Spinal Injury Accident Attorneys

Serving Kansas City, Independence, Blue Springs & Lee’s Summit

Car accidents frequently cause neck, back, and serious spinal injuries because of the forceful impact of a collision being transferred through the vehicle to both drivers and passengers. In some cases, the injuries are obvious and will be quickly addressed by hospital doctors, orthopedic surgeons, and neurologists. In other cases, neck and back injuries from an auto accident will not be readily apparent. A victim of a car accident may notice that his or her neck or back pain will be become worse, instead of better, after the first 48 hours. While legal representation by a qualified car accident lawyer is important, the first priority is to receive a correct diagnosis of the specific area of the spine that is injured. Because most hospital radiologists are only concerned with a neck or back fracture, they frequently overlook the other effects of trauma. This is why we recommend a complete radiological examination by a chiropractic physician if you are told no fractures are present. A chiropractic physician will look for spinal abnormalities and identify specific levels of your spine that require rehabilitation to restore proper function and range of motion. From there, a chiropractic physician will initiate both active and passive therapies to help reduce pain, internal swelling, and help you recover. The reason we are so adamant that our clients receive an accurate diagnosis of their  neck or back injury is because many Missouri and Kansas insurance companies are sure to argue that the collision caused minor damage and could not have been forceful enough to cause personal injury.  It is important that your car accident lawyer have objective medical evidence of injury. If the injury lawyer does not have experience with these types of cases, the client may be forced to accept a recovery that does not cover his or her medical bills, lost income, pain, suffering, discomfort, and all other personal loss. Lead Attorney, Doug Horn, has an exceptional track record over the past 20 years, particularly in cases that involve injuries to the head, neck, back, and legs. While Horn Law regularly handles complex injury cases that involve permanent disability, the firm is also well-known for handling the smaller cases. While these types of cases rarely proceed to trial by jury, Horn Law’s hallmark is to prepare the case as if it were going to be tried to a jury. Part of excellent preparation is to make sure the accident is properly investigated and the medical evidence is in order. Horn Law will work with the treating doctors to make sure that a full record and disclosure of your particular injury is made. Although our primary office is in Independence (close to the intersection of I-470 and I-70), Horn Law serves all of Missouri and Kansas. In order to determine if we can be of substantial benefit, Douglas Horn offers free legal consultations. If Horn can accept your case, Horn Law works on a contingent fee meaning there is no attorney fee unless a recovery is made by the client. At the legal consultation, Doug Horn can determine what needs to be done to make sure you receive a fair and full recovery. Investigations and preservation of evidence top the list with respect to items that Horn Law must do immediately.

Chiropractic Treatment

Chiropractors are frequently sought out to rehabilitate “soft tissue” injuries to the neck and back. Most chiropractors use a combined approach of spinal adjustment and passive therapies to reduce pain/inflammation and restore proper function to the cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back), or lumbar (low back) spine. Spinal adjustment is meant to correct vertebrae that are out of position due to an injury. In essence, the chiropractor restores proper vertebral position. This helps restore proper motion and may also free nerve impingement. Passive therapies are then used in conjunction to increase healing by reducing inflammation and restoring natural mobility to the injured areas.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is used to accelerate healing by reduce inflammation, strengthening the muscles, and restoring muscle flexibility, joint mobility, and spinal motion. Frequently, a physical therapist will use both passive and active therapies. Active therapy is usually certain exercises that are targeted toward the areas of injury.

Pain Management

If a neck or back injury becomes persistent and the patient is not a surgical candidate, he or she may be referred to “pain management” treatment. This type of treatment involves an injection of a steroid medication that acts as an anti-inflammatory directly into the area causing pain. The steroid reduces swelling and pain by neutralizing chemicals released by the injured soft tissues. When swelling and pain are reduced, it allows the patient more freedom of pain-free movement. This, in turn, helps the patient restore normal function and break the pain cycle.

Horn Law Representation

Over 65% of our injury cases involve neck, back, and spinal injuries. As you might expect, car, truck, andmotorcycle accidents account for most of theses cases because your neck and back are most vulnerable. While some minor neck and back injuries can be handled directly with an insurance company without legal representation, it is always advisable to consult with Horn Law when medical, chiropractic treatment, or physical therapy is necessary. Legal consultation with Lead Attorney Douglas Horn is free and our firm will only take your case if we can be of substantial benefit. The following are several different types of spinal cord, back, and neck injury cases where our attorneys can be of substantial benefit:

Neck and Back Strain / Sprain

In these cases we depend upon your treating doctor to perform exams and radiology. From a legal standpoint, this is what we refer to as objective evidence of injury. An example of objective evidence of injury would be an x-ray that shows a misalignment of vertebrae. Your complaints and symptoms of injury are also important. These are called the subjective evidence of injury. Common examples of subjective evidence of neck or back injury include:
  • Headache
  • Tenderness / Stiffness
  • Numbness or tingling
  • Pain radiating into shoulder / arm or pain into the legs.

Bulging or Herniated Vertebral Discs

In addition to neck and back injury cases, our attorneys also concentrate on injuries to the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar discs. Because injuries to a disc may require surgical repair and the probability of partial disability is much higher, it is important to have strong legal representation. Legal representation not only needs to take into account the past and present damages caused by the injury, but also the future damages, such as future medical treatment and future pain, suffering, discomfort, and disability. The degree of the injured vertebral discs dictates the medical treatment. Bulging discs are often treated with conservative therapies and passive rehabilitation. Surgical repair, where a disc may be fused, is limited to the circumstances where the disc is herniated and putting pressure of the spinal cord or producing disabling pain. Often, a second medical opinion is appropriate in the case of a vertebral disc injury.

Neck and Back Fractures

Over the years, Horn Law has handled numerous cases of fractured vertebrae caused by auto and truck accidents. Although the permanent effects of the injury cannot be evaluated until after approximately 9 months, it is important to consider a second medical opinion. Areas of the neck and back that are injured tend to produce discomfort and the need for possible medical rehabilitation later in life. Although the treating surgeon’s opinions are important to the claim, other medical experts are necessary in order to fully establish the past, present, and future damages. If you have been in an accident and suffered a back, spinal cord, or neck injury, contact our car accident lawyers for free consultations. Because you are only entitled to one recovery, the recovery must be a full recovery that compensates you for all damages, past, present, and future. Horn Law offers you a free investigation. Legal consultation, case assessments, and examinations from an experienced personal injury attorney are important when you are working with insurance claim agents or other insurance company representatives. Contact Horn Law at 816-795-7500 free of charge for legal consultation.

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