While many suffer from occasional lower back pain or throw the back out due to over-exertion, those who have sustained a serious back injury may be unable to perform normal activities and find their quality of life is radically diminished.
While there are as many causes as injuries, some of the most serious and disabling can result from car accidents.
These are the types that often require legal services and financial compensation from a back injury settlement.
It is estimated that there are at least a million back injuries attributed to vehicle accidents annually.
The vast majority of these are due to rear end collisions, but broadside hits and collisions with stationary items can also lead to serious back problems.
The term whiplash is often thought to refer to neck injuries but the word more properly describes what happens in these incidents when a person's head is suddenly jerked forward and back.
The worst cases are when the head is turned to one side when the collision occurs.
All sorts of problems can result in the type of back injuries that can permanently disable the victim leading to a loss of livelihood or even paralysis.
In these cases, nearly every victim needs to consult an attorney in order to receive just compensation.
Imagine being unable to support a family, run needed errands or pick up a small child.
This is the sad fact of those who sustain spinal cord injuries.
Obtaining a back injury settlement is a matter of dire need, especially when life-long medical care is also required.
Medical testing and physician care is critical to anyone sustaining back pain or injury after an accident and often tests are ordered to determine extent of injury, areas affected and treatment plans.
Unfortunately, several back problems do not show up on typical x-rays including some of the most painful, muscle sprains and straining.
This testing is important not only for proper care but also in the case of pursuing a back injury settlement.
Victims of the most severe injuries may never be able to return to any type of work and can quickly be in financial jeopardy especially if there are long hospitalization and rehabilitation services needed.
Most hard working families do not have a large nest egg and quickly find that they are destitute financially.
While hiring a legal firm to pursue a suit is the first step, many times these types of accidents become a seemingly never-ending round of insurance issues, delays in court dates and offers of low ball settlements.
In desperation, some victims opt to consider compensation that will not meet long term needs simply because they need money to survive.
There is a recourse available that provides financial relief before a lawsuit is settled, but it is an option only for those who have no other choices available to pay their bills.
Firms called lawsuit funding services work with victims to set up pre-settlement loans that give the plaintiffs money in anticipation of the final settlement amount.
The non-recourse loan ensures that the victim will not have to pay the loan back if the suit is lost in court.
It is important to know though that there are some fairly substantial interest rates involved in the receipt of this pre-settlement money.