Back & Spinal Disc Injuries

Michigan Back & Spinal Disc Injury Claims

Back injuries — particularly herniated discs, bulging discs, and spinal nerve compression — are among the most common and most debilitating consequences of car accidents, truck collisions, and falls. These injuries can cause excruciating pain, radiculopathy (radiating nerve pain down the arms or legs), loss of mobility, and may ultimately require spinal fusion surgery or disc replacement. Koussan Law fights to ensure Michigan back injury victims receive the compensation they need for treatment and recovery.

Types of Back and Disc Injuries

Traumatic back injuries include herniated discs (where the soft center of a spinal disc pushes through a crack in the tougher exterior), bulging discs, disc desiccation, annular tears, spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), spondylolisthesis (vertebral slippage), compression fractures, facet joint injuries, and sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction. These injuries can occur at any level of the spine — cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back), or lumbar (lower back) — with lumbar injuries being the most common in motor vehicle accidents.

The Degenerative Condition Defense

Insurance companies almost always argue that disc injuries are caused by age-related degeneration rather than the accident. This is often their primary defense strategy. We defeat this argument by showing that the patient was asymptomatic before the accident, that imaging taken after the accident reveals acute findings (such as disc extrusion or edema), and through expert medical testimony that explains how trauma causes disc injuries even in spines with pre-existing wear. Michigan's "eggshell plaintiff" rule means defendants are liable for aggravating pre-existing conditions.

Michigan No-Fault and Back Injuries

Your PIP benefits cover medical treatment and wage loss under MCL § 500.3107. For third-party pain and suffering claims, back injuries that affect your ability to lead a normal life meet the "serious impairment of body function" threshold under MCL § 500.3135. We build comprehensive medical evidence packages that demonstrate exactly how your back injury has impaired your daily functioning.

Call Koussan Law at (313) 800-0000 for a free back injury consultation.