Back injuries can leave many accident victims with chronic pain and other long-term side effects that can impact their everyday life. If you were involved in an accident that was caused by negligent actions, you could be entitled to a back injury settlement.
Following your accident, the Shreveport personal injury attorneys at Gordon & Gordon are ready to help. With over 30 years of combined experience, attorneys Stephen Gordon and Daniel Gordon have been representing clients in Shreveport, Bossier City, and Mansfield in personal injury claims, car accidents, workplace accident claims, and more.
When you’ve been involved in an accident, it can be difficult to know whether you can sue the responsible party for damages. However, if they acted negligently, you have the right to pursue financial compensation, plain and simple. Not only do we handle the legal side of your claim at G&G, but we also negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf and work to secure a fair settlement. If that doesn’t work, we are prepared to take your case to trial and fight for you there.
Our legal team knows what compensation you deserve for your injuries, and we won’t accept anything less. To schedule a free consultation regarding your back injury claim, contact Gordon & Gordon today by calling 318-716-4357.
Types of Back Injury Claims We Handle at Gordon & Gordon
When a person is injured in a car accident or at work, they can sustain spine and back injuries. The severity of a victim’s injuries can vary, but they can often be forced to live with the pain and challenges associated with their injury for many years following the accident.
The most common back injury claims that we handle at Gordon & Gordon include:
- Herniated Disc: A ruptured or herniated disc can occur anywhere along the spinal column but often affects the lower back. A herniated disc can happen with normal wear and tear over time or can become ruptured following an accident.
- Fractures: The vertebrae in the spine can be fractured in the event of a traumatic accident. If the fracture is significant, it can damage the spinal cord and nerves, which requires immediate medical treatment.
- Soft Tissue Injuries: Soft tissue injuries include strains, sprains, and tears of the ligaments, muscles, and tendons in the back. A soft tissue injury can cause stiffness, tenderness, muscle spasms, and significant pain.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: Anytime the spine is damaged, it can cause a severe back injury. The spinal cord can be bruised, lacerated, or otherwise damaged following a traumatic accident. Spinal cord injuries can cause permanent disability and nerve damage.
Common Causes of Back Injury Due To Another’s Negligence
Spinal cord and back injuries can occur anywhere and for any number of reasons. Whether you’re involved in a rear-end collision, workplace accident, or other traumatic accident, if the force of impact is strong enough, you could suffer from a severe back or spinal injury.
The following scenarios can result in a back injury or spinal cord injury:
- Car Accidents: When a person is involved in a car accident, they can suffer serious back and spinal cord damage. If the at-fault driver was acting negligently and caused the accident, you can pursue financial compensation for your injuries. A serious car accident can result in disabilities and more. Even a minor car accident can leave a person with chronic back pain. Contact our Shreveport personal injury attorneys today if you were involved in a car accident that caused your back injury.
- Medical Malpractice: When a doctor or healthcare provider acts negligently when providing you with medical treatment, they can cause their patients harm. Patients can suffer from a spinal cord or back injury if their doctor makes a mistake during a surgical procedure, fails to diagnose an ailment, or provides insufficient care. Negligent chiropractors are also to blame for spinal cord and back injuries. When a chiropractor makes an improper adjustment, they can damage the back and spinal cord and cause a patient to suffer from chronic pain, stroke, permanent disabilities, and more.
- Premises Liability: When owners are aware of hazards on their property and don’t fix the problem or warn visitors, they can put others at risk of suffering back and spine injuries. Slip-and-fall accidents are the most common type of premises liability accident that can result in back injuries. For example, if an owner doesn’t fix a hazardous walkway or provide warnings for slick floors, visitors can slip and fall, causing back injuries.
- Nursing Home Abuse and Negligence: Many facilities are understaffed and unable to care for their residents. Without proper assistance, residents can fall and suffer from serious back injuries. In severe cases, nursing home staff can physically abuse their patients, which can cause severe back injuries.
- Workplace Accidents: Some careers are more dangerous than others and put employees at risk of back injuries. Construction jobs, oil rigs, and other hazardous occupations are more likely to be injured on the job. Back injuries are so common in the workplace that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that over one million workers suffer back injuries every year. The BLS also reports that back injuries occur in one in every five injured workers. Even though you can file a workers’ compensation claim for your back injuries, you may be entitled to a higher injury settlement claim. Contact a Shreveport workers’ compensation lawyer today to discuss your workers’ compensation settlement.
- Defective Products: Manufacturers can cause harm to consumers when they knowingly release defective or damaged products.For instance, defective parts in motor vehicles can potentially cause serious back injuries and other damages.
How a Louisiana Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help You
Workers’ comp and personal injury cases can be complicated and involve tough negotiation and in some cases, litigation. When you’re involved in a workers’ compensation claim or personal injury case, you can trust that your Gordon & Gordon personal injury or workers’ compensation attorney will do everything possible to ensure you receive a fair settlement.
In addition to providing legal services during your claim, the Gordon & Gordon attorneys will negotiate with the at-fault party’s insurance company and your personal insurance company when pursuing damages. Insurance companies are notorious for low-balling settlement offers, but with our personal injury attorneys, you don’t have to worry about that. We know what average injury settlements should be for a claim like yours, and we will fight hard to recover that for you.
Damages Recoverable in a Back Injury Claim
Your Shreveport back and spinal cord injuries attorneys will work to recover maximum compensation for your injuries. At Gordon & Gordon, we regularly fight for the following types of damages for our back injury clients:
- Medical bills, both past and future
- Physical therapy
- Mobility aids, like wheelchairs, walkers, pull bars, etc.
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Property damage, if your back injuries were the result of a car accident
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Funeral and burial expenses if the spinal cord injuries resulted in the wrongful death of a loved one
What Can I Get for My Back Injury Settlement?
Your back injury settlement will vary based on the circumstances surrounding the accident or events that caused your injuries. It’s essential to contact an experienced personal injury attorney when pursuing legal action following a back injury. The sooner you contact the attorneys at Gordon & Gordon, the sooner they can begin building a case against the negligent party.
The average back injury settlement can range from $20,000 to $25,000. However, in some cases, settlements can be much higher, reaching $100,000 and above. The amounts given are just estimates because it’s impossible to accurately estimate how much your back injury is worth until the case unfolds and all the factors are considered.
Some of the factors that will affect your settlement amounts include:
- The extent of your back injuries
- If you suffered any pre-existing injuries
- Medical treatments and their longevity
- Permanent disabilities
- If you were able to return to work
- If you suffered lost wages following the accident
- Your ability to complete daily tasks
- If you’ll continue needing medical treatments
- How credible the evidence is
- The defendant’s liability
- The extent of pain and suffering
Workers’ Comp Back Injury Claims
At Gordon & Gordon, our attorneys also help injured workers when filing a workers’ compensation claim. Like with all personal injury accidents, when you work with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer from our firm, we’ll fight to get you the maximum compensation you deserve.
In many cases, workers’ compensation injury cases can be complicated, especially if there is a negligent third party involved. When you choose Gordon & Gordon for your workers’ compensation claim, you can trust that we will work diligently during settlement negotiations to get you fair compensation.
Pursuing Compensation for Your Shreveport Back Injury Claim
If you suffered back injuries resulting from an accident caused by negligence, you could be entitled to financial compensation. The experienced personal injury attorneys at Gordon & Gordon are prepared to provide you with their legal knowledge and experience and help you seek damages for your injuries.
To learn more about how our Shreveport personal injury lawyers can help you with your back injury case, schedule a free consultation by calling 318-716-4357 or contacting us online today.