Car accident injuries that require surgery often increase the chances of securing a settlement in a personal injury claim. In particular, back surgeries not only increase the chances of securing a car accident settlement, but also significantly improve the average monetary value of the settlement.
To be clear, we’re not advocating for you or our clients to be reckless with their health and well-being. However, this topic is a common consideration for many car accident victims dealing with back injuries, so it warrants a candid discussion.
If you’re attempting to achieve a car accident back surgery settlement, keep reading to learn how these procedures could impact your claim.
What Are the Most Common Car Accident Back Surgeries?
When it comes to car accident back surgeries, there are three common procedures.
Discectomy: Surgery to remove a herniated disc that is causing pressure on a nerve root of the spinal cord. The average recovery time for a discectomy is less than a month, depending on the underlying cause for the procedure — but some patients will need up to three months before returning to work. Most discectomies result in positive outcomes, although there are instances when opting for nonsurgical treatment is preferable.
Spinal Fusion: Surgery to remove the spinal discs and then fuse adjacent vertebrae with bone grafts or screws. These procedures have an extensive recovery period that is necessary to allow the grafts to fuse properly. In some cases, spinal fusions can result in spinal inflexibility, but the majority of patients experience long-term functional improvement.
Spinal Laminectomy: Surgery to alleviate spinal stenosis by removing vertebrae walls and bone spurs, removing excess pressure on the nerves. Depending on the age and health of the patient, recovery can take up to six weeks. As many as 90% of patients who undergo this procedure report notable relief from pain following a spinal laminectomy.
Why Follow Your Doctor’s Advice When You’ve Injured Your Back in a Car Accident?
We strongly advocate for all of our clients to follow the advice of their medical team, regardless of how that might impact their personal injury claim. At the end of the day, your health is the most important thing, so that’s how we begin and end any conversation of whether or not to have a surgical procedure following a car accident or other personal injury event.
We strongly advocate for all of our clients to follow the advice of their medical team, regardless of how that might impact their personal injury claim. At the end of the day, your health is the most important thing, so that’s how we begin and end any conversation of whether or not to have a surgical procedure following a car accident or other personal injury event.
Surgery is not without risk, but sometimes it’s the best option for a faster, more complete recovery. In some cases, though, your doctor will advocate for rest, relaxation, and rehabilitation instead of an invasive surgery. Whatever their medical advice is, we recommend you to follow their expertise in order to make the best possible recovery from your injuries.
How Back Surgeries Can Influence Your Car Accident Claim
At Crosley Law, we have our own method of determining the potential value of our clients’ legal claims. Personal injury cases are extremely expensive to litigate, so while we’re willing to take your claim to trial in order to get the justice you deserve, we always calculate the potential value of a good settlement against the potential costs of a trial.
In doing so, we focus on the damages you’ve suffered as a result of your car accident. These damages can include economic, non-economic, and even punitive damages (although these are more rare in cases that get settled).
Based on the evidence available, research into relevant case law and similar claims, and the input of our expert witnesses, we determine the financial impact of the damages you’ve suffered and calculate a quality settlement to cover your medical costs, lost wages, and diminished quality of life.
Here are just a few cases where we were able to achieve great compensation for car accident victims who were forced to have surgery as a result of their injuries.
- $9 million: Hit by a Delivery Driver, a Pedestrian Gets a Settlement: Zack’s Story
- $5 million: Crosley Law Helps Border Patrol Agents Injured by a Reckless Driver
- $4.9 million: Crosley Law Gets $4.9 Million Settlement for Trucking Accident Victim With TBI
Contact Crosley Law Firm for Help With Your Car Accident Settlement
If you’ve been involved in a car accident and are seeking a settlement for your back injuries, we would like to speak more about your legal options. We have significant experience representing personal injury victims and are especially familiar with individuals how have suffered severe back injuries as a result of other negligent drivers or manufacturers.
To learn more about our firm and how we might be able to help with your car accident back surgery settlement, please call 210-LAW-3000 | 210-529-3000 or complete this brief form.
The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal or medical advice on any subject.
