WebMD estimates that about 20 million Americans suffer from nerve damage. Many of these people have nerve damage as a result of a car accident injury. Because car accidents are among the most common causes of nerve damage injuries.
If you suffer nerve damage from a car accident, then you may be eligible for compensation from a case settlement. Read further to find out how RHINO Lawyers can help you.
How Nerve Damage From a Car Accident Happens
Car accident injuries that result in nerve damage may go unnoticed for many reasons.
For instance, you often can’t prove that you have nerve damage empirically, making it nearly impossible for you to seek compensation for your injuries. Or, you could mistake symptoms of nerve damage for common body aches or for a variety of other ailments.
Nerve damage from a car accident can result due to injuries like whiplash, impact to the spine, or a herniated disc.
Whiplash
A whiplash injury happens when your head jolts back and forth, leading to neck trauma. Although whiplash usually affects the muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues in your neck, it can also damage your nerves.
Impact to the Spine
Sciatica pain often results from an impact injury that causes nerves in the spine to become pinched or compressed.
If you suffer from sciatic nerve damage from a car accident injury, then you may experiences symptoms such as feelings of numbness, tingling, pain, or weakness in the affected area. These symptoms can be easily mistaken for many other ailments, which is why you could have this type of injury without knowing it.
Herniated Disc
You suffer a herniated disc when one of the rubbery discs between the vertebrae in your spine pushes out of place. The displaced disc can pinch or impact a spinal cord nerve, resulting in feelings similar to sciatica pain and possible paralysis.
A herniated disc can heal on its own with enough rest, but you may need surgical intervention.
Types of Nerve Damage
The severity of peripheral nerve damage can be divided into three categories according to Seddon’s 1942 classification: neurapraxia, axonotmesis, and neurotmesis. These three categories can be further divided into five levels of severity, ranging from first to fifth degree.
Neurapraxia
Neurapraxia is the least severe type of peripheral nerve damage. In neurapraxia, the passage of nerve impulses to the injured area is blocked, causing the motor and sensory connection to be lost. But, the nerve stump itself remains intact.
Neurapraxia often happens as a result of your nerves being compressed or stretched. Usually, it sorts out within a few days or months with rest and other at-home treatments.
Axonotmesis
Axonotmesis is a severe type of peripheral nerve damage. In axonotmesis, the affected nerve gets cut but doesn’t get completely severed.
To make a full recovery, you’ll likely have to take physical or occupational therapy. With the proper treatment, it’s possible for you to make a full recovery within six months to a year.
Neurotmesis
Neurotmesis is the most extreme type of peripheral nerve damage. Thus, neurotmesis occurs when a nerve is completely severed, which typically occurs after a violent, open injury.
If you have this type of nerve damage, then you have little chance of making a full recovery in the future. But, you may be able to make a partial recovery with immediate surgical intervention.
When to File a Personal Injury Claim
You have a limited time to file a personal injury claim after a car accident due to the statute of limitations. Each state has a statute of limitations, or a limited period of time, in which you can file a claim.
According to the Florida statute of limitations, you have only four years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury claim.
If you wait until after the statute of limitations is up, then you’ll be unable to seek compensation in a car accident settlement in the future.
But, an exception may be made if injury symptoms don’t immediately arise after an accident. If that’s the case, then you’ll have four years from the day that you discovered your injuries to file a personal injury claim.
How Can a Personal Injury Attorney Help You?
Like the statute of limitations, there are many other aspects of the law that can get in the way of you getting the settlement that you deserve.
Because the law can be confusing, you want to work with a lawyer who has experience in personal injury law. It’s best practice to contact a lawyer as soon as a personal injury accident happens to discuss your options moving forward.
One of our experienced personal injury lawyers will have the skill to help you navigate the complexities of the law and get the highest settlement possible.
Our knowledge of how insurance companies work gives you an advantage in your car accident case. Also, we don’t charge any fees unless we win your case.
Don’t Handle A Car Accident On Your Own
If you suffer nerve damage from a car accident, then you may be able to pursue compensation for your injuries. But, you could not know all of what you’re entitled to by law. And miss out on the compensation that you deserve.
Yet, you don’t have to struggle through the legal process by yourself. Your auto accident attorneys have the knowledge and expertise to help get you the settlement that you deserve.
Contact our offices today to arrange a case analysis with a RHINO Lawyers’ attorney at no cost to you.
CONTACT A TAMPA AUTO ACCIDENT ATTORNEY
In short, after a car accident, you may not know your rights. Above all, don’t struggle through the process alone. Actually, our personal injury team is here to help you with any legal needs you might have regarding your accident.
Lastly, let RHINO Lawyers answer your questions and review the facts of your case with a Free Consultation. So, get started by completing the “Free Instant Case Evaluation” or by calling us any time, day or night, at 844.RHINO.77.
