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Chicago Back Injury Lawyers
Strong advocacy when accidents cause back pain
Back injuries are one of the most common injuries when vehicles collide, customers slip and fall, products are defective, or other types of accidents occur. Some back injuries heal with extensive treatment. Other victims live with a lifetime of chronic back pain. At Gainsberg Law Injury and Accident Lawyers, we work with orthopedists, neurologists, nerve specialists, pain management doctors, and chiropractors to show that a car accident is the cause of your back pain, the severity of your back injury, and all the ways your back pain is making your life miserable.
In one back accident, we obtained more than $370,000 for a Door Dash Driver when an uninsured car driver struck our client head-on. Our client suffered back, head, and neck problems that ultimately required surgery.
In another case, we obtained $288,500 for four car accident victims who suffered months of doctor and therapy visits for injuries to their backs, necks, heads, shoulders, and knees.
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How can we help?
- What are the common causes of back injuries in Chicago?
- What symptoms show you have a back injury?
- How do doctors diagnose a back injury in Chicago?
- How are back injuries categorized?
- What are the treatments for back injuries in Chicago?
- How do you advocate for victims who have back injuries?
- Do you have a Chicago back injury lawyer near me?
What are the common causes of back injuries in Chicago?
At Gainsberg Law Injury and Accident Lawyers, we represent anyone who suffers a back injury due to:
- Vehicle accidents. These include car, truck, motorcycle, mass transit, Uber or Lyft, and other vehicle accidents.
- Premises liability accidents. Slip and fall accidents and negligent security assaults are common causes of back injuries.
- Product defects. Defective electronic equipment, machinery, and other products can cause anyone who uses the product to suffer harm to their back.
- Nursing home abuse and neglect. Nursing homes need to take proactive steps to prevent back injuries to their residents. Seniors have a high risk of falling or suffering back injuries when the staff moves them.
- Other causes. These include construction zone accidents, medical malpractice and police brutality.
We also file workers’ compensation claims when employees suffer back injuries due to any cause including lifting heavy objects, being pinned by equipment, overexertion, or other causes.
What symptoms show you have a back injury?
According to the Mayo Clinic, the symptoms of back pain include:
- Muscle aches
- A burning, stabbing, or shooting sensation
- Pain that radiates down your leg
- Difficulty walking, standing, lifting, or turning
Victims should seek medical help as soon as possible after an accident. Back pain is concerning if it lasts for more than a few weeks, rest doesn’t help, there’s pain below the knee, one or both legs are weak or numb, and if there is a loss of weight that is not due to other causes. Back pain is especially serious if you have a fever or bladder or bowel problems.
How do doctors diagnose a back injury in Chicago?
After your doctor conducts an oral and a physical exam, the following diagnostic test may be helpful:
- X-ray. X-rays can show if a car accident or any other accident causes broken bones.
- MRI or CT scans. These imaging tests help to show if you have disk herniation or problems with your bones, tissue, nerves, muscles, ligaments, tendons, or blood vessels.
- Blood tests. Blood tests can help to determine if you have an infection which may be the cause of your back pain.
- Nerve studies. An electromyography (EMG) measures how your muscles respond to electrical impulses. A nerve study test can confirm if a disk herniation or spinal stenosis is causing pressure on your nerves.
Bone scans may also help diagnose back pain.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, Chicago back pain accident victims may treat with an orthopedist, a back pain spine specialist, an osteopath, a chiropractor, and a physical therapist. Other care providers may include an occupational therapist and a psychiatrist or a psychologist.
How are back injuries categorized?
The categories for back pain, according to the Cleveland Clinic, generally include:
- Sprains and strains. Workers may suffer these injuries to their muscles, tendons, or ligaments – due to improper or heavy lifting. Nursing homes may cause the elderly to suffer sprains and strains of a resident’s back.
- Spinal fractures. A car accident, slip and fall, or any other accident can cause a break of the lumbar spine or stress fractures (spondylolysis).
- Spinal disk damage. Chicago accidents can cause damage to the disks of a victim’s spine. Your spinal disks help protect your vertebrae. Disk damage includes a pinched nerve and a herniated (torn) disk.
What are the treatments for back injuries in Chicago?
According to the Mayo Clinic, the treatments for back injuries include the following:
Medications
Possible over-the-counter medications and prescription medicines include:
- Pain relievers. These medicines include Ibuprofen (Motrin IB and Advil), naproxen sodium (Aleve), and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Your doctor may prescribe stronger pain relievers if necessary and if advisable.
- Muscle relaxants. Your doctor may recommend muscle relaxants which carry the risk of sleepiness and dizziness.
- Topical pain relievers. These medications include ointments, salves, patches, creams, and other products that “deliver pain-relieving substances through the skin.”
- Stronger drugs. Your doctor may prescribe (subject to strict supervision) oxycodone, hydrocodone, or other opioids.
Your physician may also prescribe certain types of antidepressants for chronic back pain.
Therapy
Many back injury victims benefit from working with a physical therapist who can help educate Chicago accident victims about using exercise to strengthen their back and abdominal muscles, improve their posture, and increase flexibility. A physical therapist can help back injury victims alter their movements “during an episode of back pain to avoid flaring pain symptoms while staying active.”
Surgical procedures
Possible surgical procedures for back pain include:
- Cortisone shots/injections. A cortisone injection may help victims with severe back pain. The procedure injects cortisone (a medicine) into the area around the spinal cord – to reduce inflammation around the nerve roots. The length of the relief may be limited.
- Radiofrequency ablation. This type of surgery involves inserting a fine needle through the skin - near the area where the victim has back pain. Radio waves pass through the needle to damage the nearby nerves which helps prevent the brain from receiving pain signals.
- Implanted nerve stimulators. This procedure involves the implant of a medical device/stimulator under the skin that sends electrical impulses to certain nerves to block pain signals.
- Back surgery. Some accident victims may require surgery to create more space within the spine due to herniated disks or other conditions that “narrow the spaces where nerves pass through the spine.”
How do you advocate for accident victims who have back injuries?
Our Chicago back injury lawyers work with investigators, the police, product safety experts, traffic reconstruction experts, and other experts to show how a driver, property owner, nursing home, or other caused your accident and why they should be held responsible. We conduct extensive discovery (oral and written questions) of everyone with knowledge about your accident and your injuries.
Our personal injury lawyers work with your doctors to verify your back injury, the treatments you need, the cost of your care, and every way your back pain is making your life difficult or impossible. We work with your employers, financial experts, and other aspects to verify all of your economic damages. Our lawyers demand compensation for all your current and future:
- Medical bills including ER care, surgeries, hospital stays, rehabilitative therapy, medications, and assistive help.
- Lost income including current and future income losses even if you cannot work again
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
- Loss of bodily function
Loss of life’s pleasures - Loss of consortium (marital enjoyment)
Our workers’ compensation lawyers demand payment of all your medical bills, your temporary disability pay, and your permanent disability compensation.
Do you have a Chicago back injury lawyer near me?
Gainsberg Law Injury and Accident Lawyers is located at 77 W Washington Street, Suite 1215. Our office is right in The Loop neighborhood in downtown Chicago. You can reach us by bus if necessary. We conduct phone and video conversations. We also meet clients at their homes or healthcare facilities when necessary.
We understand your anxiety. We’ll help you through each stage of the claims process.
Speak with a Chicago back injury lawyer today
At Gainsberg Law Injury and Accident Lawyers, we have the experience and working relationships with liability experts and medical experts to show how accidents happen, who is responsible, and the full scope and severity of your injuries including back injuries. We anticipate the arguments insurance companies and defense lawyers regularly make to try to deny or limit your claim. Our Chicago back injury lawyers have an impressive record of accident settlements, arbitration awards, and verdicts. Call us or complete our contact form to schedule a free consultation. We handle back injury cases on a contingency fee basis.