Anyone who has ever sustained a low back injury knows how debilitating this type of injury can be. If another party caused your injury, you might be entitled to financial compensation. The question is, how much money can you get for a lower back injury—and how do you go about securing that compensation?
Generally, the more severe the lower back injury, the greater the financial value of the settlement. Injuries to the spinal cord—like paralyzing vertebrae fractures and debilitating disc injuries—are among the types of lower back injuries that typically warrant higher amounts of compensation.
Six-figure settlements are common in cases involving significant lower back injuries. In the examples listed below of lower back injury cases Console & Associates has handled, settlement values range from $443,000 to $750,000.
In medical terminology, the lower back is referred to as the lumbar spine, the five vertebrae (numbered L1–L5) that are located between the ribs and the pelvis.
Many types of injuries can affect the lumbar spine. Some of the lower back injuries that most commonly arise out of accidents include:
For any lower back injury that is serious enough to affect your life, you should seek medical care and, when warranted, speak to an attorney about your legal rights and options.
Our client, a tractor-trailer driver, was taking a legally required rest break in the cab of his parked truck when another tractor-trailer driver lost control and struck his vehicle. The impact split our client’s truck in two and threw him from his bunk. Tests revealed that our client had sustained multiple herniated discs in both the lumbar (lower back) and cervical (neck) regions of his spine, among other life-changing injuries that left him with permanent losses of function even after undergoing two surgeries. Our attorneys secured this client a $750,000 settlement.
Our client was stopped in traffic when the car behind her struck her vehicle at 30 miles per hour. In the violent impact, she sustained two herniated discs in her lumbar spine, as well as two herniated discs in her neck, spinal cord compression, nerve impingement, and post-concussive syndrome. To achieve the best recovery possible, she had to undergo multi-level fusion surgery. The law firm of Console & Associates got her a $610‚000 settlement.
The serious injuries our client suffered upon slipping and falling on widespread but invisible patches of ice in a parking lot left her permanently disabled and relying on a cane to walk. Herniated and bulging discs, nerve impingement, strains and sprains in multiple regions of the spine (including the lumbar spine), and a hematoma in her hip are just a few of the numerous injuries our client suffered. Our lawyers secured for her a $475,000 settlement.
Our client was waiting in line on the highway to pay the toll when a van struck his vehicle, leaving him with six herniated discs and three bulging discs, as well as lumbar back strain and other injuries. Despite undergoing a three-level fusion surgery, the injuries our self-employed client sustained in the accident forever changed his life and his ability to work in his previous capacity. His original attorney urged him to accept a $45,000 settlement offer, but once our attorneys took on the case, we were able to recover nearly ten times that much: a total settlement of $443‚000.
Any accident that jolts, applies pressure or force to, or causes direct impact on the lumbar region of the spine could result in lower back injuries.
Some of the most common causes of lumbar injuries in the cases our personal injury attorneys handle include:
Some lower back injuries, including strains and bulging and herniated discs, can occur even if there is no direct impact on the back.
For any personal injury matter that involves a serious injury, it’s in the accident victim’s best interest to have professional legal representation on their side. According to the Insurance Research Council, studies have found that lawyers get 3.5 times more money, on average, for their clients compared to the settlements unrepresented claimants get for themselves.
An experienced attorney has the skills to identify and calculate the full amount of the victim’s damages and to document lower back injuries like soft tissue injuries, which insurance companies often seek to downplay.
Suffering a lower back injury after an accident may have you feeling lost. Life may no longer look the same as it did before your accident. Having an attorney by your side can help you reclaim control over your life after injury. Scheduling a free consultation is the first step in getting what you deserve. Contact Console & Associates today at (866) 778-5500 or email us here.
“My brother recommended Mike Ellery from Console & Hollawell, and I am so glad he did. Mike was efficient, knowledgeable, and friendly. Working with his paralegal, Lorraine, was awesome, too. They were both available whenever I had questions, and were great with staying in touch. It was a long process, from the time of my car accident to receiving my settlement check, but I feel like Console & Hollawell was there for me every step of the way!”
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