Injection Therapy from Car Accident Injuries in Kansas City
If you have an back, neck or other injury that requires injection therapy, you have suffered a severe car accident injury that is not responding to other more conservative treatment options. Injection therapy is a common treatment for neck, back, and spine injuries or shoulder or rotator cuff injuries that may result from car accidents. Accident victims receiving injection therapy typically suffer from chronic, debilitating pain that interferes with their lives and work.
If you are wondering if you need a lawyer for an injury cases that involves injection therapy, the short answer is almost always yes. At the very least, you should get a free consultation with a lawyer experienced in car accidents and injuries requiring injection therapy.
Our Kansas City personal injury attorney offers a free consultation during which we will review your case, explain your options, and offer advice on how to best move forward. There's never a cost for this consultation, and there's no obligation to hire our firm. Call us today at 816-203-0143.
What is Injection Therapy?
Injection therapy involves injecting medications in the affected area of the spine to help reduce inflammation and pain. In most cases, the injections contain a corticosteroid anti-inflammatory medication to reduce swelling. The cortisone is combined with a local anesthetic, usually lidocaine, to reduce pain.
Most doctors do not recommend injection therapy until after less invasive, traditional forms of treatment are unsuccessful. A doctor might recommend time, rest, and over-the-counter NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to allow the injury to heal and pain to subside. If the pain continues, intensifies, or interferes with activities of daily living (ADLs), injection therapy may be justified.
Unfortunately, injection therapy is not a cure for an injury. It is more like a “band-aid” that merely relieves the pain. However, it can help relieve pain so that a patient can tolerate physical therapy, which can help with some neck and back injuries. Also, if someone is experiencing chronic pain, the only relief that allows the person to return to some normal activities is received from injection therapy.
Common types of injections used for back and neck pain are facet joint blocks, epidural steroid injections, and Selective Nerve Root Blocks (SNRB). Each type of injection can provide pain relief. SNRBs and facet joint blocks can also provide diagnostic results. If the patient experiences pain relief, the physician knows that the pain is originating from the specific nerve or joint targeted with the injection.
Personal Injury Claims Involving Injection Therapy in Missouri & Kansas
Proving that neck and back injuries are related to a car accident can be challenging. Injection therapy is a common treatment for degenerative diseases that can cause back and neck pain. In many cases, there is no actual acute injury a doctor can identify that could be causing the pain, such as a fractured disc or torn or herniated disc.
Therefore, many insurance companies argue that the need for injection therapy has nothing to do with the car accident. The company may deny the claim stating that the treatment was required because of a previous condition.
However, just because a person may have a degenerative condition or have experienced a prior accident does not release the at-fault driver or his insurance company from liability for car accident injuries. If the car accident made a condition or prior injury worse, a victim may still be entitled to compensation if we can prove that the current level of injury would likely not have occurred had it not been for the accident.
Another problem with injection therapy claims is that the condition is likely to be permanent. The injections provide temporary relief, but it does not cure the problem. Therefore, valuing future damages can be challenging.
Working with medical experts to relate the back or neck pain to your car accident is essential. It is also vital to obtain a prognosis that accurately describes the likelihood your condition is permanent. Once we obtain the medical evidence, we can work with other experts to estimate the financial damages you may experience in the future, including the cost of medical care and loss of income.
Contact a Kansas City Car Accident Attorney
Neck and back injuries after a car accident can be debilitating and painful. They can also be frustrating because insurance companies can make it much more difficult to obtain the compensation you deserve after being injured in a car crash that was not your fault. Work with an experienced car accident lawyer in Kansas City is strongly recommended.
The Law Office of Kevin J. McManus assists accident victims throughout Kansas and Missouri. We understand neck and back injuries and how to fight for maximum compensation for these injuries. Insurance companies know that we do not stop fighting for our clients, and we are willing to go to court if that is necessary to protect a client’s best interest.
If you have questions about accident claims, contact our office by calling 816-203-0143 to request a free consultation with a Kansas City car accident attorney.
