Back Pain From Car Wreck in Myrtle Beach: What You Need to Know

Back Pain After a Myrtle Beach Car Accident 

Although back pain after a car accident is common, it doesn’t mean you should ignore your discomfort. The force of impact during a car wreck can cause back injuries that have the potential to seriously affect your life if left untreated. If you are experiencing ongoing back pain or delayed onset back pain after a car accident in Myrtle Beach, it’s important to seek treatment so your injury can be diagnosed and treated before it worsens. 

Whether you are a resident or a tourist visiting Myrtle Beach, our state laws are meant to keep you safe. If someone has broken a law that has resulted in your injury, you have the right to hold them legally and financially responsible for their recklessness. At the Law Office of Kenneth Berger, we handle car accident cases in Myrtle Beach and all across the state. We understand the impact that a car wreck can have on your life, and our experienced South Carolina car accident attorney works hard to recover compensation to cover medical bills, and lost wages, and help you get back on your feet. Let us navigate the stressful legal process for you so you can prioritize your health and well-being. 

If you’re experiencing back pain after a car accident, we are truly sorry for what you are going through. We want you to get the medical and legal help you deserve. To set up a free consultation at our Myrtle Beach office, give us a call at 843-427-2800 or contact us via the live chat box below. We look forward to seeing how we can help. 

What Compensation Can I Receive for Back Pain Related to a Car Wreck in Myrtle Beach?

If you are experiencing back pain due to another driver’s negligence, you can file an injury claim to hold the responsible party accountable for the harm they caused. Suffering from back pain can be a major financial stress. Serious back injuries may require extensive doctor visits, x-rays, and physical therapy costs that can quickly add up. 

If you are experiencing back pain after a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, contact our firm to see how we can help you seek a full, fair recovery for your damages. Damages from a wreck in Myrtle Beach may include: 

• Lost income and diminished earning capacity 
• Medical bills and future medical costs 
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium or companionship 

Areas of Your Back Affected by a Car Wreck

Your back and spinal cord consist of a complex system of bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. You have 31 nerve roots and 32 muscles in your neck and back.¹ Your back has 33 individual bones, which are your “vertebrae”. Your vertebrae are surrounded by tendons, muscles, and ligaments that connect the bones and allow for mobility. Your vertebrae can be broken down into four regions: the cervical region (your neck), the thoracic region (your upper back), the lumbar region (your lower back), and the sacrum region (your tailbone).²

The force of impact during a car wreck can affect any of these sensitive areas and cause long-lasting damage.  

Common Back Injuries After a Car Crash 

Collisions place a large amount of force on your spine, which can lead to back injuries. The type of injury you sustain during a car wreck can affect the severity of your pain and when you start experiencing discomfort, whether it be immediately after the accident or days later. Below are common injuries after a car accident that can lead to back pain:

• Vertebrae Fractures: Vertebral fractures may include a burst fracture (when the bone fragments shatter), a flexion fracture (when a vertebra breaks), or a compression fracture (small breaks in the bone due to immense pressure).¹ 
• Spinal Disc Damage: Common spinal damage injuries include bulging, herniated, or torn spinal discs. 
• Whiplash: The most common injury related to car accidents, whiplash can impact the muscles and ligaments in your spine, causing pain in both the upper and lower back. 
• Joint Injuries: Your facet joints, which connect the vertebrae in your spine, can be affected if you experienced a particularly high-impact crash. 
• Spine Sprains and Strains: Tendons and ligaments in the lower back can be torn due to the force of impact of the crash.³
• Spinal Cord Injury: Back pain can also be a sign of a more serious spinal cord injury, which can be debilitating and life-altering.  

Upper Back Pain After a Car Wreck in Myrtle Beach

The thoracic region, which includes the vertebrae in your upper back, can be severely impacted by force or trauma. Although upper back pain is less common than injuries to your lower back, damage to the thoracic region can be more serious.

It is always important to get your upper back pain checked out by a doctor since it is the region that connects to your ribs and protects your vital organs. Damage to this region can lead to chronic pain, cause nerve damage, or affect your breathing.¹ 

Different injuries can cause different kinds of damage to the upper back region:  

• Whiplash, although typically only experienced temporarily, can potentially cause tendons and ligaments to tear and lead to serious damage. 
• Sprains and strains to soft tissue in the area can result in complications if not treated properly. 
• Herniated discs, although more common in the lower back, can also occur in the upper back and cause serious pain. A herniated disc occurs when the outer layer of an intervertebral disc, which provides flexibility and movement in the spine, becomes cracked and pushes out the soft inner material. 

Lack of treatment for any of these injuries can lead to long-term complications and damage.⁴

Lower Back Pain After a Car Accident

Many of the same injuries that occur in the upper back can also occur in the lower back region, including: 

• Lumbar sprains, 
• Vertebrae fractures, 
• Disc herniation, and 
• Facet joint injuries 

These back injuries are frequently experienced after a wreck with lower back sprains and strains among the most common car accident injuries. 

It is essential that you visit a doctor if you are experiencing lower back pain after a collision in Myrtle Beach. Proper diagnosis and treatment is necessary to prevent further complications. If left untreated, back and spine injuries can lead to a degenerative disc disorder years later. Such disorders can cause bone spurs, spinal osteoarthritis, and degenerative scoliosis.¹

Signs and Symptoms of Back Injuries After a Car Crash in Myrtle Beach

Back pain may occur immediately after a car accident or not until a few days later. You may be experiencing soreness or pain all over your body, which can make it difficult to determine whether your pain is concentrated in a particular area of your back. Below are commonly experienced symptoms due to back injuries from a wreck:

• Loss of normal movement
• Sharp acute pain
• Stiffness 
• Tingling or numbness in extremities 
• Muscle spasms 
• Burning pain
• Discomfort when walking or standing
• Pain that worsens with activities such as lifting, bending, or twisting
• Sciatica (one-sided pain, numbness, or tingling in the low back, buttocks, leg, and foot due to a spinal disc injury)³

How to Treat Car Accident-Related Back Injuries and Pain

While some back injuries may resolve in a matter of days or weeks, others may require more intense care. Treatment for your back pain may include:

• Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications to reduce swelling  
• Heat and ice to reduce inflammation 
• Physical therapy 
• Gentle stretching and light movement to regain mobility 
• Corticosteroid shots for pinched nerves or spinal inflammation³ 

Depending on the severity of your injury, you may need to visit a spine surgeon. It is best to consult with medical professionals to assess the right course of treatment for your back pain. Your primary care provider can likely refer you to a spine specialist to ensure you get the medical treatment you need. 

How a Personal Injury Attorney Can Help With a Car Accident-Related Back Injury

Back pain can be debilitating and exhausting. You should not have to deal with the stress of high medical bills and pushy insurance adjusters while suffering from back pain after a car accident that was not your fault. 

At the Law Office of Kenneth E. Berger, we navigate the legal system for you so you can focus on the healing and recovery process after this traumatic experience. Our car accident attorneys can help ensure you get the medical treatment you need while also identifying evidence and negotiating a fair recovery with the insurance companies. We pride ourselves on our client communications so that you can stay in the loop throughout your case.