Car Accidents and Low Back Pain: Exposing the Disconnect Between Vehicle Damage and Injury

Introduction

A car accident can injure your lower back even when the car shows little or no damage. Even low-speed crashes strain muscles, pinch nerves and damage spinal discs. The bumper does not tell you what happened to the spine.

The number of people living with chronic low back pain is staggering. In fact, more than 80 percent of people will have at least one bout of low back pain in their lifetime. Low back pain has many causes. One that often gets missed is car accidents. This is most true when the car shows little damage. Insurance companies may try to discount claims in those cases. But the damage to the car does not always match the injuries to the people inside. At the Center for Interventional Pain Management in St. Louis, MO, we understand how complex low back pain is, and we are committed to helping patients get the care they need.

Can a minor car accident cause a lower back injury?

Damage to the car does not always show how badly the people inside were hurt. Even low-speed crashes can cause significant injury to the spine and the tissues around it. Low back pain may come from muscle strains, pinched nerves, or damage to the spinal discs. So when insurers discount claims because the car looks fine, they are misguided. That may leave victims without the resources they need to get care.

How do you tell if a lower back injury is serious?

Several red flags may point to a serious low back injury after a car accident. They include:

1. Severe pain or worsening pain
2. Pain that radiates down the legs
3. Weakness or numbness in the legs
4. Loss of bowel or bladder control
5. A history of cancer, osteoporosis, or recent infection

If you have any of these red flags, get medical care right away so the injury is properly diagnosed and treated.

Does a prior back injury hurt my car accident claim?

Many patients with a history of low back pain or prior injury may worry that this pre-existing condition could prevent them from receiving compensation for their injuries. However, the legal principle known as the “eggshell defense” protects individuals in such cases. This principle states that defendants must take their victims as they find them, meaning that even if a person has a pre-existing condition or is more susceptible to injury, the defendant is still responsible for any additional harm caused by their actions. So get proper care for low back pain after a car accident, and get it written down, no matter what conditions you had before.

Key Takeaways

1. Car damage does not always match the injuries of the people inside.
2. Even low-speed collisions can cause significant low back pain.
3. Insurance companies may try to discount claims when the car has little damage. That is not an accurate way to judge injuries.
4. The eggshell defense protects individuals with pre-existing conditions, ensuring they can receive compensation for any additional injuries sustained in an accident.

Related reading: why minor car damage does not rule out whiplash and car accident injuries and how they happen.

Frequently asked questions

Can low back pain result from a car accident even if there is minimal damage to the vehicle?

Yes. Low back pain can come from a car accident even when the car shows little damage. The force of the crash can injure the spine and the tissues around it, and that causes pain.

What should I do if I experience low back pain following a car accident?

If your low back hurts after a car accident, get medical care as soon as you can. A full exam by a doctor can help find and treat any injuries you may have.

How can the Center for Interventional Pain Management in St. Louis, MO help with low back pain after a car accident?

The Center for Interventional Pain Management in St. Louis, MO focuses on finding and treating many kinds of pain. That includes low back pain from car accidents. Our team will build a treatment plan around your needs and help you get your life back.

Will having a history of low back pain or prior injury affect my ability to receive compensation for my injuries?

The eggshell defense protects individuals with pre-existing conditions, ensuring they can receive compensation for any additional injuries sustained in an accident. This principle means that even if you have a history of low back pain or a prior injury, you can still receive compensation for any further harm caused by the accident.

What can I do to prevent low back pain in the future?

To prevent low back pain, live a healthy life, exercise often, keep good posture, and lift the right way. Also, getting early treatment for low back pain can help prevent chronic pain and long-term disability.

What causes lower back pain after a car accident?

The force of a crash can strain the muscles of the lower back, pinch nerves or damage the spinal discs. None of those injuries has to leave a mark on the car. Even a low-speed crash can load the spine and the tissues around it hard enough to cause a significant injury. That is why the bumper is a poor guide to your back.

Why does the insurance company say I can’t be hurt if my car barely got damaged?

Insurers often try to discount back injury claims when the car shows little damage. That argument is misguided. Car damage does not show what happened to the people inside, and low-speed crashes still injure the spine. If you accept that argument, you can end up without the resources you need to get proper care for your back.

Can a car accident cause sciatica?

A crash can, when it pushes disc material against a lumbar nerve root or inflames the root where it leaves the spine. True sciatica runs below the knee, often into the foot, with numbness, pins and needles or a weak ankle along the path of one nerve. Back pain that stops at the buttock usually comes from a facet joint or the sacroiliac joint instead, and the two are treated differently. An EMG with nerve conduction testing shows whether the nerve itself is injured or only irritated; why an EMG is ordered after an injury explains the test.

Conclusion

Low back pain is a complex problem. It can deeply hurt a person’s quality of life. At the Center for Interventional Pain Management in St. Louis, MO, we understand this condition in detail, and we are here to help patients get the care they deserve. If you were in a car accident and your low back hurts, do not let light car damage or an old condition stop you from getting help. Our team of experts is here to guide you through the process and ensure that you receive the compensation and treatment you deserve.

Injured in an accident? Contact Accident and Injury Experts to have your pain evaluated, or call us.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Gurpreet Singh Padda, MD, MBA, MHP — Board Certified in Anesthesiology, Pain Medicine, Interventional Pain Management, Addiction Medicine, and Obesity Medicine.