Car accidents can cause many types of injuries, some of which may not reveal themselves until weeks or months later. Among the most commonly sustained injuries after a car accident in California are back problems.
Understanding why back injuries occur often
Detouring slightly toward physics, Newton’s first law (or the law of inertia) states that when a body moves at a constant speed, it will stay in motion until an external force acts upon it. The law of conservation of energy states that you cannot create or destroy energy, only transform it.
When a car accident occurs, this is what happens: the body in motion (the vehicle) and the bodies inside (the passengers) are suddenly subject to an immense amount of external force that causes them to come to a sudden halt. This sudden stop triggers an acceleration of the passenger’s body that is far greater than normal. Your body takes the brunt of this force, and without efficient protection, it will be subject to extreme stress.
The back suffers the most because the spinal cord is not as protected as the other body parts. The spine is made up of 33 small individual bones held together by ligaments. Under extreme pressure, these bones can compress and even move out of place, leading to slipped discs, fractures, or paralysis.
How to deal with back injuries from an accident
When you get into an accident in California, the at-fault driver’s insurance company will have to pay for your medical expenses, including the treatments for any back injuries you may have sustained. However, if their coverage isn’t sufficient enough or if they acted out of gross negligence, it may be necessary to file a personal injury lawsuit to get fair compensation.
Back injuries due to car accidents can be a life-shattering event, dramatically altering the course of one’s life. They can severely limit mobility, impose chronic pain and necessitate ongoing medical care. Thus, it’s important to remember that you have a right to seek compensation for any injuries you sustain and to get the resources needed to recover as much as possible.