A herniated disc can be an extremely painful spinal injury since part of your spine is putting extra pressure on nearby nerves. It causes intense back pain, plus radiating sensations of burning, numbness, and weakness.
Oddly enough, some people feel no pain from them at all – at least initially, until other symptoms arise. Muscles that are affected by herniated discs can become shaky and weaker over time.
If you have a herniated disc from a Kentucky car accident, seek treatment immediately. These injuries can become much worse if left untreated.
How Serious is Having a Herniated Disc?
Also called a slipped disc or ruptured disc, a herniated disc is one of the most common bodily injuries that can happen in car accidents. The impact this injury has on the body depends on where the disc is located and whether it’s pressing on a nerve.
To determine the severity of your herniated disc, doctors may do a series of tests. Common diagnostic tests for herniated discs include:
- Computerized tomography (CT) scans, which give a total picture of the spine
- X-rays, which use electromagnetic radiation to track down the sources of pain
- Myelograms, which are dye tests that look for points of high pressure
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which uses radio and magnetic technology to take a closer look inside the body and pinpoint the location of an injury
Your spinal discs act as shock absorbers for the body by handling the normal daily impacts so your body can move freely. When one of your discs takes an extreme impact in a car accident, it can slip out of place and move into a position that harms the surrounding areas.
If a herniated disc impacts a muscle group, it typically causes weakness, stumbling, and loss of function. This threatens your mobility, making it harder and more painful to move your limbs.
You may need surgery and/or specialist treatment for your herniated disc, plus rehabilitation that helps you restore your range of motion. The recovery and healing period can be extensive, lasting months or in some cases, even years.
Who’s Liable for My Herniated Disc Injury?
Determining liability for a herniated disc injury can be a challenging task. You’ll need to prove who was responsible for your accident, as well as prove that your herniated disc is a direct result of the accident and is not due to some other cause.
The police investigate severe accidents and may involve other professionals like accident reconstructionists too. The insurance company will also do their version of an investigation.
Your Kentucky accident attorney will also do an investigation for your injury claim and can help you understand your options for what to do next. They’ll help gather evidence to back up your version of the accident, plus your medical bills and other documentation.
The state of Kentucky uses the pure comparative fault rule to assign fault after auto accidents. Each party in your accident will be assigned a percentage of the blame, meaning two people could each have 50% of the blame or one person could have 100%, or many other variations. Sometimes the fault is divided among three or more parties.
This isn’t a bad thing. It means even if you share some responsibility for what happened, you could still win compensation for your herniated disc. Instead of receiving the full amount, your total compensation would be reduced somewhat according to your portion of the blame.
Taking Action When Someone Causes Your Herniated Disc
A herniated disc is painful and life-changing, but you have options for compensation through an injury claim. With the help of a talented car accident lawyer, you could cover your medical bills, missed days of work, property damage, and more.
Talk to your Kentucky accident lawyer about how your herniated disc happened so you can learn more about your legal options. At McCoy & Sparks, we’re here to help you secure the compensation you deserve.
Trust McCoy & Sparks – Premier Personal Injury Attorneys in Central Kentucky
Recognized as one of Central Kentucky’s best law firms for over a decade and counting, McCoy & Sparks works to help people in trouble, representing thousands of clients in Central Kentucky with a focus on providing premium service and delivering superior results. Regardless of the type of case, our goal is to develop a strategy that best serves your personal needs, then draw upon our courtroom skills to help you reach the best possible result. We start by getting to know you. Next, we will explain all of your options, giving you the pros and cons of each choice so that you will be empowered to make informed decisions. You owe us nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Make the right call to 1-844-4KY-WINS for a risk-free consultation with one of our attorneys today.