Car accidents in California send thousands of victims to hospitals each year. The neck, back and spinal cord are common places of injury due to the forces of a motor vehicle collision. One potential type of back injury that can affect many aspects of your life is a herniated disk.
What Is a Herniated Disk?
A herniated disk refers to a spinal cord disk – or the rubbery, cushion-like pad located between the individual vertebrae or bones of the spinal cord – slipping out of place or rupturing. Herniation occurs when the disk’s tougher outer layer gets torn open or cracked from injury, causing its softer, jelly-like center to push out or protrude.
How to Handle a Car Accident Claim Involving a Herniated Disk
When a car accident causes a herniated disk, you could be left with chronic pain that affects your day-to-day life and ability to work. You may also face expensive medical costs in association with your injuries. Since California is a fault-based insurance state, you have the right to seek financial compensation for a herniated disk injury from the person or party at fault for causing your car accident.
This could be a negligent driver, a business or company, a product manufacturer, the government, or a combination of multiple parties. Identifying who is at fault for your automobile accident can help you understand your recovery options. From there, you may be able to file a claim for fair and full insurance benefits. You could be entitled to compensation for your past and future medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, property repairs, and more.
How Much Is a Herniated Disk Claim Worth?
The potential value of a herniated disk and spinal cord injury claim in Orange County can vary significantly from case to case. Factors such as the severity of your back injury and the amount of time it will take you to heal can determine how much your claim is worth. The most effective way to maximize your herniated disk settlement is by hiring an experienced car accident attorney to represent you in Orange County. Your lawyer can help you understand and explore your legal options, file a claim against the at-fault party, and negotiate for maximum compensation for your losses.
Signs of a Herniated Disk
Since spinal disks prevent vertebrae from rubbing together, a herniated disk can be a painful and debilitating condition. It can make movements such as bending and twisting painful. You may notice pain that radiates from your back to the neck, shoulders, arms, buttocks or legs. The protruding spinal disk material may also irritate or put pressure on surrounding nerves, which can cause acute or chronic pain, numbness or tingling in the back, or muscle weakness. After a car accident, you may notice the signs of a herniated disk right away. However, it may take another incident, such as bending to lift a heavy object a few days later, to cause a slipped disk to fully rupture. The potential for a hidden or delayed disk injury makes it important to see a doctor immediately after an automobile accident, even if you initially feel fine. This can prove to an insurance company that your disk injury is connected to the car accident.
Treatments for Herniated Disks
A herniated or slipped disk injury can range from mild to severe. In mild to moderate cases, most herniated disks heal on their own with rest and the avoidance of further aggravating the injury. Victims may also be prescribed pain medications and physical therapy to improve recovery. In rare cases, surgery may be necessary to remove the damaged part of the disk or fuse the spine after severe disk herniation.