Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a great place to live, with attractions like the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park and the Grand Rapids Art Museum. Still, accidents happen here just like anywhere else, from car crashes on I-196 to slip-and-fall accidents at one of the city’s many shops and restaurants.
Back injuries are a typical result of both car accidents and slip-and-fall incidents. They can range in severity from a temporary inconvenience to a lifelong source of pain and mobility problems. If you’ve suffered a back injury in Grand Rapids caused by someone else, you have the right to pursue compensation for your losses.
Atnip & Associates, PLLC is a personal injury law firm serving Grand Rapids and other communities throughout Michigan. We’ve helped many back injury accident victims just like you to recover compensation for the pain and other problems they’ve suffered due to their injury. We pride ourselves on our commitment to our fellow Michiganders, treating every client like a family member as we pursue justice for their claim. We won’t charge you a fee unless we succeed in obtaining compensation for you. Contact Atnip & Associates, PLLC, today to speak with one of our back injury lawyers.
There are many different types of back injuries, including:
Fractured vertebrae
Sprains
Strains
Herniated disks
Spinal stenosis
“Fractured vertebrae” is another term for spinal fractures, but many types of such injuries exist. For instance, a compression fracture is a small crack in one of your vertebrae, while a burst fracture means one of your vertebrae has shattered into multiple pieces.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, fractured vertebrae are often caused by car accidents. You might have to wear a brace while your fracture heals, or you may need surgery.
Sprains and strains occur when ligaments in the back are torn, or muscles are overstretched. When the soft disks that act as cushions between your backbones start to rupture, the result is a herniated disk. This painful back injury can lead to spinal stenosis, which is the compression of the spinal cord.
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, you may need an extensive exercise and conditioning program to resume normal activities after a back injury. Some back injuries require surgery, and severe back injuries can even lead to paralysis.
What types of accidents typically lead to back injuries? The most common back injury accidents are:
Workplace accidents
Automobile accidents
Slip-and-fall accidents
If you suffer a back injury at work, you can handle it by notifying your employer about the accident and then filing a worker’s comp claim. What can you do if you were hurt in a car accident or a slip-and-fall?
If you suffered a back injury in a motor vehicle accident, the first step is to file a claim with your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance carrier. This should cover all your medical expenses up to the limits of your policy. Under Michigan’s No-Fault system, all drivers who register a car in Michigan are required to purchase PIP. This policy is meant to ensure that you can cover your expenses without proving that the other driver was at fault. If your insurer won’t cover your entire claim up to your policy limits, you can take them to court.
However, PIP coverage doesn’t always cover all your medical expenses and doesn’t include other losses, such as pain and suffering. If the other driver was at fault for the accident, you might be able to file a claim against their Residual Bodily Injury policy. If the other driver doesn’t carry enough insurance to cover your losses, you can also file suit against them.
The No-Fault system doesn’t apply to slip-and-fall accidents. These accidents fall under premises liability law. Property owners and business owners are expected to maintain their premises in a safe condition for visitors and customers. If a loose step or a wet floor caused your accident, you can hold the owner liable for their negligence.
Compensation for a back injury can include:
Medical expenses, both past and future
Lost wages and lost income potential
Pain and suffering from your injury
Loss of quality of life
Some of your compensation may come from your own PIP insurance carrier, while some may come from the at-fault party’s insurance carrier, depending on the type of accident.
The statute of limitations is a law that limits the time you have to file a lawsuit. In Michigan, you have three years from the date of your injury to file your suit against the at-fault party. That includes any lawsuit against an at-fault driver for expenses not covered by PIP.
The Michigan Insurance Code requires you to file a written notification with your PIP insurer within one year if you intend to file an insurance claim. If they deny some part of your claim, you have one year from the date of the expense to file suit against your insurance company.
If you try to handle your insurance claim yourself, you’ll have to do everything a lawyer would normally do for you. Leave it to your lawyer. They will:
Investigate the accident
Interview witnesses
Request a copy of the police report
Obtain medical records
File the insurance claim
Discuss the accident with insurance adjusters
Negotiate with the insurance company and make effective counteroffers
Take them to court if they don’t offer a reasonable settlement
Make an effective case for maximum compensation at trial
As you can see, there are a lot of stressful details involved in handling an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit. You don’t want to have to deal with all that while you are also dealing with horrible back pain. A personal injury lawyer can take care of all aspects of your claim so you can focus on your recovery.
You need an experienced Grand Rapids back injury lawyer who will listen to your story empathetically and then aggressively pursue full and fair compensation.
The seasoned back injury lawyers of Atnip & Associates, PLLC, know how to make the strongest possible case for the compensation you need and deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation about the accident and your back injury. We don’t charge anything unless we win.
