Herniated Disc Injury Caused by Car Accident

Crash Caused Herniated Discs?

A herniated disc happens when the soft inner material of a spinal disc pushes through its tough outer layer, often caused by the violent forces in car crashes.

The impact compresses your spine, tears disc fibers, and triggers nerve compression that radiates debilitating pain down your arms or legs.

These spinal injuries can end careers, destroy your ability to lift your own children, and leave you dependent on pain medication just to sleep through the night.

Our experienced car accident attorneys at Lawsuit Legal understand the medical complexities of disc herniations and know exactly how to prove causation when insurance companies try to blame pre-existing degeneration.

Call toll-free 888-713-6653 or complete the form for a free case review with our personal injury lawyers now.

 

Difference Between a Herniated, Slipped, and Ruptured Disc Spinal Injuries

A herniated disc, a slipped disc, and a ruptured disc describe the same core spinal injury.

The trauma from a car accident can cause the disc's soft center to push through its outer layer and press on the nerves.

This pressure can cause pain, numbness, and weakness in the back, arms, or legs.

Herniated discs can happen anywhere along your spine, but are most common in the cervical spine and lumbar spine of the lower back.

A herniated disc can be very painful, causing extreme discomfort, and limit mobility.

Doctors use different terms, but the injury mechanics and the pain pattern stay the same. The real difference is severity, symptoms, and how fast the disc material leaks into the spinal canal.

Symptoms of a Herniated Disc

Herniated discs can produce a range of symptoms, depending on the injury’s location and severity. Identifying these signs early is critical to getting proper treatment and preventing long-term damage.

Typical Symptoms of a Spinal Disc Injury:

• Sharp pain radiating from the lower back into the buttocks and legs (lumbar) or from the neck into shoulders and arms (cervical)
• Numbness or tingling in the arms, hands, legs, or feet
• Muscle weakness that makes lifting objects or walking difficult
• Shooting pain down one leg caused by sciatic nerve compression
• Reduced reflexes
• Pain that worsens with movement
• Discomfort that may start mild but intensifies if untreated
• Sudden loss of bladder or bowel control or severe weakness—seek immediate medical care
• Difficulty performing everyday tasks, including sitting, walking, or sleeping

Herniated disc symptoms can range from mild to debilitating.

If you experience any of these warning signs, seek medical attention promptly and contact Lawsuit Legal to protect your rights. Taking action early can safeguard both your health and your recovery.

What Compensation Can You Get for Herniated Discs?

Car accident herniated disc settlements typically range from $50,000 for conservative treatment cases to over $5,000,000+ in severe cases where surgery and/or disabling injuries are sustained.

Each case is unique and case value is highly dependent upon factors such as strength of liability, jurisdiction, and injury severity.

Your damages in a disc herniation case typically include:

• Medical Expenses: Emergency room visits, MRI scans ($2,000-$3,500 each), epidural steroid injections ($1,500-$3,000 per series), physical therapy, pain management specialists, hospitalization or surgery costs: microdiscectomy surgery ($20,000-$50,000+), or spinal fusion procedures ($80,000-$150,000+).
• Lost Wages: Includes income lost from being unable to work due to your accident-related injuries. Recovery times can range from between 6-12 weeks for conservative treatment or 3-6 months post-surgery to life-long disability. In some cases lost income can include consideration for diminished earning capacity if you can't return to physically demanding work like construction, nursing, or warehouse jobs.
• Property Damage: Includes potential compensation for costs like vehicle repair or total loss replacement, plus damaged personal items like laptops, phones, or work equipment destroyed or lost in the collision.
• Pain and Suffering: Can include compensation for for chronic radicular pain, loss of mobility, inability to play with your kids, permanent nerve damage symptoms like numbness or tingling, sleep disruption, and depression from lifestyle limitations.

Insurance adjusters may claim your herniated disc is degenerative and unrelated to the crash.

They'll scrutinize and reference any prior back injuries in your medical records.

Personal injury cases with strong diagnostic and treatment evidence make it difficult for the defense to argue you aren't as hurt as you claim.

How Insurance Companies Devalue Disc Injury Claims

The insurers love to dispute the severity of back injuries or their causal link to your accident.

They will claim you had pre-existing spine damage

However, the sudden traumatic forces your body is subjected to in a crash create acute herniations that are distinctly different from gradual degenerative changes.

Herniated discs are medically verifiable by MRI imaging.

We can help ensure you receive the specialist medical care you need to identify and document nerve impingement or the need for surgical intervention.

Once the causal link has been established it typically comes down to the level and location of herniation, if surgery is required, and the length and types of treatment necessary.

Our experienced accident injury firm works with medical specialists to verify the specific disc herniation matches the collision dynamics. Our legal team has deep experience handling herniated disc claims and knows exactly how to build a strong case to validate your claim.