Chicago Car Accidents Can Cause Disc Injuries

One of the most common injuries that victims of car accidents frequently notice within hours or days of their accident is herniated disc injuries. These injuries can be extremely painful and require several months or years of physical therapy and exercises, ongoing medical treatment, and even countless surgeries to repair.

Discs are soft cushions located in your back. These cushions can be found in between the bones that make up your spine. The main purpose of discs is to help your body handle any trauma or shock that the spine suffers. If your body did not have any discs, there is a good chance that your back injuries would be much more frequent and worse than they already are.

Without proper medical treatment and legal assistance, you may experience permanent damage or disability as well as lose out on the compensation you need and deserve to cover your medical bills, lost income, daily and monthly expenses, and more from a Chicago car accident.

How do you get a herniated disc injury?

According to the Mayo Clinic, a person may have a herniated disc, also called a ruptured or slipped disc, if they are experiencing issues with the discs in their spine. These types of injuries typically occur when an individual is in any type of accident, such as a motor vehicle accident, sports accident, slip and fall accident, and more. Most of the time, people suffer from herniated discs in their lower backs, causing numbness, tingling feelings, excruciating pain, and muscle weakness in their limbs. While many herniated discs get better over time, it is not uncommon for complications to arise, such as chronic pain, bladder or bowel problems, and loss of feeling in certain areas around the body (saddle anesthesia).

How do Chicago car accidents cause herniated discs?

The force and impact of a car accident has the ability to cause herniated discs. Therefore, when you are suddenly rear-ended, T-boned, or hit head-on in a collision, you may immediately begin to feel pain in your back or notice sharp pains, numbness, or tingling within a few short hours of the accident. During the collision, the vertebrae can move around, allowing the discs to slip out of the spine, which may pinch or apply pressure to the nerves within the spine.

To make matters worse, the disc can completely rupture, leaving you in agonizing pain. This usually happens when a car collision causes your back to move and bend in ways that it doesn't normally, leading to the disc's soft interior fluids running out.

Is it possible to have a herniated disc in your neck from a car accident?

It is very common for car accident victims to suffer herniated discs in their neck. Most of the time, this comes from whiplash, which is a type of injury that occurs when the neck moves back and forth quickly and suddenly. Many individuals who have whiplash also suffer from a herniated disc in the neck.

If you believe that you have whiplash or a herniated disc, it is important that you seek medical attention from a doctor who will run tests on your neck area, such as an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan, to determine if you have whiplash, a herniated disc, or both. It can be difficult to diagnose these conditions on your own, as the symptoms that come with whiplash are very similar to a herniated disc. Sometimes, individuals can have long-term and permanent whiplash symptoms because they do not realize that they actually have a disc injury in their neck.

Do herniated disc injuries only happen in serious car collisions?

Although herniated discs are considered to be serious injuries, car collisions do not necessarily have to be serious to cause these types of injuries. As a matter of fact, individuals can be involved in minor or simple car accidents, such as a fender bender, low-speed parking lot accident, or a sideswipe accident, and still suffer a herniated disc injury. However, the chances of a person experiencing disc injuries in minor, low-speed accidents may also depend on previous back injuries, back surgeries, other medical conditions, and age.

What factors affect how much compensation I receive for my disc injury after a car accident?

While you may certainly be entitled to compensation after suffering a disc injury in a car accident, you have to show significant proof that the car accident was caused by another negligent driver or party, and your disc injury is the result of that accident. Here are a few of the factors that may affect how much compensation you receive for your disc injury after a car accident:

• How much your current and future medical bills are
• Whether or not you need surgery or have undergone surgeries already
• Whether or not you are permanently disabled from your injury
• How much time you have taken off work and how much income you have lost
• Whether you have one or multiple disc injuries
• Whether or not you have pre-existing conditions that caused or contributed to your disc injury
• How much fault you share for the accident
• How much pain and suffering you have endured since the accident

Everyone's case is unique and different, meaning that your car accident lawyer will need to learn about the facts and circumstances of your case to determine what it may be worth.

If you suffer a herniated disc injury in a car accident that was someone else's fault, the Chicago car accident attorneys at Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers know how to help you. Our team understands that these injuries not only cause a lot of pain and suffering, but they can also lead to hefty medical bills, lost income, loss of enjoyment of activities, and more. We will look over your car accident claim, help you collect evidence to support your side of the story, and ensure that your disc injuries are taken seriously. Please call us or fill out our contact form to begin discussing and receiving legal advice today.