Why Does My Back Hurt After a Car Accident?

Back pain is a medical complaint often experienced after car accidents. The force of impact from two or more vehicles colliding at high speeds can cause sudden, uncontrollable movement of passengers’ heads and other extremities. This forced movement can strain an individual’s neck and back, which often leads to pain.

Following a car accident, back pains could be minimal and heal themselves within a matter of days. However, sometimes, back pains may be the symptom of a serious injury.

If you are experiencing back pains following a collision with another vehicle, seeking medical attention from a doctor or visiting a hospital may be able to provide you with an accurate diagnosis. A medical professional may be able to help you determine the best treatment plan to manage your pain. Treatment plans may require injured individuals to purchase medical devices, hire a physical therapist, or incur other financial losses as a result of their injuries.

How a Back Injury Occurs in a Car Crash

Cars traveling at fast speeds come to rapid halts the moment they make an impact with another large object. The sudden change in velocity resulting from a collision can significantly impact the driver and any passengers inside the car. During the stress of a car crash, victims’ ligaments and back muscles could become overstretched, resulting in pain, and possibly a reduced range of motion.

Some back injuries sustained in car crashes may heal over time, but others can permanently disable individuals involved in a collision.

In addition to common back sprains, car accident victims may experience disc herniation. Discs are pieces of cartilage between each bone in the spine that provide cushioning for bones and provide some freedom of movement. A disc that ruptures as the result of a car accident could allow fluids to leak into the spinal cord, causing significant pain. The loss of disc functionality may also cause the pieces of bone to rub against each other, reducing a victim’s freedom of movement. Surgery or physical therapy may be required to properly address disc herniations.

During a car accident, a ruptured disc could cause bones in the spine to shift, leading to spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis can occur naturally, as a person ages. The condition refers to a narrowing of the canal through which the nerves in the spine pass. Naturally-occurring spinal stenosis may result in back pain. When sustained as the result of a car accident, surgery may be able to help, but in many cases, there is no cure.

Contact Preszler Injury Lawyers Today

Those back pains you’re experiencing after a car accident may go away by themselves. But they could also be indications that you have sustained a serious injury as the result of your collision. It can take days, and even weeks, to experience the full severity of back pains caused by serious injuries. Back injuries can lead to severe pains and immobilization, which may impact your ability to return to work following your accident.

If another party’s negligence caused your accident, Preszler Injury Lawyers may be able to help you recover damages for costs related to your injuries. For a free consultation about the circumstances leading to your back injuries, call Preszler Injury Lawyers at 1-800-JUSTICE.