Spine Injury From Car Accident: Guide to Injury Compensation

Key Takeaways

• Michigan law defines spinal injuries as any personal injury to someone’s spinal cord that results in a loss of mobility or function.
• Signs that a spinal cord injury resulted from an auto accident may present themselves immediately or be delayed. Seek medical attention for any spinal cord injury.
• The main factors that will influence a spinal cord injury case settlement include the severity of the injury, its impact on your quality of life, past and future medical expenses, lost wages and earning capacity, and pain and suffering.

Since 2005, auto accidents have been responsible for over 42% of all spinal injuries in the United States, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Even worse, those who suffer a spinal cord injury are as much as five times more likely to die early compared to those who do not suffer a spinal cord injury.

A spinal cord injury is critical and not to be taken lightly. If you suffer a back injury after an auto accident in Michigan, you should immediately seek medical attention. Then call for help from the spinal cord injury lawyers at Matz Injury Law to hold the at-fault driver accountable.

How Are Spine Injuries Defined in Michigan?

Michigan law defines a spinal cord injury as any personal injury to the spinal cord resulting in a loss of mobility or function. Spinal injuries can impact the thoracic, lumbar, or cervical spine. These terms refer to the upper, middle, and lower back. Spinal injuries are serious and life-altering. These injuries may never heal, requiring expensive and lifelong medical care.

What Causes the Majority of Spinal Injuries?

Many spinal injuries are the result of automobile accidents. If you’ve sustained a spinal injury in a car accident, you may be eligible to sue for damages.

Can You Sue for Back Pain After Car Accident?

If you suffer from pain in your lower back due to a car accident, you may be able to sue the at-fault driver and receive compensation. In order to bring such a lawsuit, however, you will have to show more than just medical records. You will need to show in what ways the injuries affect your life post-accident. You should record information such as:

1. What are you unable to do now that you were able to do before the auto accident?
2. The medical expenses resulting from your injuries.

A skilled Michigan personal injury attorney can advise you on what you will need to support your case. They can review your case and advise you on the likelihood of filing a successful lawsuit. Schedule a free consultation with Matz Injury Law to evaluate the details of your case.

How Much Are Spinal Cord Injuries From Michigan Car Accident Settlements Worth?

There is no definitive way to accurately estimate an accident settlement without knowing the details of your case. Every individual case is unique, and it would be difficult to compare one with the other.

Spinal cord injuries, along with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), tend to result in higher settlement amounts because of how serious and life-altering these injuries can be.

Various factors that will play a role in determining a car crash settlement amount include:

• The severity or permanence of your injury and any ensuing limitations or restrictions
• The effect those injuries have on your life now
• How long you will require medical treatments
• Any lost wages or income
• The coverage amounts available under the applicable insurance policy

Average Settlement Amount For a Spinal Cord Injury in an Auto Accident

Since every accident case is different, there is no average settlement amount for a lower back injury. The amount will depend on the case details, available documentation, and testimonies. An average accident settlement would only be misleading. It is important to consult a professional personal injury attorney to receive an accurate assessment of your spinal cord injury claim.

Case Study

For example, in one of our cases, our client was extremely active before his accident. He worked in underwater marine salvage, strapping on scuba tanks and other heavy equipment. In addition, he built his own house and spent his free time working on boats and motorcycles.

He was the type of person who would not think twice about lifting a 70-pound bag of cement. As someone who did everything with his hands, he never considered that he might have to give any of that up one day.

Then the accident happened. A young driver failed to pay attention and blew right through a red light, t-boning our client. His spinal cord injuries required several medical treatments and surgeries, and as a result, he could no longer ride motorcycles, build cars, or lift heavy loads. He was unable to continue his career or his hobbies. These factors all increased the settlement he earned.

Is Michigan a No-Fault State?

Michigan is a no-fault state. As such, a person injured in an auto accident can file for and obtain compensation for medical bills and lost wages, regardless of which driver was at fault for the crash. The injured person’s insurance company will pay this compensation, not the at-fault driver’s insurance.

What to Do After a Car Accident to Receive the Maximum Settlement Possible for Your Injuries

What you do following a car accident can affect the amount you receive in a settlement. Follow these steps to maximize your potential settlement.

1. Call 911 and report the accident as soon as possible. A police report will be an important part of your claim.
2. Seek medical attention. Even if you do not feel injured at the scene, get evaluated by a medical professional. If you do not get medical care right away, be sure to go within a few days of the accident. Follow all your doctor’s orders and recommendations and attend all follow-up appointments.
3. Gather evidence from the accident scene, including photos or videos of the vehicles involved, the surrounding location, and your injuries.
4. Seek legal advice from a Michigan car accident attorney.

What is the Average Cost of Treating Spinal Cord Injuries?

The amount of medical care costs for spinal cord injuries will differ depending on the severity of your injury and other factors, such as your age and healing capacity.

A spinal cord injury lawyer will consider several expenses when calculating the economic damages in your settlement. Some of these factors include:

• Initial medical expenses: the immediate medical expenses incurred for primary care following the accident
• Future medical expenses: ongoing expenses for continuing care or long-term treatment, such as those for a physical therapist, round-the-clock home care, or nursing home services
• Home modifications: necessary modifications or adaptations to the home, like ramps or accessible showers, to accommodate your needs.

Factors Influencing Spinal Injury Settlement Amounts

Key factors that can influence spinal cord settlement amounts include the following.

• Severity of the injury: Did the accident victim have to undergo extensive medical treatment, suffer permanent limitations or restrictions, or require a prolonged recovery timeframe?
• Impact on quality of life: How has the injury affected the crash survivor’s life? What impacts has the injury had on their quality of life? For example, the person may be unable to participate in the sports he once enjoyed or require ongoing assistance, making him feel dependent on others. These changes in one’s life can leave one feeling lost, lonely, and depressed, affecting daily life and relationships.
• Medical expenses: The cost of therapy, pain management, and future medical needs can continue to add up.
• Lost wages and earning capacity: A personal injury and the resulting medical treatments can keep an accident victim away from work, causing a significant wage loss. The injury may also limit their ability to work in the future, reducing their earning capacity.
• Pain and suffering: An accident victim may also suffer from emotional distress and physical pain. You can prove this pain and suffering through documentation such as:
  • Statements from loved ones about how the injury has impacted your daily life
  • Personal notes that detail pain levels and emotional distress daily

_{Learn what your case might be worth. Schedule a free consultation with Matz Injury Law today.}

What Are the Different Types of Spinal Injuries From Car Accidents?

In general, spinal cord injuries are divided into complete, which causes total loss of function below the injury, and incomplete, where the injury victims retain some function on one or both sides.

Your spinal cord is responsible for every signal that travels between your brain and body, from wiggling your fingers and toes to breathing to keeping your heart beating. An injury to your spinal cord can damage almost every aspect of your body’s functioning. In the worst cases, a broken spinal cord can even be deadly. A few of the most common types of spinal injuries from motor vehicle accidents include the following.

Herniated Disc

You have spongy, rubbery discs between your vertebrae that cushion your back from impacts and daily motion friction. When you suffer an injury to your spine, you may suffer displacement or herniation of a disc. It may also break open, leaking fluid and putting pressure on your nerves or spinal cord, causing intense pain and restricting mobility.

Whiplash

Whiplash is a form of soft tissue injury that usually occurs when your head whips forward and suddenly stops, such as with a head-on collision or rear-end accident. This injury can damage the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in your neck, restricting your range of motion and causing severe pain.

Spinal Fracture

A spinal fracture is a vertebrae injury that can lead to intense back pain. Worse, fractured or broken vertebrae can develop sharp edges that can puncture or cut your tendons or discs, causing further injury.

Spondylolisthesis

Spondylolisthesis is a vertebrae injury where one of your backbones slips out of place and puts pressure on the bones below. It often occurs in the lumbar or lower back region.

What Are the Symptoms of a Spinal Injury?

A spinal injury can cause many symptoms, from severe back pain to complete paralysis from the neck down and even death. Sometimes, it can clear up with a few weeks of rest. Other times, it may require years of physical therapy and medical treatment. Some spinal injuries never completely heal.

Common symptoms of spinal injury can include the following.

• Loss of mobility or paralysis
• Uncontrollable bowel movements
• Muscle spasms and exaggerated reflexes
• Nerve pain
• Numbness, tingling, or loss of sensation in extremities

What if I Have a Preexisting Spinal Condition?

Insurance companies often argue that your injury was a preexisting condition to minimize their liability. However, Michigan law acknowledges that aggravation of a preexisting condition can be grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. This acknowledgment is crucial when it comes to spinal cord injuries because most healthy adults suffer some degree of spinal degradation as they grow older.

Just because you already had an injury when the car accident happened does not excuse the at-fault driver from their responsibility. You can obtain compensation for your lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, and other damages based on the aggravation of a preexisting injury.

Life After a Spine Cord Injury

The reality of a spinal injury is that it can result in lifelong symptoms, ongoing medical care, expensive medical bills, and the inability to work. In addition to a potential physical impairment, you can also suffer emotional and psychological stress. Those suffering a spine injury will often need to learn new skills, adapt to different levels of independence, find new passions and interests, and develop ways to manage their depression, sadness, anger, or anxiety.

How Our Michigan Attorneys Can Help You After a Spinal Injury Accident

The car accident attorneys at Matz Injury Law can fight back against insurance companies and strive to obtain the compensation you deserve. We diligently investigate and present your case so that you receive as much as possible.

Most law firms charge a 33% contingency fee for personal injury cases. At Matz Injury Law, we charge 22%. We want to help you keep more money in your pocket.

Recent Client Settlement Results

Recent settlements we have won for our clients include:

• $680,000 arbitration award for a 42-year-old with back injuries requiring fusion.
  • The client kept an additional $77,044 with Matz’s “22, not 33” promise.
• $136,000 verdict on behalf of a 40-year-old woman who suffered a back injury in a car accident. The verdict tripled the mediation award.
  • The client kept an additional $15,409 with Matz’s “22, not 33” promise.
• $500,000 settlement for a 65-year-old woman suffering paraplegia in a contested liability accident.
  • The client kept an additional $56,650 with Matz’s “22, not 33” promise.

Related Article: Championing a Lower Attorney Contingency Fee

Let Us Be Your Advocate While You Heal

If you have suffered a serious injury to your spinal column due to a reckless or careless driver, contact a spinal cord injury attorney at Matz Injury Law today. Our accident attorneys represent clients all over Michigan and have won millions in settlements and verdicts. Find out how we can help you by calling our law firm at 1-866-22Not33 or using our online contact form to request your free consultation.