Study Finds Back Sprains Connecticut’s Most Distinctive Injury

 Posted on March 23, 2017 in Hartford personal injury lawyer

Every time that a person seeks medical attention for an illness or injury, the reason for the visit is recorded in code form in the individual’s medical record. The coding system for classifying diagnoses is notoriously complex and the current iteration—known formally as the International Classification of Disease, Tenth Edition or ICD-10—includes more than 70,000 codes, with more than 3,000 dedicated just to physical injuries. Whether you have been stung by a bee or hit by a car—or even a horse-drawn buggy—there is an ICD-10 code to describe your situation.

Injury Studies

Recently, a healthcare analytic company called Amino released the results of its comprehensive analysis of about 244 million health insurance claims for services provided by medical professionals between 2012 and 2016. The research shows that Americans suffer a wide range of physical injuries but there are national trends. In addition, many states seem to have quirky conditions that set them apart from the others.

To illustrate, the most commonly treated conditions throughout the country were open wounds—including minor cuts—and bruises, with one of those two being the most frequent injury diagnosis in 49 states. Falls were more common in Colorado. In Connecticut, more people sought medical attention for bruising than for any other condition during the period studied.

The study also looked at the frequency of each coded diagnosis by state to determine each state’s “most distinctive” physical injury. Connecticut was one of 11 states in which a sprain was the most distinctive injury and one of just three—with Ohio and Oregon—in which the most distinctive was a back sprain. According to the study’s findings, sprained backs were 60 percent more common for Connecticut residents compared to the national average.

Common Causes of Back Sprains

A sprained back is often the result of overexertion, but can occur in many other ways as well. A person who slips on a wet floor in a grocery store, for example, could sprain his or her back even he or she does not fall. Similarly, those who are involved in a motor vehicle accident may suffer back sprains, especially if they are aware that a collision is about to happen and they brace themselves for the impact.

Back sprains can be extremely difficult to treat, and the pain and stiffness can persist for weeks after the fact. Such injuries can also affect a victim’s quality of life as they often find it difficult to sit or stand for extended periods of time. In the most serious cases, the victim may not be able to drive or work. Depending on the circumstances, however, you may be able to collect compensation from the party who caused your injury.

Call to Discuss Your Case Today

If you were injured on another person’s property and are currently suffering from severe back pain, contact an experienced Hartford personal injury attorney. Call 860-290-8690 for a free consultation at Woolf Law Firm, LLC, and learn more about your options for treatment and financial recovery.

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/icd/icd10cm_pcs_background.htm

http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/most-common-injuries-10948036.php

https://amino.com/blog/common-personal-injuries/