After a car accident, seeking medical treatment for pain relief is a routine step in physically recovering. Injuries from a motor vehicle collision can be devastating and always require immediate attention.
Reading: How much does epidural cost without insurance
This medical care plays a very important role in the settlement negotiations surrounding the case in the future, so it is critical that you pursue appropriate treatment options that are necessary and illustrate the full extent of your injuries to the insurance adjuster. contrary.
Some medical treatments may cost more after the accident than before due to new health risk factors and the extent of bodily harm. however, some avenues of pain treatment are already extremely expensive, regardless of whether accidents were the cause of the injuries.
One such treatment is epidural steroid injections for neck and back pain.
Epidural steroid injections are a common form of treatment after a serious back or neck injury. however, they are an expensive and intense medical process that can profoundly affect your recovery and the legal actions you take after an accident.
Understanding the costs of these steroid injection treatments can make all the difference in determining what type of settlement your personal injury attorney negotiates on your behalf. Once you have an attorney-client relationship and you have completed your medical treatment, your compensation is typically calculated based on the cost of medical treatment to heal after the accident.
Regarding lumbar epidural injections, this article will help you understand how much steroid injections could cost after an accident.
what are epidural steroid injections?
First we need to understand what an epidural steroid injection is. The simplest definition for an epidural steroid injection is a treatment method of injecting pain medication directly into the epidural region of the body. This epidural area is a small, fat-filled space that covers the spinal cord and protects the nerves in the spinal canal from damage in our daily lives.
However, epidural steroid injections are more complicated and require more expertise than the standard administration of medications seen in more common injuries.
This treatment is generally reserved for pain from injuries that are more difficult to treat conventionally. It is usually suggested when chiropractic care treatments, trigger point injections or other steroid medications, and anti-inflammatory medical procedures are not effective. Epidural steroid injection treatment is often the option to try before orthopedic spinal surgery.
Most injuries treated by epidural steroid injections can be caused by motor vehicle collisions, making it a common avenue for victims to seek help and most relevant to car accident lawsuits.
>
The actual process of an epidural steroid injection makes it a quick and easy procedure. Simply put, the spine surgeon takes a syringe filled with a corticosteroid, an anti-inflammatory, and injects it into the body’s epidural space. the exact process of epidural steroid injection is as follows:
- The spinal surgeon/neurologist supervising the procedure will use an x-ray machine to maintain an image of the affected area. X-ray is also used to help guide the long needle of the syringe to the correct place.
- Contrast dye is applied to the injured part of the epidural area to make it easier for the doctor to see that they are inject corticosteroids into the correct epidural location in the body. however, this is not always an option, as some people are allergic to the contrast media.
- Finally, the doctor will carefully inject the corticosteroids. occasionally, they will do this under a local anesthetic to minimize pain.
When the section of the epidural area of the body that surrounds and protects the spinal cord is damaged, severe nerve pain and nerve root damage can quickly follow. That is why expensive and powerful medical treatments such as corticosteroids are sought to control symptoms.
examples of spinal cord injuries:
- herniated discs in the vertebrae
- bone spurs
- bulging discs in the spine
- joint cysts
- “slip ” vertebrae
All of these injuries can be induced by spinal nerve trauma as a result of a car accident. therefore, if you are the victim of such an accident, you may hear the recommendation for such epidural injections appear reasonably early in your treatment plan.
These nerve blocks are one of the most commonly recommended surgical treatments offered to car accident victims to minimize pain and speed recovery from their injuries.
Keep in mind that steroid injections will not completely eliminate the pain of your injury. instead, they help temporarily relieve pain symptoms to allow you a less arduous recovery period, making injections a viable pain management and rehabilitation treatment.
can reduce pain while undergoing physical therapy, which can help with long-term recovery and prevent more serious spinal cord injury.
Next, let’s dive into the cost of these steroid injection treatments and the number of sessions required to treat these types of disc herniation and damage to the vertebrae.
How much do epidural steroid injections cost?
See also: All About Deductible in Health Insurance, Meaning, Example & Details
Epidural steroid injections, like any medical treatment, have a high cost that you should be aware of. For these steroid injections, the cost can vary based on several factors specific to your type of injury, location, and medical history.
In some personal injury cases, whether or not you have health insurance will have an equally profound effect on how much your doctor will charge you for the cost of injections.
one of the reasons is that these doctors who give injections for back or neck pain will reduce the cost of injections for people who “pay out of pocket”, which means they have to pay the cost of injections no insurance to offset the cost of them.
The other, more obvious reason is that without insurance, the cost of epidural injections falls solely on you, at least until your case is finalized and you receive a settlement increase or judgment award.
However, on average, the cost of a single session to administer an injection is close to $1,000.00 or more in 2021-2022.
However, rarely is a single injection session in the joint enough to treat the pain and symptoms you would experience in this circumstance. You’ll usually need to return for a series of sessions to make sure the corticosteroids can do their job and relieve your low back pain.
The average number of sessions needed to get the full effect of the injections ranges between 2 and 3. Again, the reason is that the treatment is not a cure for pain but rather to reduce it and facilitate recovery.
They can be an effective combination while doing physical therapy. Corticosteroids have been recorded to offer pain relief for a few months after the effects set in. after that, additional injections may need to be sought if you are still in extreme pain from your injuries.
Most patients seeking epidural steroid injection treatment should expect to spend around $4,000.00 minimum in 2021-2022.
The sessions themselves can become more expensive depending on how many injection sites there are in the body. each epidural steroid injection is billed as a separate cost. In addition to the cost of the initial consultation with the specialist, this may be one of the highest costs of the medical treatment you undergo as a result of your accident.
However, these injections may offer more than just pain relief from your injuries, they may also be beneficial to the side of the personal injury lawsuit by potentially increasing the settlement amount beyond the costs of the injection. .
Why are epidural steroid injections legally relevant?
Epidural steroid injections, quite simply, are a common, expensive, and accepted treatment after a car crash. this means that steroid injections often serve as the starting point for your accident settlement negotiations. When you are involved in a car accident, your medical costs are the basis for the settlement amount or judgment award. the other driver’s adjuster uses that information to make a settlement offer.
Therefore, you and your attorney must prove that you have suffered a serious injury if you want the insurance company’s adjusters to pay you money for physically hurting yourself in the car accident.
The objective of any adjuster will be to try to discredit the seriousness of the injuries caused by their insured client in order to minimize the money they are owed for the accident. that is the job of an insurance adjuster when it comes to car accident claims. In cases like this, you have the burden of proof of the seriousness of your injuries.
One of the most common prerequisites an insurance adjuster will establish to take a back injury seriously is if back injections were part of your treatment. Since epidural steroid injections are a very serious medical treatment, most adjusters treat them as a sign that they take your injuries seriously.
Without injections, most insurance adjusters will attempt to downplay the level of pain and suffering you have endured as less critical than you claim. Often in this scenario, they will point to chiropractor visits like the car accident attorney trying to jack up medical costs for a larger settlement. Whether it’s true or not, the insurance adjuster has the same goal, not to give you a fair car accident settlement.
We do not suggest that injections are 100% required to take your claim seriously, but they can be beneficial. There are myriad reasons why epidural steroid injections may not make sense. The reality is that any solid evidence of your medical treatment and medical expenses is enough for the adjuster to treat your claim with the seriousness it deserves.
Epidural steroid injections serve as a more intensive approach. Which means a doctor most likely won’t tell you to get steroid shots right after a car accident. they may be an intermediate option before or after surgery to help you with your physical rehabilitation.
In addition to the medical documentation, the financial cost of the injections establishes the minimum agreement that the adjuster must consider. Starting with an average of $4,000.00 for combined injection sessions means that the adjuster should consider that amount to be a bare minimum for the settlement itself.
See also: Insurance Billing Frequently Asked Questions | UC Health
There are some caveats, of course. overtreating and seeking more injections than strictly necessary for your recovery will have the opposite effect and will severely damage the legitimacy of your claim while also compromising your health. therefore, choosing to seek the injections if you need them will not hurt your case and instead will strengthen it.
Seeking injections within the limits of what is necessary for your recovery will make it easier to get a fair settlement. the more evidence of your medical treatment, the more difficult it will be for insurance adjusters to reject it as false. While this may make injections a more viable option for your claim, remember that you do not need to have injections specifically for your claim to be taken seriously.
is just one of many examples of extensive medical treatment that the adjuster cannot refute. you should listen to your doctors about what they recommend. Having said all this, you may be wondering how effective the use of injections is from a legal standpoint.
Is there precedent for epidural steroid injections after car accidents?
Yes, injections are a more widespread treatment after a car accident than many people realize. physical therapy and epidural steroids have been used in many personal injury claims and have set a precedent for settlement negotiations.
bosley vs. wirts
One of the first epidural steroid injection cases to be used as the basis for negotiations was in 2011 in Bosley v. wirts. In this case, the plaintiff was struck from behind by the defendant and suffered spinal nerve damage.
Steroid injections were used as one of the initial treatments for his back injury and pain. when the case reached a verdict, the court awarded him a $41,000.00 settlement for pain and suffering from his lower back injury.
funny v. blue sky logistics, llc
Another example is the most recent Graciano v. Blue Sky Logistics, LLC in 2019. In this case, Graciano was driving a tractor when another driver, Michael Daniels, struck Graciano’s vehicle under the employment of Blue Sky Logistics, LLC. As a result, Graciano suffered injuries to his C6 and C7 discs and sought injections to treat the pain.
The injuries were serious and Graciano was able to retain a personal injury attorney and file a lawsuit against Daniels’ employer. Unlike the previous lawsuit, a judge decided this case because a business was responsible.
When the smoke cleared, Graciano was awarded $116,898.00 in compensatory damages for the defendant’s negligence.
broderick mouton vs. united states
Government cases are always more challenging than car accident collisions between ordinary citizens. Finally, another case that took place just two years ago in 2020 was the case of Broderick Mouton v. United States of America. In this case, the plaintiff was struck by a motor vehicle owned and operated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
in mouton’s case, he sustained a severe and painful soft tissue injury to his cervical spine, aggravated by a previous disc injury. At the same time, Mouton used injections to manage immediate pain and testified that she would need surgery in the future. The FAA responded to the claim, but the verdict awarded Mouton a $169,756.00 settlement at the end of the day.
Injections as a medical treatment are effective both for recovery and to establish your claim as serious. several successful personal injury claims involved victims seeking the use of epidural steroid injections to treat their pain.
So, if you’re wondering if such treatments could cost you in terms of settlements or backfire on your claim, know that they have a proven track record of successful legal benefits.
As always, we recommend that anyone in a car accident that was not their fault contact a car accident attorney and law firm for legal advice. Hiring an attorney is a winning strategy compared to negotiating with the insurance adjuster yourself.
Epidural Steroid Injections for Auto Accident Claims
Epidural steroid injections are not a treatment to be considered casually, as they involve the injection of compounds into the body. While it may offer short-term relief and test how badly you’ve been injured, overtreating is a big mistake. it may harm you medically and harm the financial recovery of your claim.
As each injection is a very expensive procedure you can rack up a large amount of debt if you overdo it and jeopardize your settlement. The reality is that each session will set you back at least $1,000.00, and that can add up very quickly. therefore, addressing your needs without overdoing it is the best way to support your health and your case.
However, even though you are not required to pay liens on your medical bills until after your case, being injured can be financially draining.
Regardless of your current situation in life or the nature of your injuries, you still have to meet your daily financial obligations. Unfortunately, it’s becoming easier said than done with the rising cost of everything from food to gas.
This can be even more of a challenge when it comes to the unexpected of a car accident claim. Fortunately, at Express Legal Funding we are able to help plaintiffs in personal injury cases and other types of civil lawsuits. We can help you start your financial recovery with our fast, low-cost pre-settlement financing.
The big plus for you is that it means money now when you need it. risk-free and without worrying about mounting debt. the lien is applied to your future injury settlement or judgment award money. not in you that is because, unlike loans, financing is a non-recourse advance. so call us anytime for a free consultation to learn more and see if you may qualify for the financial legal assistance you need.
See also: How Pay-Per-Mile Auto Insurance Works – Forbes Advisor
