Suing for Nerve Damage after an Accident
Some of the most common injuries after a car crash are broken bones, cuts and lacerations, bruises and scratches, traumatic brain injuries, dental and facial injuries, back and neck injuries, and nerve damage. Nerve damage is one of the most underestimated types of injuries after a car accident. Oftentimes, there are no external indications that a person has this injury. And yet, nerve damage can cause severe pain, numbness, weakness, and even temporary or permanent disability.
What is nerve damage, exactly?
Nerve damage, also known as peripheral neuropathy, is when the nerves become damaged after an injury or illness. When the nerves become damaged, the body may have difficulty responding or functioning normally. This is because the nerves in the body are responsible for communicating and sending messages from the spinal cord and brain to the other parts of the body. When the nerves become compressed, pinched, crushed, or severed in a car accident, they can no longer send messages, which can interrupt your normal bodily functions.
What are the symptoms of nerve damage that you should be aware of?
There are various symptoms of nerve damage that you should be aware of, including:
- Pain
- Muscle weakness
- Numbness or tingling
- Burning or throbbing
- Sensitivity to touch
- Coordination issues
- Sudden mobility problems (unable to move a limb or body part)
- Bladder, bowel, or digestive issues
- No sweating at all or excessive sweating
- Drastic changes in blood pressure
Individuals with nerve damage usually have symptoms of pain, numbness, or tingling in their hands and feet. If medical attention is not sought immediately, the nerve damage will worsen and may spread to your arms, hands, and other areas of the body.
What can cause nerve damage in Seattle car accidents?
Individuals involved in car crashes are at high risk of experiencing serious nerve damage. This is because the amount of force and impact in these accidents can cause the human body to twist and turn in unnatural ways very suddenly and quickly while also striking the interior or exterior objects inside or outside the vehicle. The following are a few of the most common causes of nerve damage in Seattle car accidents:
Whiplash: During a car accident, your head and neck may experience quick and sudden movements, which can lead to whiplash. This type of injury can cause the nerves within the neck to become overly stretched, resulting in serious pain and damage.
Airbag deployment: Airbags typically deploy extremely fast. While the goal of airbag deployment is to protect you and your body from hitting the dashboard, steering wheel, or windshield, deployed airbags can cause intense pressure to the body at very fast speeds, which can result in nerve damage in the face, neck, or other areas of the body.
Pinched, compressed, or crushed nerves: Pinched, compressed, or crushed nerves are very common in car accidents. These injuries typically happen as the vehicles experience intense amounts of force, impact, and damage, causing the human body to move in strange and unordinary ways and become crushed or stuck between objects or parts. The longer the body parts are in these positions, the more severe the nerve damage will be. For example, your leg could become lodged between the steering wheel and dashboard for over an hour after an accident while you wait for help. This unfortunate circumstance could result in irreparable nerve damage to your knee, thigh, or other areas of your leg.
Seat belts: Seat belts are critical safety tools. They not only save accident victims’ lives, but they also keep individuals in a secure position when an accident occurs. However, depending on how much force or impact occurs in an accident, accident victims may experience serious compression to the chest, shoulder, or abdominal area where the seat belt goes across the body. This usually happens when the seat belt becomes too tight and presses against these areas of the body, resulting in nerve damage.
Sharp objects and debris: When involved in an accident, sharp objects and debris are common, flying around and causing cuts, lacerations, and penetrating wounds. The nerves may become severely damaged depending on how deep these injuries are.
Herniated disks: When the human body makes sudden and forceful twists, turns, and moves in an accident, a herniated disk may occur. A herniated disk is when a spinal disk between the vertebrae experiences too much pressure and slips, ruptures, or moves out of place. This not only causes extreme pain, discomfort, and weakness but also damages the nerves surrounding the herniated disk.
Diagnosis and treatment for nerve damage following an accident
If you believe that you may have nerve damage after an accident, it is crucial to visit a local doctor or hospital as soon as possible. They will document your injuries and condition after the accident and determine whether you have any hidden injuries, such as nerve damage. Here are some of the ways that the physician may be able to determine whether you have nerve damage and pinpoint the location of it:
- CT scans
- MRI scans
- Blood tests
- Electromyography tests
- Autonomic reflex screen
- Nerve or skin biopsies
If the doctor sees signs of nerve damage, they will create a treatment plan to help you find some relief and heal to the best of your ability. The treatment options usually recommended to accident victims who suffer nerve damage include:
- Physical therapy
- Steroids
- Plasma exchange
- Intravenous immune globulin
- Spinal cord stimulation
- Scrambler therapy
- Pain medications
- Anti-seizure medications
- Skin creams and lotions
- Antidepressant medications
- Acupuncture
- Alpha-lipoic acid treatments
- Surgeries
What kind of compensation can you recover for nerve damage?
Although nerve damage is not an injury that is typically visible to the human eye, it can forever change a person’s life. As a result, your medical bills and rehabilitation fees may accumulate quickly, which is only the tip of the iceberg. You may also be out of work and wondering how you will afford to pay your expenses and put food on the table for you and your family to get by.
However, the good news is that if you can prove that another individual was at fault for your car crash, you can file a claim and seek compensation for your losses. These are the types of compensation you may be able to recover for nerve damage:
- Doctor bills
- Emergency room fees
- Physical therapy costs
- Surgery expenses
- Medications
- Counseling and psychiatry costs
- Lost income
- Loss of earning potential
- Physical pain
- Loss of enjoyment of activities
- Diminished quality of life
- Travel costs
- Disability
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Home modifications
What if my symptoms do not appear right away?
Nerve damage symptoms can take days, weeks, or months to arise. While you may have received medical attention immediately after the accident like you were supposed to, it is not unusual for nerve damage symptoms to take time to appear.
However, it’s important to note that Washington gives you three years from the accident date to file a claim and seek compensation. As soon as you notice even the slightest sign of nerve damage, you should seek medical attention right away and then inform your Seattle car accident lawyer about your delayed symptoms. If you have sufficient proof and documentation of your delayed symptoms, the discovery rule may apply, which allows the statute of limitations to begin after the accident victim discovers their injuries rather than the date of the original injury.
Have you or a loved one suffered nerve damage from a recent car accident? If so, the Seattle car accident attorneys at Smith McBroom are ready and available to assist you. Please call our office or submit our contact form to schedule a free consultation in Tukwila.