|
Related Links: |
You were out for a leisurely Saturday afternoon, driving on North Azalea Road towards the Norfolk Botanical Gardens, when a southbound SUV drifted into your lane and hit your car head-on. It was a frightening crash—the front end of your car crumpled like a tin can. However, you walked away from the crash with only a few bumps and bruises. At least you thought you were ok at the time. By the next morning, you were in agony with a back injury.
This scenario is pretty common. Some back injuries do not present themselves immediately following an accident because the victim is experiencing an adrenaline rush that blocks the pain. Once the initial shock wears off, the injury becomes evident. Other back injuries are easy to detect and require immediate medical attention. Following are some of the more common back injuries that result from a car wreck:
- Disc injury – Discs are small, spongy cushions in the spinal column. They separate and protect the vertebrae from one another and provide for overall flexibility in the spine. During a crash, one or more discs can break or deform, causing extreme pain, numbness, and weakness.
- Compression fracture – In an accident, one or more of the bones in the spine may break, causing sudden, severe back pain that can increase over time.
- Spinal cord injury – The brain uses the spinal cord to carry messages throughout the body. Trauma from a car accident can damage the fragile nerves that the spinal cord uses to carry these messages and may cause paralysis or lack of sensation to certain parts of the body.
If you have been involved in an accident, contact us to see how we can help. You may also want to read our car accident blog to get more insight into the legal process.