial branch block procedure, which serves both as a diagnostic test and a short-term treatment for spinal pain.

Medial Branch Block Procedure: Treatment and Diagnosis

When seeking medical treatment for back or neck pain after a car accident, your doctor might recommend a medial branch nerve block. This procedure treats the facet joints of the spine by reducing irritation and inflammation, which are primary causes of pain. Medial branch blocks temporarily stop or minimize pain signals sent from the medial branch nerves to the brain. These nerves connect inflamed facet joints to the brain, and when these joints are irritated, they cause significant pain in the lower back, mid-back, and neck.

As a minimally invasive and temporary solution, medial branch blocks can indicate whether a more permanent treatment, such as radiofrequency ablation, might be effective. If the procedure successfully reduces pain, a doctor may recommend this longer-term treatment option.

Recovering Costs of a Medial Branch Block Procedure

A medial branch nerve block is a temporary pain management solution for compromised facet joints. If you’re filing a car accident claim, it’s essential to account for all medical treatments, including those beyond the initial procedure. Discuss with your doctor and attorney any future treatments you might need. This comprehensive approach ensures you fully account for all medical bills and damages when filing a bodily injury claim.

If you have sustained back or neck pain from an accident caused by someone else, you can file a liability claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company. It’s vital to establish fault and document the extent of your damages. Keep all medical records, bills, and other evidence of your injuries and treatments.

In addition, if your insurance policy includes medical payments coverage, you might recover no-fault benefits from your insurer. This coverage can help pay for medical procedures like a medial branch block, regardless of who caused the accident. Health insurance can also assist in covering medical bills related to your injuries.

For serious injuries and significant damages, you might need an attorney’s help to navigate the claims process. An experienced lawyer can ensure you recover fair compensation for both short-term and long-term medical costs.

Calcaneus Fracture from Car Accident

A calcaneus fracture, a fracture of the heel bone, is another severe injury that can result from a car accident. Such fractures are often caused by trauma to the feet during a crash and can lead to long-term complications.

Symptoms of a Calcaneus Fracture

Common symptoms include:
- Heel deformity
- Pain
- Bruising
- Swelling
- Inability to put weight on the heel

Fractures can be stable, displaced, open, closed, or comminuted (where the bone shatters into three or more pieces). Comminuted fractures are particularly severe and unstable.

Treatment Options for Calcaneus Fractures

The treatment depends on the fracture’s type and severity. Non-severe fractures might be treated with casting or immobilization, physical therapy, and pain medications. Severe fractures often require surgery, such as open reduction and internal fixation or percutaneous screw fixation surgery. Rehabilitation therapy is necessary after surgery.

Complications from a Calcaneus Fracture

Calcaneus fractures might not always heal correctly, leading to complications such as infection, nerve and blood vessel damage, bleeding, blood clots, skin healing issues, chronic pain, joint stiffness, tendon irritation, and nerve irritation.

Legal Help After a Car Accident in Iowa

Car accidents are often caused by preventable driver errors. If you’ve sustained a calcaneus fracture or any other injury from a car accident caused by another driver, you should speak with an attorney about your financial recovery options. At Walker, Billingsley & Bair, our car accident attorneys can help you file a claim for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering damages related to your accident and injuries.

The Importance of Wearing a Seat Belt

Although most Iowans wear their seat belts, a small percentage do not. Wearing a seat belt can significantly impact the outcome of a car accident and your potential injury claim. Here’s why you should always buckle up:

Protect Your Potential Injury Claim

Not wearing a seat belt can result in being found partially at fault for your injuries, reducing the damages you can claim.

It’s the Law

In Iowa, front-seat passengers in vehicles made after 1966 must wear seat belts. Violations result in citations, fines, and a record on your driving history.

Your Safety

A seat belt can prevent you from being thrown from the vehicle or hitting your head on the windshield during an accident, reducing the risk of life-altering injuries or death.

People Care About You

Think about your loved ones. Wearing a seat belt can significantly decrease your chances of injury or death in an accident.

We Are Here To Help

Remember, you are not alone in recovering from your injuries. We have helped thousands of Iowans through their physical, emotional, and financial recoveries. If you have questions about what you are going through, feel free to call our office for your confidential injury conference. We will take the time to listen to you and give you our advice concerning your injury matter at no cost or risk to you.

Free Book at No Cost 

If you are not ready to speak with an attorney yet but would like to learn more about Iowa injury cases including tips about how you can avoid making common costly mistakes request a copy of our Iowa Personal Injury book which includes 14 myths about Iowa injury cases and 5 things to know before hiring an attorney.

If you have specific questions about your injury matter feel free to call our office to speak with our Injury team at 641-792-3595 or use our Chat feature by clicking here 24 hours a day/7 days per week. Your information will remain confidential and there is no cost or obligation.