As a result of a traumatic event like a car crash, automobile accident, trip and fall, and other incidents, a victim may suffer personal injuries to the neck, upper / middle back, and or low back. For some victims, the injuries are short term in duration and heal with little to no medical treatment. However for many other such victims, the neck and back injuries are permanent in nature and require extensive medical care. When there are neck and back injuries following a traumatic event, it is important for the victim to see out medical care and evaluation from medical providers with experience and knowledge treating traumatic neck and back injuries. It is also important to treat with a medical provider with a good understanding of the automobile insurance payment system in the form of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) if the injuries were caused by a car crash. It should be noted that not all medical providers accept Personal Injury Protection (PIP) as a form of payment for medical treatment following an automobile accident or car crash.
Let's discuss some basic terms so that you have a better understanding the neck and back and how injuries may affect you from a medical standpoint.
Neck - Cervical Spine. The neck, also referred to as the cervical spine, consists of 7 vertebrae designated as C1 through C7. C1 is the top of the neck while C7 is the bottom of the neck. Compared to the mid back and the low back, the cervical vertebrae are the smallest vertabrae in the spine. Cervical discs are composed of a tough exterior (called the annulus fibrosus) and a soft, jelly interior (called the nucleus pulposus).
Upper and Middle Back. - Thoracic Spine. The upper and middle back, also referred to as the thoracic spine, consists of twelve vertebrae. The thoracic spine extends down to connect to the lower back also called the lumbar spine. The twelve vertebrae are designated at T1 through T12. The thoracic spine also has discs in between the vertebrae.
Low Back - Lumbar Spine. The low back, also referred to as the lumbar spine, consists of five vertebrae which are designed as L1 through L5. There are disc between the vertebrae as well.
Sacral Region (Bottom of the Spine). The sacral region is located below the lumbar spine. The sacral region is composed of five bony segments that are fused together and designed as S1 through S5. The part of the spine where the lumbar spine meets the sacral region is designated as L5-S1.
There are a number of other structures and components that form the cervical-thoracic-lumbar spine and connect to the spine. If any one component is damaged or compromised due to trauma, the functioning of the cervical, thoracic, and / or lumbar spine can be significantly affected. For many personal injury cases, it takes a team of doctors to properly diagnose and treat the trauma related personal injuries. Insurance companies will evaluate all claims and will carefully scrutinize many claims in an attempt to save money off of the insurance policy limits. Insurance companies evaluate each case from a business perspective rather than a personal one. Some claims are fairly evaluated and settled while many others require the push, advocacy, and, yes, the fight and support of a Florida Personal Injury Attorney to pursue and obtain the proper compensation for the injury victim.