Herniated Disc Cases – Missouri Car Accidents

Post Date: October 13th, 2010

As a St. Louis personal injury attorney, my clients ask how much they should receive in a car accident settlement that caused a herniated disc. There is no one answer to this question because every personal injury case is different. The symptoms, problems, and types of treatments differ for each individual are dependent on the severity of the injury caused by the car accident. Moreover, a settlement is affected by preexisting conditions, the amount of wages lost due to the injury, and how long it will take for recovery.

A herniated disc is an injury to the spinal cord, which can also be referred to as a pinched nerve, bulging disc, protruded disc, and slipped disc. The nerves of the body send signals to the brain to interpret. Nerves in the spine can affect motor function, sense of touch, and pain. A Herniated disc compresses nerves in your spine and disrupts the signals sent to the brain. The main symptoms of a herniated disc are pain, numbness and tingling, muscle weakness, and incontinence.

One of the most common symptoms of a herniated disc is radiating pain. When your pain travels from one point in your back through one of your extremities, the pain is considered radiating. Nerves from your neck run down your shoulders and through your fingertips, while nerves from your lower back run through your hips and legs. Numbness and tingling in your arms and legs is another symptom. In many cases, the numbness and tingling will alternate with the radiating pain from a herniated disc.

Muscle weakness is another symptom caused by a herniated disc because many nerves control our motor function. When a nerve is compressed by a herniated disc, muscle weakness can be a result. Incontinence is another symptom of a herniated disc, but it is very severe. Problems with bladder or bowel control after an auto accident should be looked at by a medical professional immediately.

Treatment of a herniated disc is different for every person depending on the severity of the injury. A herniated disc is a serious medical condition and if not treated immediately, it can lead to permanent nerve damage. Treatment for a minor herniated disc could require physical therapy, while more serious injuries could result in the need for epidural steroid injections. Surgeries such as disc replacement, discectomy, and fusion may be necessary in order to treat the herniated disc. If you have been in an accident that resulted in a herniated disc, it is important for you to seek an attorney that specializes in personal injury because they have the experience necessary to help you receive the settlement that you need for your injury.

Many people injured in a car accident are worried about getting treatment because they do not have health insurance. A herniated disc is a serious injury that can be expensive to treat, but it cannot go untreated. If you have been injured in an auto accident, please call Myers Injury law immediately and an experienced personal injury attorney will help make arrangements for treatment. My law firm has developed many relationships with medical professionals that specialize in auto accident injuries. We can make arrangements for you to get the treatment you need. In most cases, you will not be required to pay any money up front because the doctors will be paid when you receive a settlement.

Joshua P. Myers is the owner and President of Myers Injury Law, LLC.  Based in St. Louis, Missouri, he routinely handles personal injuries that result in herniated discs throughout the Midwest. If you have suffered a herniated disc injury from an automobile accident, please contact an attorney to learn your rights. Our dedicated attorneys are standing by to help you through this time of crisis. It is always free to discuss your case with us and we never charge attorney’s fees until we recover on your behalf.

Tags: attorney, bulged, bulging, disc, herniated, lawyer, nerve, personal injury, pinched
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