Does back injection increase your settlement?
Yes, a back injection typically increases a personal injury settlement by providing objective proof of a severe, chronic injury.
How Injections Impact Settlement Value
- Proves Injury Severity: Undergoing an invasive procedure like an epidural steroid injection demonstrates that your pain is real and went beyond basic soft-tissue damage or standard physical therapy.
- Increases Medical Expenses: The high costs of injection procedures, facility fees, and related doctor visits add directly to the economic damages calculated in your claim.
- Supports Pain and Suffering: Insurance adjusters and juries recognize that a patient will not submit to a needle near the spine unless they are experiencing significant, disruptive pain.
- Demonstrates Permanence: Multiple injections or "failed" injections show that the condition is chronic and unresolved, which elevates the overall value of the case.
Key Factors That Drive Value
- Number of Injections: Requiring a series of spinal injections rather than a single shot indicates a longer treatment timeline and persistent problems.
- Diagnostic Imaging: Clear before-and-after medical imaging (like an MRI or CT scan) substantiates the underlying structural damage.
- Future Medical Needs: If the injections only offer temporary relief and point toward potential future surgery, settlement demands will rise accordingly.