Fort Worth back and neck injury claims: what proves a herniated disc

A bad back is hard to prove because many people already have disc wear. Texas takes you as it finds you, and you generally have 2 years to sue. In Fort Worth, JPS and Texas Health Harris Methodist are both Level I trauma centers where an MRI can be done.

Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (27)

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Road map of Fort Worth showing I-35W and the hospital area near Main Street south of downtown
An x-ray alone cannot diagnose a herniated disc. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

How do I prove a back or neck injury after a Fort Worth accident?

With imaging and a clear timeline. An x-ray shows only bones and cannot diagnose a herniation by itself. An MRI or CT shows the herniation, and MRI also shows discs, ligaments and nerve roots.

Go to a doctor soon after the crash and say every place that hurts, even if it seems small. A gap in care gives the other side room to say the pain came from something else.

What if I had back pain before the Fort Worth accident?

You can still recover. Disc wear without symptoms goes from 37 percent of people at age 20 to 96 percent at age 80. So an old scan showing wear does not end your claim.

Texas Supreme Court law is that a wrongdoer takes the person as found. The question becomes what the accident added. Ask your doctor to compare earlier records to the new ones.

When should I see someone about neck or back pain in Fort Worth?

SignWhat to doWhy
Numbness, weakness, bowel or bladder changesContact a provider right away.Nerves may be pressed.
Pain after a blow or fallGet checked soon.Early notes link the pain to the event.
Pain past 12 weeksTell your doctor it is chronic.Long pain changes the value of the case.
Pain that is easingKeep every visit.Back and neck pain often improves over weeks to months.

How do I get my back and neck records in Fort Worth?

Ask for your spine imaging reports and discharge notes. At JPS, send the request through MyChart or fax it to 817-702-5700; the records office is at 1500 S. Main Street. At Texas Health, file it online through Versima.

For the crash itself, get the police report. Fort Worth Police investigated 15,673 crashes in 2025, and a copy costs $6 through TxDOT's CRIS site.

Will Texas make me prove my medical bills in a back injury case?

A sworn billing affidavit can prove bills were reasonable and the care was necessary. It does not prove the accident caused the injury. Recovery is limited to the amounts paid or owed.

For a back or neck claim, a Texas hospital lien needs you to have been admitted within 72 hours.

Can I still collect if I share blame for my Fort Worth crash?

Yes, as long as a jury does not put more than half the fault on you. Under that rule your award is reduced by your percentage.

If a government vehicle hit you, notice is due within six months, and a claim against the City of Fort Worth must be in writing by day 180.

What if I hurt my back at work in Fort Worth?

Workers' comp help is free. The state's DWC claim line is 800-252-7031, option 1. Its Fort Worth-area office is at 150 Westpark Way, Suite 345, Euless.

Questions

Do I need surgery to have a claim?

No. Many back and neck injuries are treated without surgery, but your records still have to show the injury and its cause.

How long does back pain last after an accident?

It often improves over weeks to months, and it is called chronic after 12 weeks.

Can an old injury hurt my case?

It can raise questions, but Texas takes you as it finds you.

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Sources (27)

  1. Coates v. Whittington (Tex. 1988), checked 2026-11-09. “It is well settled that a tortfeasor takes a plaintiff as he finds him.”
  2. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
  3. Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “JOHN PETER SMITH HOSPITAL 11/1/2028 E FORT WORTH 76104”
  4. Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “TEXAS HEALTH HARRIS METHODIST HOSPITAL FORT WORTH 1/1/2029 E FORT WORTH 76104”
  5. National Library of Medicine, AJNR 2015, checked 2026-11-09. “Disk degeneration prevalence ranged from 37% of asymptomatic individuals 20 years of age to 96% of those 80 years of age”
  6. MedlinePlus, checked 2026-11-09. “it is not possible to diagnose a herniated disk by a spine x-ray alone”
  7. MedlinePlus, checked 2026-11-09. “Spine MRI or spine CT to show where the herniated disk is pressing on the spinal canal.”
  8. MedlinePlus, checked 2026-11-09. “Any numbness, loss of movement, weakness, or bowel or bladder changes”
  9. NIAMS, checked 2026-11-09. “MRI can help diagnose damage or disease of the soft tissues, such as the discs, ligaments, and nerve roots in and around the spine.”
  10. NIAMS, checked 2026-11-09. “lasts longer than 12 weeks and occurs daily”
  11. MedlinePlus, checked 2026-11-09. “often goes away or improves a lot over weeks to months”
  12. JPS Health Network, Patient Records, checked 2026-11-08. “You can fax a written request to 817-702-5700.”
  13. JPS Health Network, Patient Records, checked 2026-11-08. “JPS Health Network Health Information Management 1500 S. Main Street Fort Worth, TX 76104”
  14. Texas Health, Request Medical Records, checked 2026-11-08. “Texas Health has partnered with Versima”
  15. TxDOT, 2025 Crashes and Injuries by Investigating Agency, checked 2026-11-08. “FORT WORTH PD 107 110 468 555 2,668 3,567 2,314 3,643 9,519 32,438 597 2,356 15,673”
  16. Fort Worth Police, FAQs, checked 2026-11-08. “for $6.00. If your search for a report returns no results, the report has not been approved.”
  17. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 18.001, checked 2026-11-09. “is sufficient evidence to support a finding of fact by judge or jury that the amount charged was reasonable or that the service was necessary”
  18. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 18.001, checked 2026-11-09. “The affidavit is not evidence of and does not support a finding of the causation element”
  19. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 41.0105, checked 2026-11-09. “recovery of medical or health care expenses incurred is limited to the amount actually paid or incurred by or on behalf of the claimant”
  20. Tex. Prop. Code § 55.002, checked 2026-11-09. “For the lien to attach, the individual must be admitted to a hospital not later than 72 hours after the accident.”
  21. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001, checked 2026-11-08. “a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent”
  22. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001, checked 2026-11-09. “a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent”
  23. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.012, checked 2026-11-09. “the court shall reduce the amount of damages to be recovered by the claimant with respect to a cause of action by a percentage equal to the claimant's percentage of responsibility”
  24. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.101, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than six months after the day that the incident giving rise to the claim occurred”
  25. Fort Worth City Charter, Chapter XXVII, Section 25, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty (180) days after the same has been sustained, unless good cause is shown”
  26. Texas Department of Insurance, DWC Contact Us, checked 2026-11-08. “Call and speak to a customer assistant at 800-252-7031, option 1.”
  27. Texas Department of Insurance, DWC Contact Us, checked 2026-11-08. “Fort Worth | 150 Westpark Way, Suite 345 Euless, TX 76040-3708”

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