It’s not uncommon to acquire a herniated and bulging disc injury from a car accident. Our Eason & Tambornini personal injury lawyers are always ready to help you. We can help you understand what a herniated disc is, how you get a herniated disc from a car accident, and how you get a bulging disc from a car accident. We can also help you should your degenerative disc disease worsen after a car accident. If you think you’re suffering from this neck problem because of an accident, do not hesitate to get in touch with our office.
What is a herniated disc?
Individual vertebras from the neck to the lower back comprise our spinal column. In between the vertebrae are the intervertebral discs. This structure not only serves as a cushion between the bones and absorbs shock but also makes each movement painless since it prevents bones from rubbing against each other.
The intervertebral discs weaken as we age and lose their water content and elasticity. It can lead to herniation, bulging, and slipped discs. These are conditions wherein the disc bulges out of its usual place, encroaches on its surrounding space, and impinges nerve structures. Upon movement, the bulging worsens and causes pain radiating down the neck and arms, tingling and numbness sensation, and muscle weakness.
Weakened discs may be standard as we age, but incidents such as accidents and injuries cause discs to herniate or bulge out suddenly.
Can you get a bulging disc from a car accident?
In a car accident such as a rear-end collision, the car suddenly stops and often will cause your neck to move forward and then snap back. The neck bones suddenly push against each other, causing the disc to bulge and influencing the nerves closest to the bones. This often results in abrupt pain radiating from the neck to the arms. It may also cause tingling and numbness of the extremities and weakness.
The symptoms may disappear after some time and with pain medications. More often than not, it results in a permanent disability that affects not only one’s personal life but also professional life.
Can you get a herniated disc from a car accident?
Because of the car accident, the sudden compression of the neck bones against each other frequently causes a tear in the tough cartilage covering the disc. Instead of just a simple bulging out of the disc, its innermost center, which is gel-like in structure, protrudes out of the disc. This type of injury causes more severe pain since it can irritate the nerves exiting the vertebra and their nerve roots.
Symptoms of a herniated disc include muscle weakness of the extremity supplied by the nerve, numbness and tingling sensation, radiating and shooting pain upon neck movement, and constant pain. Constant pain may be due to nerve root inflammation caused by irritation.
Can you get degenerative disc disease from a car accident?
Some insurance companies will tell you that you won’t qualify for a settlement simply because a pre-existing neck condition like degenerative disc disease caused your neck injury. They’ll argue that the car accident did not cause any of your symptoms. They’re wrong.
Car accidents can worsen your symptoms or cause an asymptomatic degenerative disc disease to become symptomatic. For example, let’s say that you have a degenerative disc disease but are not experiencing any symptoms at all, but because of the car accident, pain symptoms suddenly appeared. What should have been a simple degenerative disc disease has now become a herniated or bulging disc with debilitating symptoms.
If a car accident causes your symptoms, you should know that the law is on your side. You have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit, and you have the right to be compensated for your suffering.
What can you do?
Suppose you are suffering from any symptoms caused by a herniated or bulging disc or worsening degenerative disc disease resulting from a car accident. In that case, you need to contact someone who understands the law. We can help you better understand your injury, what you can do in car accidents caused by another party, and how to deal with the legal process – from filing a lawsuit to a settlement. A car accident attorney in Sacramento is just a phone call away, and you can get all the help you need for your cervical disc injury caused by a car accident.
