Yes. Scoliosis, or an abnormal curvature of the back, happens for many reasons—potentially including car accidents. If you have never had signs of scoliosis prior to an accident and develop the afterwards, your condition was most likely caused by the accident itself.
Watch out, though: insurance companies are not quick to pay out car accident claims related to scoliosis. In fact, they will often tell you that this condition isn’t covered at all—but it can be in some cases. Always get a good car accident lawyer when dealing with back pain after an accident.
What is scoliosis?
Scoliosis refers to a side-to-side curving of the spine. Normal, healthy spines do not curve in this way! When you look at the spine running down someone’s back, it should appear to be a straight line. But with scoliosis, some of the vertebrae have drifted out of place and the spine may appear to be a curved or S-shaped line.
Scoliosis occurs for many reasons, and can develop without any clear cause at all. Posture and muscle tightness are believed to be causes in some cases; in other cases, it may be in response to an injury.
Scoliosis can cause symptoms including:
- Uneven gait or posture
- “Crooked” appearance or one eye appears higher than the other
- Fatigue from muscles having to work harder to support the upper body
- Clothes don’t fit well
- Back pain,which may grow worse over time
Scoliosis can often be treated successfully with chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, a brace, or a combination of these methods.
Will my car accident claim pay for my scoliosis?
The answer is, “it depends.” There are two main reasons for this:
- Scoliosis doesn’t always cause actual financial damages (such as medical costs)
Some cases of scoliosis aren’t painful. If that’s the case, you might not be taking medication and you might not even seek out treatment for it. If you have no costs, your car accident claim won’t pay you anything for scoliosis.
However, remember that there are many symptoms of scoliosis that aren’t actually painful, and it should still be treated. For example, imagine your spouse notices the bend in your back and you realize your posture and appearance have changed. You could seek scoliosis treatment to correct this, and the cost of that treatment could potentially be recovered in your claim.
- Insurers will often claim your scoliosis is not related to your accident.
Since scoliosis isn’t usually painful right away, you may not notice it till weeks or months after your accident. Insurers will claim the two are unrelated—even if you never had scoliosis prior to the accident. This is why it’s important to see a doctor as soon as possible after a car accident.
A lawyer can help you prove your claim and get payment for the full amount of treatment you need.
Talk to an Atlanta Car Accident Lawyer for Free
If you’re having back pain or spine curvature after an accident, you need to talk to a lawyer. Money could be available to cover the cost of your treatment and other losses—even if the insurer is denying it. We can help. Let us give you a FREE consultation to get you the answers you need. Call us at (404) 341-6555 or fill out the form to the right to get your free consultation today.
