In California personal injury cases, lumbar spine (lower back) injuries are among the most frequently claimed and can be very impactful—physically, emotionally, and financially. These injuries are often long-lasting and can affect everything from walking and working to sleeping and driving.
🦴 Quick Overview: Lumbar Spine
- The lumbar spine includes the L1 to L5 vertebrae—the largest and strongest bones in the spine.
- It supports much of your body’s weight and is responsible for mobility, posture, and lifting.
- Injuries here can range from soft tissue strains to herniated discs, fractures, or even nerve compression (sciatica).
⚠️ Common Causes in California PI Cases:
- Car accidents (rear-end, T-bone, high-impact crashes)
- Slip and falls (especially on wet or uneven surfaces)
- Heavy lifting accidents
- Bicycle, pedestrian, or motorcycle accidents
- Defective products (e.g. faulty chairs, airbags, ladders)
💥 Types of Lumbar Spine Injuries:
| Injury | Description |
|---|---|
| Muscle strain/sprain | Soft tissue injury from overuse or trauma |
| Herniated or bulging disc | Disc material pushes out, compressing nerves |
| Degenerative disc disease (aggravated by trauma) | Age-related wear worsened by injury |
| Fractures (compression, burst) | From trauma like falls or car crashes |
| Facet joint injury | Painful inflammation in the spine’s joints |
| Sciatica | Radiating pain from compressed sciatic nerve |
| Spinal stenosis | Narrowing of spinal canal, sometimes worsened by injury |
| Surgical fusion or discectomy | Required for serious structural issues |
💵 Recoverable Damages in California:
- Medical expenses (past and future)
- Surgical costs (if needed—discectomy, laminectomy, spinal fusion)
- Physical therapy, chiropractic care, pain management
- Lost wages and loss of future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life (if activities are permanently limited)
- Emotional distress
- Household assistance or modifications (for severe cases)
💰 Typical Settlement Ranges (Estimates):
| Injury Severity | Estimated Settlement Range |
|---|---|
| Soft tissue strain/sprain | $15,000–$50,000 |
| Herniated disc w/o surgery | $50,000–$150,000 |
| Herniated disc with surgery | $150,000–$500,000+ |
| Spinal fusion or permanent disability | $500,000–$1M+ |
| Catastrophic injury (wheelchair use, paralysis) | $1M+ |
Note: Values depend on the severity, proof of causation, insurance coverage, and how much the injury affects your life.
📅 Statute of Limitations:
- [Generally] 2 years from the date of the injury to file a PI claim in California
- 6 months to file a government claim if a public entity (city, county, state) is involved
🩺 Evidence That Helps Win a Lumbar Spine Case:
- MRI or CT scans showing structural damage (e.g. disc herniation)
- Consistent treatment records (ER visit, primary care, specialists)
- Medical expert opinions (orthopedic, neurosurgeon, pain management)
- Proof of how the injury affects your daily life (journals, witness statements)
- Lost wages and employment records
- Vocational rehab opinions (for loss of work capacity)
👨⚖️ Real Talk: Insurance Tactics to Watch For
- They may claim it’s a “pre-existing condition”
- Downplay soft tissue injuries as “minor”
- Offer lowball settlements, especially early on
- Delay or deny coverage without strong documentation
Law Offices of James R. Dickinson – 909-848-8448
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