The average settlement for car accident back and neck injury claims doesn’t always fit the needs of a specific injury victim. A car accident back injury can look very different from one victim to the next, making it difficult to predict the amount any claim settlement is likely to reach.
By understanding the nature of the neck and lower back pain car accident settlement process and how compensation amounts are determined, however, a clearer picture emerges. If your spine has been injured in an automobile accident due to another driver’s negligence, an experienced attorney can help you get the money you need for medical bills, lost wages, and to adapt to the changes your lifestyle has undergone.
Lower Back Pain Settlements After a Car Accident
We’ve talked before about settlement payouts for back and neck injuries in general, and with a back injury car accident, you will likely see comparable results. It’s important to note, however, that each case is different and previous results don’t guarantee the success or amounts for any future or current cases.
- Minor neck and back injuries will often see settlements of $10,000 to $100,000 to compensate the vitim for monetary damages and suffering while they recovered from their injury.
- Major injuries that are likely to impact a person’s life for years to come can easily go into the millions of dollars to account for the extra care needed, lost productivity, and lowered quality of life or life expectancy. Your personal injury attorney will be able to help you understand the full range of your options and set the appropriate expectations based on your claim specifics.
Back Injuries And Car Accidents
In an automobile collision, your body is subjected to force from directions from which it isn’t prepared to absorb shock. While modern restraint systems aim to cushion you and prevent much of the movement than can result in more severe injuries, they can only do so much.
The structure of your back creates a highly sensitive and complex area that is easily injured, difficult to treat, and once compromised, can be a source of pain and discomfort for years to come. These factors affect the average settlement for car accident back and neck injury claims.
Rather than a single structure, the back consists of several different body systems all coming together in a single area:
- Vertebrae – The bones of your neck and back are made up of a column of bones separated from each other by disks of cartilage to cushion and allow for flexibility.
- Nerves – The central nervous system controls and communicates with your entire body, and it runs from your brain down through your spine, where it then branches out through the rest of you body.
- Muscles – Your back plays a part in almost every movement your body makes. As one of the core areas, it’s packed with muscled that provide strength and balance through a range of motion.
- Connective Tissues – To support all these structures and hold them together in a functional unit, tendons and ligaments help keep your body moving like a fine-tuned machine.
These components work together to provide functional flexibility. The back is meant to allow you to bend forward, with the flexibility for limited backwards, side-to-side, and twisting movements. In an auto accident, the sudden force of another car striking yours can cause you to jerk too far in a direction your body is not meant to, damaging these structures.
The neck can snap back, forward, or to the side, pinching nerves or damaging muscles. Lower back injury issues can also include pinched nerves, bruised muscles, strained connective tissues, and a host of other complaints. The variety of potential injuries and their severity is why just looking at the average settlement for lower back and neck car accident injury claims may not give you an accurate picture of your expected results.
Filing A Personal Injury Claim For Car Accident Back Injury
When filing a claim for a back injury, it’s important to understand how liability is determined. As with any personal injury, you must prove you suffered an injury, that another party’s actions were the direct cause of that injury, and that their actions were reckless or negligent.
The evidence for these points will establish your right to a claim and a baseline for real damages in the form of property repair cost and medical bills. Damages can also include missed wages and the money spent for therapeutic services, but there is often more to the average settlement for lower back and neck car accident injury claims than simply monetary damages.
Because they are both delicate and some of the most utilized structures in our bodies, injuries to the back and neck can linger painfully. While one victim may have fairly minor complications, meanwhile, another might face years of therapy to return to a semblance of normalcy but still never be without a painful reminder of their initial injury. This is why so many settlements also include pain and suffering compensation. This money helps with continued therapy and to help provide the adaptations the injured party needs to return to a better quality of life.
To prove your pain and suffering, you’ll need not only your medical records, but other supporting evidence of the change the car accident back injury has had on your life. This can include statements from your medical providers, journals you keep, before and after photos and videos, testimony from friends and family, and work records showing the impact the injury has had on your finances as you struggle to recover. When looking at the average settlement for a neck and low back injury car accident claim, it’s important to understand the amount of compensation you’re due may be higher or lower depending on the specifics of your case.
Philadelphia Car Accident Back Injury Attorneys
Our experienced personal injury lawyers are ready to help you rebuild your life by fighting for your rights to the compensation you deserve. Contact our office today for a free initial consultation with an attorney who is ready to discuss your case, help you file a claim, and fight for you in court. Get the help you need from Anapol Weiss today.
