How Pre-Existing Posture Problems Affect Your Car Accident Injury Case
Here is something every car accident patient needs to understand: if you had posture problems before your crash, the insurance company will try to use them against you.
Defense attorneys and adjusters routinely argue that a patient’s pain is the result of a pre-existing condition rather than the accident. Forward head posture, kyphosis, scoliosis, degenerative disc changes — any documented or visible postural issue becomes a target for minimizing your claim.
The “Eggshell Plaintiff” Principle
Arizona law follows what is known as the eggshell plaintiff doctrine: a defendant takes the plaintiff as they find them. If you had a pre-existing postural condition that made you more vulnerable to injury in a crash, the at-fault party is still responsible for the full extent of your damages — not just the portion that would have occurred in someone with a perfect spine.
However, making this argument effectively requires meticulous documentation. Your treating provider must clearly distinguish between pre-existing conditions and new injuries caused by the accident.
Related Reading
- How We Document Injuries for Maximum Case Value
- What Is a Spinal Ligament Assessment?
- How Poor Ergonomics Can Complicate Recovery
How We Handle This at Woolston Wellness Center
When we evaluate a patient after an accident, we perform a postural and spinal assessment that identifies both chronic postural patterns and acute trauma. Our imaging protocols, including computerized spinal ligament analysis, allow us to objectively differentiate between degenerative changes that developed over years and acute ligamentous injuries that resulted from the crash.
In our narrative reports, we document this distinction explicitly. We describe the pre-existing condition, explain how the accident aggravated or worsened the baseline, and quantify the additional impairment caused by the crash. This level of documentation is what attorneys need to counter the defense’s “it was already there” argument.
What This Means for Patients
If you have a history of poor posture, back pain, or prior spinal conditions, do not let that discourage you from seeking care after an accident. Having a pre-existing condition does not disqualify you from receiving fair compensation. It simply means your documentation needs to be thorough enough to tell the full story.
That is exactly what we do. Every day.
Ready to get evaluated? Call (480) 556-6797 or book online for a same-day appointment. No out-of-pocket cost for injury patients.
BY: woolstonwellnesscenter
Attorney Resources, Auto Accident Care