A back injury from a car accident can cause anything from chronic pain to lifelong disabilities. Some of the more serious back injuries include spinal cord injuries involving trauma to the vertebral column. A spinal cord injury can leave you with limited motor function, depending on the type of impact you sustain.
If you’re struggling with a back injury from a car accident and waiting on a settlement from your legal case, it could mean delayed treatments and other complications as you complete your rehabilitation. After a back injury from a car accident, a settlement you could eventually obtain from your legal case can go a long way toward covering those expenses, but only if you can access the funds when you need them. At USClaims, we help you turn a portion of your eventual recovery into cash that you can use today.
Understanding Back Injuries from Car Accidents
According to the American Academy of Neurological Surgeons (AANS),[1] almost half of all spinal cord injuries are complete. If you have a complete spinal cord injury, you’ve lost sensory feedback and motor control at the point of the injury. With an incomplete spinal cord injury, on the other hand, you retain some level of motor and sensory function below the level of the injury.
The AANS reports that car accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries nationwide amongst younger individuals. While spinal cord injuries are the most serious and life-changing type of back injury caused by car accidents, others can do significant damage and lead to long recovery times, such as:
- Whiplash
- Vertebrae fractures
- Disc herniation/bulging discs
- Strains
The extent of these injuries depends on your specific case; no accidents or injuries are identical. You may have a concussion from a car accident along with your back injury or lacerations, all of which affect your recovery speed. With physical therapy and other treatments, you may be able to return to your normal activities quickly, whereas others might have a longer journey ahead of them. Unfortunately, in some cases, you may never be able to fully recover, and your life may change forever. It can be especially disheartening when it was the negligence of another that caused the car accident and resulted in your back injury. A motorist may be liable in a car accident for a number of reasons, including distractions, texting, drunk driving, speeding, and running a red light or stop sign.
The Settlement Process for Car Accident Back Injuries
It’s important to remember that filing an insurance claim after an accident is not the same as filing a personal injury claim. While insurance companies will often offer to settle a case quickly, they’re out to preserve their bottom line and minimize the cost of the accident. If you have back pain from a car accident, your settlement offer likely won’t cover all your ongoing medical expenses. You should consult with a lawyer to handle settlement negotiations before accepting any offer. To get started, you might want to consider the following:
- Seek legal advice immediately. States have different statutes of limitation on personal injury claims. You may have as little as a year to file your claim.
- File a complaint. Work with your attorney to document your car accident and fill out the paperwork needed to file suit.
- Go through discovery. Depending on the evidence from your car accident that is disclosed during discovery, you may get a fair car accident back injury settlement offer and avoid trial.
- Be prepared to go to trial. If you don’t get a reasonable settlement offer, you may have to proceed to trial to present your evidence.
Your level of injuries, the facts of your case, and the court’s schedule all impact how long it takes to get a settlement for your injuries. A simple case of whiplash after a rear end crash often resolves faster than a car accident that involves long-term disability. Insurance negotiations can also delay the process. Partner with an attorney who can help you gather all necessary documentation needed to prove your case.
Challenges Faced During Settlement
When your case is pending and negotiations are ongoing, many victims of a car accident back injury have to wait for a settlement before they have the money to pay urgent auto or medical bills. With severe injuries, it’s not uncommon to have long recovery times that impact your ability to earn a living and support your family. Insurance companies know that you’ll face financial pressure and may offer you low-ball settlements to try to close your case quickly.
To get you to accept their offer, insurance companies may intentionally delay your case by seeking multiple extensions of time and continuances, wait until the last possible moment to file motions, and generally drag out proceedings for as long as possible. They know that if they wait long enough, you might accept a low settlement out of desperation. USClaims helps you maximize the possibility of a fair back injury recovery from a car accident settlement by giving you the financial support you need now in exchange for payment later.
Introduction to Pre-Settlement Funding
Pre-settlement funding is a convenient option if you’re waiting for your back injury settlement to finalize. This type of cash advance doesn’t consider your credit score and only looks at the merits of your case and your potential settlement amount. With a non-recourse cash advance, you only pay if you win your case. If there’s no settlement, you keep the money and owe nothing. Even strong cases can have unexpected results with a jury trial. Gaining guaranteed access to financial support while you pursue legal action helps to reduce this risk.
How USClaims Supports Back Injury Victims
After a car accident and while recovering from your back injury, your time gets eaten up by physical therapy, doctor’s appointments, and other treatments designed to get you back on your feet. These often come with financial obligations and stress as you work to recover your mobility.
During this time, a pre-settlement provider can help take one of the biggest stresses off your plate by providing the cash that you need to pay your bills. Your attorney can help you make a claim for lost wages after a car accident, but it can take months or years for the case to finalize. Applying for pre-settlement funding online is easy.
You’ll need to have current legal representation and have a claim supported by evidence. If your case appears solid, you may be eligible for a pre-settlement funding offer handled through your attorney.
Don’t Wait for Justice: Access USClaims Back Injury Pre-Settlement Funding
Even when insurance covers all your medical expenses, financial struggles can be part of the aftermath of a serious car accident. Weeks or months out of work can leave you struggling to pay your bills. If you have short-term disability insurance, the money you receive won’t equal what you typically earn, and approximately 51 million Americans[2] don’t have any extra disability coverage at all.
With a substantial cut to your income, you might struggle to make your car payments or miss loan payments. Pre-settlement funding offers cash to help handle those bills during your recovery time. We have a straightforward application process with no application fee, so you can apply instantly and see what you qualify for before you take out a non-recourse cash advance.
Contact us today at 1-877-USCLAIMS to get started on your application.
FAQs
Who is eligible to apply for pre-settlement funding for a lawsuit related to a back injury from a car accident?
Anyone who is currently working with an attorney and is ready to file their personal injury claim may be eligible for pre-settlement funding. Each case is individually assessed and approved or denied. Check out USClaims Pre-settlement FAQs for more detailed information.
How much pre-settlement funding can you receive for a lawsuit related to a back injury from a car accident?
USClaims offers up to 10% of the expected settlement amount in pre-settlement funding. Back injury settlements can range from $2,500 for a minor whiplash diagnosis to more than $5 million for permanent disabilities. The amount of pre-settlement funding depends on the expected recovery and the details of your case.
Sources
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons. “Spinal Cord Injury – Types of Injury, Diagnosis and Treatment.” Www.aans.org, 2021, www.aans.org/en/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Spinal-Cord-Injury.
- “Disability Statistics; Chance of Becoming Disabled – DisabilityCanHappen.org.” Council for Disability Awareness: Prevention, Financial Planning, Resources and Information, disabilitycanhappen.org/disability-statistic/.
