The Lifechanging Effects of a Back or Spinal Injury After an Accident

An accident happens in seconds, but its impact can last a lifetime. If you’re facing back or spinal injuries after a car accident, read our guide on how to cope, heal, and secure your rightful compensation. 

We’ve seen a lucky few walk away from accidents unscathed, but more often than not, you’ll deal with temporary or permanent physical effects. One of the most pervasive car or motorcycle accident injuries is a spinal cord or back injury because of how your body jerks during a sudden impact. 

When left unchecked, back and spinal injuries can significantly impact your mobility, independence, and personal and financial well-being. 

Our personal injury team at The Morris Law Group has seen it all. We understand how profound the consequences of a car accident injury can be and just how far that ripple effect can travel through your and your family’s lives. 

Let’s walk through the life-changing effects of back or spinal injuries and the support you can seek with the help of our benefits consultants, healthcare experts, and Hamilton personal injury lawyers. 

Understanding Back and Spinal Injuries

The back and spine are intricate structures that support your body through every single movement – they’re relatively resilient in regular work and play. When you get into a car accident, the sudden jerking movement can leave you reeling with acute or complex injuries. 

You might see injuries to the soft tissues around your back and spine, fractures of the vertebrae or bones, damaged or herniated discs, and injuries to the spinal cord itself. In some cases, you may deal with moderate discomfort and a relatively easy road to recovery, while at worst, you may become partially or entirely paralyzed after a car accident. 

Car Accidents and Their Impact on Your Back and Spine

Not every accident is the same, but we do see some patterns emerge in back and spinal injuries based on where the impact occurs and which direction it travels. 

• Rear-End Accidents. The sudden jolt often causes whiplash, hyperextending the neck and damaging the cervical spine. The affected area may experience chronic neck pain, back muscle strains, numbness, headaches, and tingling.
• Side-impact or T-bone Accidents. The lateral forces in these accidents often injure the thoracic spine in your mid-back. Your ribs and internal organs may also be affected as nerve damage can impact the heart, lungs, and other vital organs.
• Head-on Collisions. A frontward impact during a head-on collision can force your sacrum and pelvis out of alignment, causing severe lower back pain, sciatica, and even leg or foot pain.
• Rollover Accidents. With multiple impacts and twisting forces, rollovers can cause devastating injuries throughout the back and spine, including compression fracture spine, dislocations, and spinal cord injuries.
• High-speed Impacts. Though safety restraints are meant to work at high speeds, the immense forces in a high-speed crash can cause all sorts of back and spinal issues. You may deal with compression fractures, spine cord injuries, and even paralysis.
• Pedestrian and Motorcycle Accidents. When a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle, the impact can be devastating for the spine, depending on the speed and angle. Common injuries include pelvic fractures, spinal cord injuries, and even traumatic brain injuries if the head strikes the ground or other objects. Motorcyclists are at a high risk for the same sorts of injuries because they’re riding in an exposed position. 

The Profound Impact on Daily Life

How does spinal cord injury affect the body?

Many of the effects of spinal and back injuries can go far beyond pain itself, affecting almost every aspect of your life:

Physical Limitations

You may deal with moderate to severe pain or stiffness and mobility issues that make it challenging to get through your everyday life. Since we use our backs and spines in virtually every move we make, walking, lifting, bending, and even getting dressed in the morning can become virtually impossible. You may need an assistive device or wheelchair to manage your daily mobility. 

Loss of Daily Independence

One of the most brutal losses after an injury is our independence. We often take for granted that we can care for, bathe, dress, and prepare meals for ourselves, but those may become insurmountable obstacles post-accident. That loss of autonomy can impact our finances and families if we need to receive care from a health professional or loved one, but it most profoundly affects our mental health.

Going from complete independence to dependence in an instant is a hard pill to swallow, affecting your sense of self and causing frustration, depression, and a diminished quality of life. 

Emotional and Psychological Effects

Chronic pain, constant reminders of lost independence, and the financial struggle after a back or spinal injury can cause a cascade of negative feelings. You may feel sad, anxious, angry, and even hopeless as you move through the recovery process and come to terms with the uncertainties of your future. 

Don’t underestimate the impact of these injuries because they’re invisible. Recognize some of the signs of these mental health challenges and create a care plan that includes counselling or therapy. Put as much time and effort into managing your mental health as your physical care plan. 

Financial Hardship

Back and spinal injuries often trigger a financial domino effect as you face mounting medical bills, including hospital stays, medications, rehabilitation costs, and more. Home modifications may be necessary alongside assistive devices like wheelchairs. 

If you partially or completely lose your ability to work, that financial gap only widens, threatening your family’s economic stability. Seeking legal counsel from a personal accident lawyer is vital to relieve financial burdens by pursuing your rightful compensation. Money is the last thing you should worry about during such intensive physical and emotional recovery. 

The Morris Law Group—Best Accident Attorney Near Me

In Canada, personal injury law allows you to seek financial damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, mental health treatment, and more. If someone’s negligence caused your back or spinal injury, it’s time to sort through your options and take action. 

The Morris Law Group’s lawyer injury team is ready to help you on your road to back injury recovery. We’re here to serve as your advocates and personal injury lawyers to help you navigate the complicated legal and insurance systems. Request a free consultation or call our law office Hamilton, at 905-526-8080 to learn more.