A broken tailbone can be extremely painful and may take months to heal. This injury can make it difficult to stand, walk, perform daily activities, or even to comfortably lie down and rest.
When you are in near constant pain and unable to work, a fractured tailbone can quickly create chaos in your life.
If you suffered a broken tailbone because of another party’s negligence, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your damages. At Anderson Blanda & Saltzman, our compassionate Lafayette catastrophic accident attorneys have helped to protect the rights of over 10,000 injury victims.
We have a proven record of success and want to help you recover the compensation you deserve. Call (337) 233-3366 or visit our contact page to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.
What to Know About the Tailbone
Your tailbone is a triangular bone at the base of your spine that is typically made up of four vertebrae. However, some people’s tailbone have three and others have five.
The tailbone sits below the sacrum, which is the lowest part of the lumbar spine. When you sit, your tailbone helps support your body weight by curving inward. It helps stabilize your pelvis and pelvic floor by its attachment to numerous ligaments, tendons, and muscles in the pelvic area.
The medical term for your tailbone is coccyx and pain in your tailbone is known as coccydynia. According to the Cleveland Clinic, tailbone pain can sometimes be unbearable and in rare cases may require surgery.
Symptoms of a Broken Tailbone
A broken tailbone may have various symptoms. Some of the most common signs that you have a bruised or broken tailbone include:
- Numbness or tingling sensations near your tailbone or pain that radiates from your tailbone area and down your legs.
- Swelling or bruising around your tailbone.
- Pain with bowel movements or when urinating or loss of bladder control.
- Sharp pain in the lower back.
- Pain that gets worse when you go from a sitting to a standing position.
- Pain during sexual intercourse.
- Rectal pain.
Broken or bruised tailbone symptoms may be immediate or may show up days after your injury. You should immediately seek a medical evaluation after an accident and anytime you experience these or other symptoms of injury.
Diagnosing and Treating a Tailbone Injury
A medical evaluation can diagnose a broken tailbone. Physicians may take an x-ray of your tailbone, perform a rectal exam, or order an MRI to help determine whether your tailbone is fractured.
Home treatments for a tailbone injury may include taking anti-inflammatory drugs, using a donut cushion when sitting to take pressure off the tailbone, applying cold or hot packs, and taking stool softeners.
Your physician may also recommend an injection of numbing medications and steroids, massage therapy, physical therapy, acupuncture or other non-surgical treatments.
Only in rare cases does a tailbone injury require surgery. When surgery is required, it may involve a partial or total removal of your tailbone.
Causes of a Broken Tailbone
A broken tailbone may be caused by:
- A fall.
- A motor vehicle accident.
- Childbirth.
- Sports related injuries.
- Osteoporosis.
- Violent acts.
If your tailbone was fractured by another party’s actions, you should promptly consult an experienced Louisiana personal injury attorney to determine your options.
Compensation For a Broken Tailbone in Louisiana
Compensation for a broken tailbone depends on various factors. However, in a successful personal injury case for a broken tailbone, you may be able to recover economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages include your medical expenses, lost wages, and other expenses or losses incurred because of your injury.
Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other intangible damages.
Louisiana only permits an award of punitive damages when specifically provided by law. For example, if your broken tailbone was caused as a result of the intoxication of a driver in a motor vehicle accident, or by an act of domestic abuse, punitive damages may be appropriate.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Anderson Blanda & Saltzman Personal Injury Attorney
If you have suffered a broken tailbone because of another party’s actions, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your damages.
At Anderson Blanda & Saltzman, our personal injury attorneys in Lafayette have the experience, skills, and resources to help you recover maximum compensation for your injuries. Call (337) 233-3366 or complete the short form on our contact page to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.