Denver Back Injury and Colorado Back Pain in a Work Environment
A back injury can be a devastating injury. If you hurt your back while working, it can disrupt your entire life. As your back is necessary for almost every job or occupation, it is important to get proper medical care for these injuries. Mary Jeffers at Jeffers Denver Law can properly evaluate your case to make sure that you will receive any and all compensation from those responsible.
Here is a summary of some common back injuries:
Spinal column fracture
At the center of the back is the spinal column, which is a vertical arrangement of vertebrae responsible for protecting the spinal cord (back) and serving for the support for the upper body. Extreme trauma to the back caused by a car accident, slip and fall or a fall at work can fracture the vertebrae located in the thoracic (middle) or lumbar (lower) regions of the back. When severe fractures occur, the spinal cord or back can suffer harm. Frequently, this can paralyze any part of the body receiving commands from the damaged section of the back or spinal cord.
The following symptoms mean that you may have a fractured vertebra or back:
Mild to severe back pain that increases with movement
Numbness, prickling, weakness, and/or lack of bladder or bowel control are possible signs of spinal cord damage.
The five possible back fractures are as follows:
Flexion/distraction (chance) back fracture – this is a back injury in which vertebrae are separated from each other. This can be the result of a head-on car crash or a work injury in which you are driving in the course and scope of employment in which the torso is viciously jolted forward, and the midsection and lower extremities are held in place by the lap belt.
Compression back fracture – front of the back vertebra breaks and is shortened, while the rear back vertebra remains intact. This sort of personal injury or workplace injury is rather minor and does not feature the neurological complications of other back injuries.
Axial burst back fracture – Back vertebra breaks and front and rear is reduced in height. This is often the result of a fall in a parking lot when shopping or at the workplace when the injured victim lands or stops the fall with their feet.
Back fracture-back dislocation – a single back vertebra might shift out of place. This causes instability that impacts back bones and/or the adjacent back soft tissues.
Back Transverse process fracture – caused by the back doing rotating or violent movements during the course of an injury in the workplace or an injury caused by a motorcycle accident or a fall outside a business.
Back sprains and Back strains
A back sprain consists of damage to the tendons or muscles of the back. A back strain occurs when ligaments are stretched or torn. Tendons are the tough wiry, bands of tissue that fasten the muscle to the bone. Ligaments are similar in texture, and they connect at least two bones to a joint. Symptoms of back sprains and back strains that occur with the most frequency include: back pain (often intensifies with motion); unrelenting muscle cramps and spasms in the back; and range of motion reduction in the back (e.g. bending over, standing erect, walking).
These types of back injuries are often diagnosed based on a physician’s analysis of the injury victim’s or injured worker’s medical background and physical exam. Often doctors recommend x-rays and MRI’s (magnetic resonance imaging) to determine if there is a fracture in the back or a herniated disc.
Treatment of back sprains and back strains is normally a two-step procedure. For the first two days following a work injury or accident, the victim is normally instructed to avoid exertion, ice the injured region of the back, and apply pressure. Anti-swelling medication may also be prescribed to manage back pain and prevent excessive swelling. With correct treatment, this level of back injury normally subsides within a month’s time. If you or a loved one is confronted with any one of these symptoms, medical attention should be sought without delay: back pain that interrupts sleep; lump or abnormal bulge in the area of the back injury; capacity to walk only a few steps before excruciating back pain prohibits further movement; lack of feeling or tingling beneath the point of injury or from the waist down; and medical history characteristic of many lower back injuries.
If you or someone you know has suffered a back injury due to workplace or third party negligence contact an attorney at Jeffers Denver Law today.
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