A back injury can be sustained in a variety of ways, like a car accident or a slip and fall accident. Severe back injuries can cause debilitating symptoms and can affect your personal and professional life. If your injuries were caused due to another’s negligence, you should not be forced to handle the impact of a serious back injury alone. If you or a family member was the victim of a serious back injury, you should speak with an experienced Philadelphia back injury lawyer for legal assistance.
With over 40 years of personal injury experience, the injury lawyers at The Reiff Law Firm can help you determine whether your back injury is actionable. Our accomplished attorneys have extensive experience in many areas of personal injury law, from commercial vehicle accidents to premises liability. To schedule a free consultation with one of our dedicated lawyers, call us at (215) 709-6940, or contact us online today.
Common Causes of Back Injuries
As mentioned above, you could suffer from a back injury due to a number of circumstances. The cause of the back injury will also play a role in determining the severity of the injury. Back injuries are difficult to deal with, because they can greatly limit an individual’s mobility.
One common cause of back injuries is a car accident, particularly rear-end car accidents. The sudden impact from rear-end car accidents can cause a victim’s body to be rapidly thrust forward before returning to place. This sudden movement and the force of the impact could cause a person to suffer from back or spinal injuries. Other types of vehicle accidents that can cause a back injury include:
- Collisions with motorcycles or commercial vehicles
- Head-on collisions
- Highway accidents
- Rollover accidents
- T-bone (side-impact) collisions
Slip and fall accidents are another prominent cause of back injuries in Pennsylvania. Many slip and fall accidents occur because a property owner fails to correct a hazardous condition on their property. Property owners have a duty to warn visitors and pedestrians about dangerous conditions on their property, or they could be held liable for a person’s injuries. Under certain circumstances, a property owner may even have a duty to avoid injuring trespassers. There are many circumstances that could cause a slip and fall back injury, such as:
- Wet or slippery floors
- Cracked pavement
- Unstable steps, handrails, or banisters
- Inadequate lighting in stairwells or hallways
- Snow or ice that has not been shoveled or salted
- Construction defects and hazards
During the summer months, amusement park accidents also contribute to back injuries. Amusement park attractions have a risk of injuring visitors if they are not operated properly. For example, if a ride is suddenly started or stopped without warning, a rider could be caught off guard and suffer an injury. Operator error and attractions that have not been properly tested can cause a person to have a severe back injury.
The Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Lawsuits in Pennsylvania
If a person’s or company’s negligence causes you to suffer a back injury in Philadelphia, you should know that you only have a limited amount of time to file a personal injury lawsuit. The statute of limitations determines the amount of time an individual has to file a particular type of lawsuit.
In Pennsylvania, the statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits is generally two years from the date of the accident that caused your back injury. If you fail to file your case within this two-year time limit, the court may bar your claim, and you will be unable to pursue compensation for your injuries. However, depending on the circumstances of your case, it may be possible to delay your filing deadline.
One way that you can delay your filing deadline is Pennsylvania’s discovery rule. The discovery rule allows you to delay the filing deadline for a lawsuit if you do not discover your injuries immediately. For example, if you were in a car accident and suffered a back injury but did not experience symptoms of that injury for several months, the deadline would run from the date you discovered the injury. This rule can apply even if you discover your injury after two years have passed.
Depending on the circumstances of your case, there may be other ways to delay your filing deadline. The statute of limitations only applies to the amount of time you have to file your case, not how long it takes to resolve your case. It is wise to act as soon as possible, while the evidence remains fresh and witnesses to your accident have clearer, more accurate memories.
Philadelphia Back and Spinal Injury Attorneys Can Help
If you or a family member was involved in an accident and suffered a severe back injury, you should consult with an experienced Philadelphia back injury attorney right away. At The Reiff Law Firm, our dedicated attorneys will work diligently to help you understand all of your legal options and fight for the maximum compensation. To schedule a free consultation, call us at (215) 709-6940, or contact us online.
