Back fractures from a Michigan car accident

A back injury attorney outlines the types of back fractures most frequently suffered by auto accident victims

Back fractures are serious injuries, and one of their most common causes is auto accidents. To speak with a back injury attorney now, call Michigan Auto Law at (800) 777-0028. The call and the advice is free.

Definition of back fracture:
A back fracture occurs when one or more of the bones in an auto accident victim’s back breaks. The bones, which are called "vertebrae," are located in the person’s spine, which is comprised of two main "back" sections: thoracic (chest or mid-back) and lumbar (lower back).

Back fracture symptoms:

• Moderate to severe back pain made worse by movement.
• In some cases when the spinal cord is also involved, numbness, tingling, weakness or bowel/bladder dysfunction.

Five major types of back fractures:

• Compression fracture: While the front (anterior) of a vertebra (bone of the spine) breaks and loses height, the back (anterior) part of it does not.
• Axial burst fracture: The accident victims loses height on both the front and back of a vertebra with this type of fracture.
• Flexion/distraction (chance) fracture: The vertebrae are literally pulled apart (distraction), such as in a head-on car crash in which the upper body is thrown forward while the pelvis is stabilized by a lap seat belt.
• Transverse process fracture: This type of fracture results from rotation or extreme sideways (lateral) bending.
• Fracture-dislocation: This is an unstable personal injury involving bone and/or soft tissue in which one vertebra may move off of the adjacent vertebra, thereby creating a "displacement."

Here's information on diagnostic imaging, treatment and recovery for various back injuries.

Call Michigan Auto Law. Our back injury attorneys are here for you.

If you have concerns about your back injury or your car accident, call us at (800) 777-0028. We can answer all of your questions. You can also fill out our consultation form.

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