If you have exhausted all non-surgical methods to recover from your auto accident-related spinal injuries, surgery may be necessary to help correct the problem. Philadelphia area personal injury lawyer, Michael L. Saile, Jr., explains that surgery is sometimes recommended after a PA auto accident due to the numerous back and neck injuries that can – and are – incurred as a result of the force at which cars are often hit. In cases of severe back injuries like a herniated disc and spinal compression fractures, surgery may be the best option to relieve your chronic pain.
Some common types of spinal surgeries after an auto accident include:
- Spinal fusion: This surgical procedure joins two or more vertebrae together to eliminate the movement of the vertebrae, which is generally the source of pain. It corrects an unstable part of the spine, strengthening and stabilizing it.
- Discectomy: Surgical removal of a herniated disc, or spinal disc fragement, that is pressing on a nerve within the spinal cord. This procedure can also remove the bulging interior of the disc.
- Vertebroplasty: In this procedure, bone cement is injected through a small hole in the skin into a fractured vertebra. This procedure is mainly used to help relieve pain associated with vertebral compression fractures.
- Laminotomy: A spinal decompression procedure that removes part of the bony layer (lamina) that covers the spinal canal, allowing the nerves to be freed from the source of compression causing your pain.
These are only a few of the spinal surgical procedures that exist to treat pain or and/or spinal damage after a PA or NJ auto accident. If you have been told you have a serious back or neck injury but are unsure how your medical costs will be covered or if you should file an injury claim, you should read our car accident guide, entitled How to Maximize Your Pennsylvania Car Accident Case Before an Insurance Company Takes Advantage of You. We offer this book FREE of charge and it’s available by download here. This consumer guide will answer many of your questions. We also encourage you to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer about your case before waiting too long. Our lower Bucks County offices can be reached by calling 215-642-2335.
