Car crashes generate a tremendous amount of force, which may result in nerve damage that could cause intense pain and affect your ability to walk or even breathe.
If you have been diagnosed with a nerve injury, or you think you have nerve damage, call Galloway Jefcoat today. Our auto accident lawyers in Lafayette help those injured in auto accidents take legal action to obtain compensation. We represent the injured at no upfront cost and have obtained millions on behalf of our clients.
In this blog, we explore how collisions can cause nerve injuries, the types of nerve injuries that may occur, common symptoms, and what nerve injury claims or lawsuits may be worth.
How a Collision Could Cause a Nerve Injury
There are three main ways crash victims may suffer nerve damage:
Blunt Force Trauma:
Crashes can throw your body around, throwing you into the dashboard, steering wheel, window, head rest or something else. Some crash victims could get ejected from their vehicles and hit the pavement or something else on the way to the ground.
Pedestrian crashes often involve pedestrians getting hit by a car, which can shatter bones and seriously damage nerves. Pedestrians could also get pinned between vehicles or between one vehicle and a fixed object, causing blunt force trauma and compression.
Side-impact collisions, such as those in intersections, could result in a severe blow to your back, damaging the nerves in the spinal cord.
Compression:
Fractured or dislocated bones, such as in the spinal cord, can result in compression of nerves. Soft-tissue injuries could also result in swelling that could put pressure on surrounding nerves.
Compression injuries often result from getting stuck inside the vehicle after a severe collision. Damage to the vehicle can pin body parts in position while they are under pressure.
Neurapraxia:
Sudden, violent movements during a crash can stretch nerves farther than they will allow. For instance, this could happen if you suffer whiplash. This occurs when your head and neck are violently thrown forward and backward as the collision occurs. While many people consider whiplash to be a muscle injury, it could also damage surrounding nerves. This can be considered a secondary nerve injury.
The pain and long-term limitations that can be caused by nerve injuries cannot be overstated. Unfortunately, insurance companies may not see things that way. This is just one of many reasons why you need a licensed attorney with a history of results advocating for full compensation for your damages. At our firm, we are always prepared to take claims to court to pursue the favorable result victims deserve.
"I have used Galloway Jefcoat a few times and have always been very satisfied. Furthermore, all of the people who work there are very professional, nice, and courteous."
What Are Some Types of Car Accident Nerve Injuries?
These are some of the common nerve injuries that might happen in a collision:
- Radiculopathy: This is the name for irritation or compression of a nerve that exits the spine. This can cause pain and weakness along the path of the nerve.
- Neuropathy: This means one or more nerves have become inflamed. This often happens because nearby tissues are irritated. This can cause severe pain and possibly paralysis or weakness. However, there are a wide range of neuropathy symptoms.
- Herniated disc: This is caused by damage to the disc between one of your vertebrae. This could result in a pinched nerve that can be incredibly painful.
- Spinal cord injury: A sharp blow to the spine can result in a fracture that tears nerves, resulting in permanent paralysis in any body parts below the site of the injury.
- Brachial plexus injury: Your seat belt can damage the bundle of nerves that control movement in your shoulder, hand and arm. This can cause weakness in the affected arm, inability to move and loss of feeling.
- Nerve damage from a traumatic brain injury (TBI): TBIs can injure nerves in your brain, affecting various bodily functions, including cognitive functions.
- Secondary nerve injuries: These are injuries caused by another primary injury. For example, internal organ damage, fractures, lacerations or strains. Sometimes the nerves are completely severed, which is called neurotmesis.
Common Symptoms of a Nerve Injury From a Car Crash
If you were injured in a car crash and you notice any of the following symptoms, you may have a nerve injury:
- Burning or sharp pain in the affected area
- Ongoing pain in your head or neck
- Foot drop and other problems with your gait
- Numbness, such as in your feet, hands, legs or arms
- Weakness
- Being unable to move a body part
- Loss of sensation, including numbness or tingling
- Struggling with balance or muscle coordination
- Not sweating
- Sweating excessively
- Spasming muscles
- Impaired reflexes
- Frequent falls because of muscle weakness or paralysis
- Jabbing pain
- Trouble digesting food
- Sudden onset of hypotension (low blood pressure)
Sometimes nerve injuries are permanent, and other times you can regain some function and mobility. It is critical that you seek treatment right away to help prevent injuries from worsening. If you delay treatment, you could be increasing your risk of chronic pain and other debilitating symptoms.
"As a client of Galloway Jefcoat for over two years I want to take a minute to say how much I appreciate the team handling my case."
What is a Nerve Injury Worth in an Auto Accident Claim?
One of the main factors in the value of any car accident claim is the victim’s diagnosis. However, each injury is different. Two people could have a similar diagnosis, but their claims may have a different value.
The lawyers at Galloway Jefcoat are dedicated to securing full compensation for your medical care and other damages.
These are some examples of the types of medical care often needed for nerve injuries:
- Surgery – Sometimes doctors need to perform surgery to repair nerves or relieve compression. Surgery may also be necessary if there is a spinal cord fracture, as doctors need to stabilize the spine.
- Physical therapy – With or without surgery, patients may need physical therapy to help build strength and flexibility.
- Occupational therapy – This can help victims relearn how to do things at their old job or another type of job.
- Pain management – This often includes prescription and over-the-counter medications to help reduce pain and inflammation. This can be critical for victims who are still able to work after their injury.
Nerve injury victims can include the cost of treatment they have already received and treatment they may need in the future.
Other damages that could be included in your claim are as follows:
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Physical and emotional pain and suffering
- Lost enjoyment of life
- Permanent disability
- And more
If you have questions about legal options after a nerve injury, call Galloway Jefcoat. We help victims put their lives back together after an unexpected collision.
"Great experience, from day 1 I felt like I finally had someone on my side and that feeling didn't leave me for 1 single moment."
Contact Galloway Jefcoat After a Car Crash Injury
If you are suffering from nerve damage that was caused by a car accident in Lafayette, it is important to understand your legal rights. You may be eligible to seek significant compensation from the liable driver’s insurance company.
Galloway Jefcoat’s experienced attorneys have a proven track record that includes millions recovered on behalf of crash victims in the Acadiana area.
For more information or to schedule a consultation, contact Galloway Jefcoat today.
"Galloway Jefcoat helped me at a time when I felt lost and taken advantage of by my employer."