Personal Injury and Chronic Back Pain
When someone is injured in an accident, they may suffer a wide range of physical, emotional, and financial losses. With proper treatment, many injuries heal, leaving accident victims to resume their normal lives free of pain or discomfort. Unfortunately, many others deal with the long-term consequences of their injuries.
One of the most common long-term symptoms of a personal injury is chronic back pain. Personal injuries resulting in chronic back pain can significantly impact a person’s quality of life. When working with clients in Longview, TX, and surrounding areas who are suffering from chronic back pain, personal injury attorney Randy Akin carefully considers any future losses they may incur so that he can recover adequate financial compensation for the full range of their damages.
When Is Back Pain Considered Chronic?
There are various types of injuries that can result in back pain. In many situations, back pain is short-lived and resolved in a matter of days or weeks. However, the muscles, tissues, and bones of the back and spinal cord can be damaged to the point that pain and discomfort lingers.
Generally, back pain is classified as chronic if it persists for three months or more. Chronic back pain can be consistent, or it can come and go in waves. Many of our Longview clients experience a temporary relief from symptoms only to have back pain flare up again.
Treating Chronic Back Pain
Unless a back injury requires surgery, there is often not a “cure” for the issues that cause chronic back pain. Instead, medical professionals often recommend several different treatment techniques, which may include:
- Physical therapy
- Pain medication
- Injection-based treatments (such as nerve blocks or steroids)
- Chiropractic care
- Acupuncture
- Massage
- Lifestyle adaptations
The goal in treating chronic back pain is to manage symptoms and restore some degree of comfort and function. This often requires a combination of treatment techniques, many of which must be repeated periodically.
Damages in Cases Involving Chronic Back Pain
Our clients may suffer from chronic back pain for months, years, or even the rest of their lives. When attorney Randy Akin is handling a personal injury case that involves chronic back pain, he works with medical professionals to get the most accurate prognosis for his client’s injuries. This allows him to seek a financial settlement that best accounts for all the unique damages that may stem from chronic back pain, such as:
- Future medical expenses: Injury victims are not just due compensation for medical expenses that have already been incurred, but also those that may be necessary in the future. Individuals with chronic back pain are likely to require ongoing medical treatment, which can be very costly.
- Lost income or loss of earning potential: Back pain can require a person to take a lot of time off work, which results in lost income. If back pain is severe, it can leave a person unable to return to their previous line of work, which may result in lower wage-earning potential. Any present loss of income or future loss of income should be accounted for in a personal injury case.
- Diminished quality of life: Personal injury cases allow victims to be awarded financial compensation for their pain and suffering. If chronic pain diminishes a person's quality of life, that needs to be considered when reaching a financial settlement.
Get in Touch
If you’ve been involved in an accident that has resulted in chronic back pain, you may be due financial compensation for present and future losses. To discuss your case with personal injury attorney Randy Akin, send us a message online or call (903) 297-8929 to schedule a personal consultation.