Back Injury Claims Advice

A back injury can be one of the most serious types of injury you can suffer in a non-fault accident. Whether your back injury was the result of a fall, of being hit by something or from being involved in a road traffic accident, it could seriously affect your life. More serious back injuries may limit your movement, affecting your ability to live independently and requiring you to make drastic changes to your lifestyle.

Common back injuries

When dealing with back injury claims, solicitors, medical professionals and the courts often categorise injuries based on their severity and their lasting impact. Usually an injury is categorised as being minor, moderate, serious or severe. If you make a back injury compensation claim, you injury will be assessed by an appropriately qualified doctor who will determine what level of back injury you have suffered. This information is then passed to your solicitor and will help to determine the size of any compensation award you receive, if your claim is successful.

Minor back injuries include general strains and sprains which, although they might cause a considerable amount of pain and discomfort, will probably heal without the need for surgical intervention. A minor back injury might include a more specific injury, such as a prolapsed (slipped) disc.

Moderate back injuries can include things like muscle and ligament damage. Any damage to the soft tissue which affects a pre-existing back condition can also be considered a moderate back injury. Some moderate back injuries might require surgical intervention, such as a laminectomy procedure, which is an operation to remove a portion of bone from one of the vertebral bones in the spine. Some people who suffer a moderate back injury might be left with some level of disability.

Serious back injuries can cover things like crush fractures of the vertebrae, injuries where there is a substantial risk of osteoarthritis and injuries that worsen pre-existing conditions or that hasten the degeneration of the back. A serious back injury might also cause you to suffer constant pain of a more intense kind than might be associated with a minor or moderate back injury.

The highest category of back injuries, severe, is reserved for cases where the injury level is above that of a serious back injury, but not as severe as total paralysis. Severe back injuries can include injuries where the damage to your back has created additional complications, such as incontinence or psychological effects (depression, personality change). Severe back injuries are also likely to leave the sufferer with impaired movement and/or permanent scarring.

Back injury compensation claims

Claiming back injury compensation for yourself or a member of your family after an accident can be a complex and lengthy business. But it doesn’t have to be like that. Choosing an expert personal injury lawyer to make your back injury claim will ensure that you get the best possible compensation for your injuries whilst at the same time taking away much of the stress and hassle associated with a serious injury compensation claim.