Thousand Palms Back Injury Lawyer

Thousand Palms Back Injury Attorney

Back injuries can be excruciating, cause long-term medical complications, and interfere with the ability to work. Suppose you or a loved one recently suffered a back injury of any kind. In that case, you need to know your legal rights and your available options for securing compensation if another party is responsible for causing it. It’s also possible to qualify for workers’ compensation benefits if you sustained your back injury on the job.

Legal Firm for Thousand Palms Back Injury Claims

The attorneys at English, Lloyd & Armenta have years of experience handling a wide range of back injury claims on behalf of our clients in Thousand Palms and the surrounding areas of California. We understand the pain, stress, and uncertainty an acute back or spinal injury can cause and how debilitating back injuries acquired from years of heavy manual labor can be. Whatever your particular situation entails, our team can assist you in fully exploring all your available legal options.

Why Should I Hire a Thousand Palms Back Injuries Attorney?

If you believe another party bears responsibility for your back injury, or if the back injury occurred at work, you may have grounds for legal action. Personal injury claims can seem straightforward at first, but any civil action carries a high risk of errors, complications, and even failure when the claimant does not have reliable legal counsel on their side. Additionally, if you qualify to file a workers’ compensation claim, the process may not be as easy as it seems at first. Hiring a Thousand Palms back injury lawyer not only increases your chance of successfully securing compensation for your damages but is also more likely to yield much more compensation than you could secure on your own.

English, Lloyd & Armenta believe in providing client-focused legal counsel to every client we represent. We understand that a back injury can easily cause tremendous economic losses due to medical expenses and lost wages from the inability to work. Additionally, most back injuries cause chronic pain, interfering with the victim’s ability to manage even basic daily tasks. It’s natural to feel stressed and uncertain in this situation, and a Thousand Palms back injury attorney can provide clarity and reassurance when you need it most. In addition, your attorney can walk you through all the best available recovery options that can help you secure the compensation you need and deserve after a back injury.

How Do Back Injuries Happen?

Back injuries can occur in numerous ways. However, some of the most commonly cited causes of back injuries in California include:

Motor vehicle accidents. Traffic accidents are a leading cause of accidental injuries and deaths throughout the country, and back injuries can easily occur in any motor vehicle collision. If another driver is responsible for your recent car accident and you suffered a back injury, a Thousand Palms back injury lawyer can help you file your insurance claim against the at-fault driver’s policy and explore further legal action if your damages eclipse their available coverage.

Workplace injuries. Many industries like construction, commercial logging, and shipping are inherently dangerous. When a back injury occurs at work, the injured employee has the right to file a workers’ compensation claim. A Thousand Palms back injury lawyer can help their client complete the workers’ compensation claim process and determine other available options for legal recourse if their benefits do not fully cover their losses.
Premises liability. Slip and fall accidents can easily cause back and spinal injuries. Property owners have a legal obligation to prevent injuries to lawful visitors by addressing known safety hazards promptly or at least warning visitors about them if they are likely to encounter them while visiting the property. If you suffered a slip and fall injury due to a property owner failing to take appropriate care of their property, you have the right to file a civil claim against the property owner.

These are only a few examples of how back injuries might occur. Suppose you believe your recent back injury qualifies for legal action of any kind, whether that includes a personal injury claim, a workers’ compensation claim, or both. In that case, it is vital to consult an experienced Thousand Palms back injury attorney as soon as possible to discuss your legal options.

Can I File for Workers’ Compensation if My Back Injury Happened on the Job?

California state law requires all employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance, even those with just one employee. This means that if a back injury occurs at work, the injured employee generally can file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. However, the workers’ compensation claim process is straightforward on paper and complex in practice. As a result, many claimants have trouble completing their claim packets, and others experience undue resistance from employers and other complications that interfere with their ability to collect benefits.

If you sustained a back injury while performing your job duties in Thousand Palms, you likely have grounds to file a workers’ compensation claim. You should notify your supervisor of the injury immediately. If you require emergency medical treatment, see a doctor as soon as possible. You can visit any doctor in the event of an emergency. However, to qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, you must undergo a medical examination from a physician approved by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance carrier. This workers’ compensation doctor will assign you a disability rating that you will need for your claim.

The California Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) handles all claims for workers’ compensation benefits filed in the state. The DWC will want to know how, when, and where your injury occurred and will evaluate the findings of the workers’ compensation doctor. Workers’ compensation benefits typically cover the claimant’s medical expenses and temporary disability benefits for each week the claimant cannot work, amounting to about two-thirds of the claimant’s average weekly wages. In addition, some claimants can qualify for permanent disability benefits if their injuries are severe enough to prevent them from returning to work in the future.

Filing a Personal Injury Claim for a Back/Spinal Injury

If you file a workers’ compensation claim for a back or spinal injury in Thousand Palms, you generally cannot sue your employer for civil damages. Workers’ compensation exists to ensure injured employees receive the medical care and lost income benefits they need after a workplace injury while insulating employers from liability for civil damages. However, if your employer does not have workers’ compensation insurance or intentionally caused your injury, you would have grounds for a civil claim against them.

If your back injury occurred outside of work and is clearly the fault of another party, you would have grounds to file a personal injury claim. Success with your personal injury claim requires accurate identification of the party or parties you believe to be responsible for causing the injury, a complete and accurate list of all the damages resulting from their actions, and proof that your damages would not have occurred if the at-fault party had exercised reasonable care in the situation in question. A personal injury claim can potentially yield much more compensation than a workers’ compensation claim.

Common Medical Complications From Back Injuries

Back injuries are often debilitating. The back supports the rest of the body and allows for comfortable movement, lifting, and other physical tasks. When you suffer a back injury, it’s easy to feel helpless, experiencing pain just from attempting to move around normally. In addition, back injuries and spinal injuries can entail a host of challenging symptoms, including:

Soft tissue damage. The muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the back can suffer strains and sprains, often requiring extensive recovery time. These injuries often heal with appropriate care and rest but are extremely painful and sometimes require surgical correction.

Spine fractures. The vertebrae in the spinal column can sustain fractures just like any other bones in the human body. However, fixing spinal fractures is typically much more complicated than repairing a broken wrist or foot.
Spinal cord injuries. One of the most severe back injuries a person can suffer is a spinal cord injury. The spinal cord is a thick bundle of nerves that connects the brain to the rest of the body. Unfortunately, the spinal cord cannot self-repair like the rest of the body, so any injury to the spinal cord is permanent. Spinal cord injuries can lead to paralysis, lost range of motion, and diminished sensation.
Slipped and herniated discs. Between the bones of the spinal column are spongy “discs” that allow the spine to flex and bend. Overexertion, falls, and other accidents can cause these discs to shift out of alignment, resulting in excruciating symptoms and inhibiting proper spinal movement.

Ultimately, any back injury is likely to cause severe pain and interfere with the victim’s life in many ways, but spinal cord injuries are the most devastating back injuries anyone can suffer. Therefore, if you or a loved one recently experienced any back or spine injury, you need to consult an experienced Thousand Palms back injury attorney as soon as possible.

Compensation for Injured Back Claim Damages

Back injuries are not only painful but also expensive. The victim of a back injury can typically expect a long and challenging road to recovery, and the medical treatment they require can be expensive. If you qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, you may be able to obtain coverage for your medical expenses and some compensation for your lost income during your recovery period in a relatively short time. However, if you need to rely on a personal injury claim to secure compensation for your losses, the process may take longer than you might initially expect. Working with an experienced Thousand Palms back injury lawyer is the best way to streamline your recovery process no matter what your unique situation entails.

A personal injury claim for a back injury can potentially help the plaintiff recover compensation for:

Medical expenses, both immediate and future. Suppose another party is responsible for causing your back injury. In that case, your personal injury claim can hold them accountable for your immediate medical costs such as hospital bills and surgery fees. Still, you can also demand compensation for treatment costs if you need long-term physical therapy or other ongoing treatments.
Lost income. Workers’ compensation may provide some compensation for lost wages, but not every back injury victim can rely on workers’ compensation when they cannot work due to their back injuries. If another party caused your back injury, your Thousand Palms back injury lawyer could help you hold them accountable for the income you lose during your recovery period. A good attorney can also help clients secure compensation for lost future earnings if their back injury prevents them from returning to work due to permanent disability.

Property damage. If a defendant’s actions also damaged your personal property, you have the right to seek compensation for the cost of repairing or replacing what they damaged.
Pain and suffering. Back injuries are notoriously painful, and some back injuries can cause chronic pain that lasts for years. Your Thousand Palms back injury attorney can help you determine a fair amount of pain and suffering compensation to include with your claim based on the severity of your injury and the time you are anticipated to require for recovery.

Your back injury claim could potentially yield substantial compensation as long as you have the right attorney representing your case.

The attorneys at English, Lloyd & Armenta have extensive experience guiding clients through complicated personal injury claims and workers’ compensation claims. We understand how debilitating a back injury can be and the economic stress it can cause for the victim and their family. If you are uncertain as to how to best approach the recovery process after suffering a back injury in Thousand Palms, CA, we can help.

Our team believes in client-focused legal representation. We know that no two back injury claims are exactly alike, and there are no one-size-fits-all legal solutions to any client’s case. If you are uncertain of how to best proceed with the recovery process after a back injury, we can help. Contact English, Lloyd & Armenta today to schedule a consultation with an experienced Thousand Palms back injury lawyer and get the answers you need to all your legal questions.