Nashville Back and Neck Injury Attorney

Attorney Luvell L. Glanton Accident victims most commonly report suffering injuries to the neck and back An estimated 10,000 to 12,000 people suffer from back and neck injuries every year in the United States.

These types of injuries can be catastrophic, sometimes affecting the rest of the body. They may contribute to a loss of control, numbness, or a loss of motor skills. A serious injury may result in partial or total paralysis.

Back and spinal cord injuries can also be progressive and not immediately obvious, depending on the pain tolerance of the person affected. Many people don’t take the twinge in their neck or the stiffness in their shoulders after an accident seriously, resulting in a lack of treatment, or the wrong treatment altogether. If you are a victim of a neck or back injury, you should seek treatment and advice from a physician as soon as possible after an accident.

Contact Our Neck and Back Injury Attorneys for Help

If you are the victim of an accident and as a result, suffer from a back and neck injury, you may have financial and emotional responsibilities that seem overwhelming. The Law Office of Luvell L. Glanton has 28 years of comprehensive experience in personal injury. We will guide you through the complexities of the personal injury claim process. Our Nashville attorneys are here to offer genuine consultation and legal support for you so you can focus on getting better.

We draw from our extensive litigation experience to make sure the responsible parties are held accountable for their negligent or careless actions. We will do our best, based on years of successful experience, to recover the compensation and damages to which you are entitled.

You can rely on us to discuss your needs, address any questions and concerns and to respond immediately to your requests. Not only is our legal team passionate and prompt, but our compassionate, caring, and capable lawyers will help you through these difficult times. Contact us now for a free, no-obligation consultation by calling (615) 244-4511.

Common Causes of Back and Neck Injuries

Any accident has the potential to result in devastating neck and spinal cord injuries. The nature of these injuries can vary depending on the severity and location of the injury and the circumstances of the accident. The most common sources of injury occur in accidents involving the negligence of others, including:

Car accidents
Boating accidents
Workplace accidents
Construction accidents
Injuries due to falling objects
Motorcycle accidents
Bicycle accidents
Pedestrian accidents
Semi-truck and tractor-trailer accidents
Dangerous and defective products
Violence and assault
Sports Injuries
Slip and falls

If you suffer a back or neck injury from any of these events, you may be able to recover financial compensation for the related expenses and suffering.

Types of Back and Neck Injuries

There are many different kinds of back and neck injuries, including:

Whiplash or Soft Tissue Injuries – The neck and back have numerous muscles, ligaments, and tendons that can be sprained, strained, stretched, twisted, or torn. Whiplash refers to possible strains or sprains that happen when the head sharply moves forward and backward. A car or truck accident can cause whiplash in the neck or back.
Fractures – A broken neck or back may be life threatening. However, some neck and back fractures require significant medical care even if they aren’t serious injuries. Cracked or fractured vertebrae may cause an injury to the spine, while bones including the ribs, shoulder blades, and pelvis can fracture and result in serious back pain.
Dislocation – Back and neck bones may shift due to a severe injury. If a bone is out of place, the entire spine and back could be unstable, causing pain throughout the entire neck and back area. Muscles can seize or spasm to overcompensate for these injuries.
Herniated Discs – The spinal discs are cushioned by a soft substance, which pushes out through the edge of the disc once an injury occurs. This could result in a pinched nerve or a slipped or ruptured disc. Irritation of the nerves could happen and cause weakness, pain, and numbness in the back or neck area.
Spinal Cord Injuries – The most severe injury to the neck or back is a spinal cord injury. Damage to the spinal tissue can causes disruption to some body functions. The two main types of spinal cord injuries are:
- Incomplete – Incomplete damage does not affect the spine completely and results in only a partial loss of body function.
- Complete – Complete spinal cord damage completely cuts off messages from the spinal cord, which results in a total loss of motor and sensory functioning in the body below the point where the injury occurred.

In some cases, back and neck injuries can even lead to death.

Symptoms of Back and Neck Injuries

Some types of neck and back injuries may be minor and last only a few weeks, while some pain can be constant and consistent, lasting for several weeks or longer.

Symptoms associated with back injuries may include:

Dull or sharp pain confined to a single spot or covering a large portion of the back area
Numbness in the leg or tingling in the knees
Aches or stiffness that occurs along the spine
A sharp, shooting pain that starts in your low back and goes down to your lower body
A consistent ache in middle or lower parts of your back after standing or sitting for a long period of time.
A loss of bowel and bladder control
Weakness in the legs

Symptoms associated with neck injuries can include:

Headaches
Shoulder pain
Arm numbness or tingling
Sharp shooting pain or a dull ache in the neck area

Any pain that happens suddenly in your back or neck is considered acute pain. Acute pain may come on quickly and leave within a few weeks, not lasting more than six weeks. Pain that happens quickly or slowly and lingers for three months or longer is considered chronic pain.

If you are experiencing severe neck or back pain, you should see your doctor for an exam. Your doctor may do X-rays of the affected areas and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Treatment for Neck and Back Injuries

Once you have chosen our experienced injury lawyers to help you navigate your recovery, we may recommend medical treatment.

Some neck and back injuries will improve with rest and over-the-counter medication, but if you have chronic neck and back pain you man need to see a medical professional. Some available, treatments for this pain may include:

Specific exercises or physical therapy
Prescription medications or muscle relaxants can be used under doctor’s supervision
Braces or corsets
Injections for pain relief
Nerve blocks
Acupuncture
Chiropractic care
Massage

For disabling chronic back and neck pain, extensive rehabilitation or surgery may be required. The type of treatment ultimately depends on the type and severity of your injuries. In extreme cases, the use of devices such as ventilators or feeding tubes to help with the loss of bodily functions may be required.

For back and neck injury victims, every medical prognosis and method of treatment is different. If you receive prompt medical care, it may increase the odds that you survive while minimizing the long-term effects of your injury. Most recovery of body movement happens during the first six months after a serious injury.

How Can This Type of Injury Impact the Value of Your Case?

There are certain factors that the liable party may use to minimize the value of your claim or deny your back or neck injury claim altogether. If the accident is determined to be partly your fault, the value of your compensation will be reduced by the percentage you are found at fault. Tennessee uses the modified comparative negligence system. When modified comparative fault is used, a judge or jury assigns a percentage of fault for each party involved and awards damages based on the percentage of fault. If a person’s percentage of liability reaches over 50 percent, you cannot collect damages.

You must also follow the advice of a physician. If you fail to follow a doctor’s orders or seek recommended treatment, it could decrease the value of your claim. The other party could argue that if you followed instructions you would have recovered from your injury, or your injury would have been less severe.

Compensation for Neck and Back Injuries

If your injuries are more severe and debilitating, you may need legal help to negotiate a settlement with an insurance company or to file a lawsuit. Compensation may be available from an employer, a property owner, or another party that is responsible for your accident.

An experienced back and spine injury lawyer can review the extent and severity of your case. If you have a valid personal injury claim, you may receive the following types of compensation and damages for your losses including:

Compensation for past and future wage losses
Compensation for past and future medical bills
Compensation for home health care costs and/or special medical equipment
Damages for emotional, physical, and psychological injuries
Damages for pain and suffering

And in the worst case scenario, if you tragically lost a loved one due to a neck or back injury, there are times when family members may be able to file a wrongful death suit to recover financial compensation for the deceased’s final expenses and loss of support.