Back Pain After a Car Accident? Here Are Your Next Steps

I Have Back Pain After a Car Accident. What Should I Do?

See a medical provider soon, tell them your back pain started after the crash, and keep a record of every visit and symptom. Those three steps protect your health and document what happened.

Back pain after a car accident often feels minor at first. It can get worse over the next few days. A medical provider can check for injuries you can’t see on your own, including strains and disc problems that may not show up right away.

Start with this checklist:

• Get evaluated, and follow the treatment plan you’re given.
• Keep a simple symptom journal: where it hurts, how strong it is, and what makes it better or worse.
• Save bills, receipts, and notes about missed work.
• Keep copies of the police report and any letters or call notes from insurance companies.

New Mexico law already sets duties for drivers after a crash. Under NMSA § 66-7-203, the driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of any person, or damage to any vehicle which is driven or attended by any person, must give their name, address and the registration number of the vehicle they are driving, must show their driver’s license on request to the person struck or the driver or occupant of or person attending any vehicle collided with, and must render reasonable assistance to the injured person, including arranging transport to a physician, surgeon or hospital where that treatment is apparent or the injured person requests it.

To learn more about serious spinal injuries, read our spinal cord injury overview.

Why Does Back Pain Start or Get Worse After a Car Crash?

Back pain often starts or worsens because a sudden stop or impact pushes the back and neck past their normal movement. The muscles, ligaments, and discs in the lower back and neck can be strained by that force.

Soreness can stay hidden in the first hours after a crash. That’s why some people notice pain a day or more later, when they’re back at home or at work.

Lower back and neck pain often show up together. A rear-end or side impact can jolt the head and upper body, so the neck and upper back may hurt too.

Pain may stay the same, fade, or get stronger. Symptoms that appear later are common enough to have their own guide: read about how long after an accident symptoms can appear.

Injuries can have more than one cause. Under Herrera v. Quality Pontiac, a proximate cause is one that, in a natural and continuous sequence, produces the injury. It need not be the only cause. That’s why clear records of when pain started matter.

Which Doctor Should I See for Back Pain After a Car Accident?

Start with your primary care provider. Go to urgent care or the emergency room if symptoms are severe, sudden, or getting worse.

Your provider may refer you to physical therapy, an orthopedic provider, or a spine-focused provider. That referral is a medical decision, based on the exam and any imaging.

Describe the pain in detail. Say exactly where it hurts, when it started, and what makes it better or worse. Mention the crash, any head or neck pain, and any other injuries.

Keep every referral and appointment. Skipped visits and gaps in care can make it harder to connect symptoms to the crash later. If you miss one, tell your provider why.

What Are Common Back Injuries and Warning Signs After a Car Accident?

Common injuries include muscle and ligament strains, whiplash-type neck injuries, bulging or herniated discs, facet joint injuries, and fractures. Only a medical provider can tell which, if any, applies to you.

Get emergency care right away if you notice any of these signs:

• Numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arms or legs
• Pain that shoots down an arm or leg
• Loss of bladder or bowel control
• Severe pain that keeps getting worse
• Trouble walking

These symptoms can point to nerve or spinal cord involvement. For symptoms that appear days after a crash, read spinal cord injury symptoms that appear days after a crash. Report symptoms to a provider even if they seem to come and go.

How Long Does Back Pain Last After a Car Accident, and Does It Affect a Claim?

Recovery time varies by injury and by person. Follow your provider’s treatment plan rather than a set timeline.

Medical records, consistent treatment, and documented symptoms are commonly part of how back injury claims are reviewed. Keep your records together.

New Mexico follows pure comparative negligence. Under Scott v. Rizzo, New Mexico uses pure comparative negligence: an injured person’s own share of fault reduces the damages by that percentage, but it does not bar recovery, even when that person is mostly at fault. Partial fault does not automatically end a claim.

Deadlines to file can be shorter in some situations, such as claims involving government entities. Don’t wait to ask about timing. Family members may have their own rights too. Under Thompson v. City of Albuquerque, loss of consortium damages belong to the claimant, not the injured person.

Common Questions

Every case is different, and past results do not predict a similar outcome.

Talk With El Gringo Law About Your Back Pain After a Crash

If you’re hurting after a crash, you may be juggling doctor visits, insurance calls, and work. Some people are handling this for a family member, too.

Josh Wood is the responsible lawyer for this page. He is licensed in New Mexico and Arizona. Our team can answer questions about how a back injury fits into a claim, whether you live in Santa Fe, Rio Rancho, or elsewhere in New Mexico.

Our first consultation is free, confidential, and comes with no obligation to continue (consulta inicial gratuita, confidencial y sin compromiso).

If your back pain started after a crash and you want to talk it through, use our contact form to reach out.