If you sustained a herniated disc after a car accident, our Denver Car Accident attorneys might be able to help you cover compensation.
Back injuries are one of the most common types of injuries sustained in Denver car accidents. Specifically, herniated discs frequently occur from the forceful twisting, acceleration, or deceleration in a motor vehicle collision. Sometimes, very severe cases of herniated discs require surgery to repair and can burden the injury victim with heaping medical bills.
On top of unexpected medical bills piling up, a back injury can change your life in virtually every aspect. Not only does it make it difficult to carry out every task, like picking up your kids or carrying groceries and cleaning the house, but it can also put you in a bad mood when you’re experiencing chronic discomfort and pain. You might not be able to work for a while or even work the same job as you did before due to your back injury.
Read on to learn about the signs of a herniated disc after a car accident and how a Denver personal injury lawyer can help you.
What Is a Herniated Disc Injury?
The crash impact of an auto collision causes violent movements that can wreak havoc on the spine. The twisting and abrupt stopping can put abnormal strain and pressure on the spinal discs. As a result, a disc can herniate or rupture. Discs are vertebrae of the spine, and when those ruptures slip out of their protective casing, you have an injury called a “herniated disc.”
The inner part of the disc can either sleep all the way out or push up against the vertebral casing. Or, it can slip out of place and cause a bulge in your spine (this is known as a bulging disc). Such an injury impacts your vertebrae and has the capacity to irritate nearby nerves. This will cause pain and other health complications, such as inflammation. When left untreated, the injury can worsen and cause secondary complications.
What Are the Symptoms of a Herniated Disc?
If you have a slipped, bulging, or herniated disc after a car accident, you may experience the following symptoms:
- Pain around the injury site
- Stiffness in the back
- Stiffness or tightness in the neck
- Muscle spasms at the location of the herniated disc
- Numbness and tingling
- Shooting pain in the arm or leg
- Weakness in the arm or leg
- Decreased grip strength
- Increased clumsiness or coordination
- Foot drop
Different parts of the spine connect with different parts of the body. The location of the symptoms will depend on where you experience a herniated disc. For instance, if you experience a herniated disc in the lumbar region (or lower back area), you may experience pain in the lower back. On the other hand, if you get a herniated disc in the thoracic spine (mid-back), you’ll experience pain in the middle of your back and have difficulty walking.
Your Denver personal injury lawyer can help assess the nature and extent of your injuries to come up with a fair value to claim for damage compensation.
Common Treatments For A Herniated Disc Caused By Denver A Car Accident
For mild cases of a herniated disc, the injury victim might only require some ice, heat, rest, and over-the-counter pain management medication. From a medical standpoint, if an injury does not require invasive treatment, it’s best to avoid it. But sometimes, for very severe cases of a herniated disc, surgical intervention may be necessary.
Other forms of less-invasive treatments to relieve symptoms of herniated discs include:
- Chiropractic treatment
- Electrical stimulation
- Massage therapy
- Physical therapy
A severely herniated disc or an injury involving herniated discs on several levels of the spine will require surgery. There are several different types of surgery available to help correct a herniated disc.
Spinal Fusion
Spinal fusions are generally the most invasive and a last-resort surgical intervention method. In a spinal fusion operation, the damaged disc is removed and replaced with grafts, cement, or some other substance to replace the disc. The screws are inserted above and below the vertebrae, along with rods that are threaded through the screws for enforcement. The rods and screws immobilize the part of the spine where the new substances are fused to the spine.
Laminotomy Or Laminectomy
A laminotomy or laminectomy does not directly repair the herniated disc but helps to reduce pain and pressure on the nerves of the surrounding area. This procedure is done by removing part of the bone of the individual vertebrae where the disc is slipped or damaged.
Discectomy
The discectomy is the most common type of surgical procedure for car accident-related herniated discs. Discectomy surgery involves the surgeon removing a portion of the disc and replacing it with an artificial bone graft or spacer. This is a very effective method for reconstructing the herniated disc and helping gain control of leg pain and other symptoms from sciatic nerve damage.
What Damages Can I Recover From the Liable Party After Sustaining a Herniated Disc in a Denver Car Accident?
If you have a herniated disc after a car accident caused by a negligent driver, you may have valid grounds for a personal injury claim. The at-fault party may be responsible for covering your financial reparations, including:
- All current and future medical bills associated with your injury (hospitalization, medications, surgical procedures, doctor visits, physical therapy, rehabilitation, assistive care or devices, and more)
- Lost wages
- Future diminished earning capacity.
- Pain and suffering, including physical, mental, and emotional
What Should I Do After Sustaining a Herniated Disc in a Car Accident?
A herniated disc that goes untreated can cause paralysis or other permanent damage. Therefore, you need to follow these steps to ensure your injury does not worsen and you protect not only your health but your legal rights.
- Get medical attention as soon as possible. Time is of the essence when it comes to back injuries. If you let them go too long without a proper diagnosis and medical intervention, it can turn into a permanent or debilitating injury. The sooner you get checked out, the better chance you have at preventing further injury and reaching a full medical recovery. Your doctors also need to do appropriate testing to rule out more serious injuries, such as permanent spinal cord damage.
- Get a referral to a spinal cord injury specialist if necessary. After your doctor administers testing and medical imaging techniques to diagnose your herniated disc, they may refer you to a specialist. Some types of emergency room testing will now show a herniated disc. For example, a simple X-ray won’t show a herniated disc, so you need to ensure you get all the proper testing for a correct diagnosis.
- Get copies of all medical records and any other related documents for your herniated disc. This will make everything easier down the line when you need to deal with insurance companies, as they will ask for medical records. Prompt medical documentation will show that you took your injury seriously and that it was a direct result of the car accident. If you wait too long to get treatment, don’t be surprised if the insurance company tries to deny your claim. They often use this as a defense (that the injured victim waited too long to get medical treatment), and thus, the injuries are unrelated to the accident or not as serious as your claim. Showing a clear temporal relationship between the accident and your injury will make it easier for your attorney to negotiate a fair settlement that appropriately compensates you for your injury.
- Don’t forget to contact your insurance company to inform them of the injury and your injuries. You may need to include your application or no-fault benefits.
- Contact an experienced attorney who has handled cases and has a proven track record in winning cases for clients with similar injuries. Most experienced personal injury lawyers have helped people through this type of claim before since back injuries are amongst the most common car-accident-induced injuries.
- Never sign any contracts, agreements, waivers, or accept settlements related to the accident until you consult with a Denver Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer.
Contact an Experienced Denver Car Accident Injury Lawyer Today
If you suffered a herniated disc after a car accident in Denver, reach out to our team of experienced Denver personal injury lawyers today to see how we can help you. A herniated disc is a debilitating and painful injury to live with. If your injury was caused by a negligent driver, you deserve justice.
We can assess your case to determine what damages you are eligible to seek and help you pursue all liable parties accordingly. Our team of legal experts has the experience to handle your case effectively and get a desirable outcome.
Most importantly, we know how hard the times following a car accident can be, especially after getting injured by a careless or reckless driver. That’s why we offer compassionate and caring yet professional legal services to each and every client. We will fight aggressively to win you the compensation you deserve. We’ll guide you through the entire legal process to make your road to recovery much smoother.
Call us today for a free initial consultation.
