Car Wreck Injuries: Herniated Disc

Your spine is made up of individual bones or vertebrae that are separated by discs. The discs are made of a rubbery substance with a tough exterior that houses a soft interior. Herniated discs may occur if the soft interior is pushed through the tough exterior, due to an unexpected and forceful blow to the back. The resulting herniated disc may irritate the nerves that are located nearby, resulting in pain, weakness, or numbness in the back and legs. If you suffer a herniated disc due to a crash in East Tennessee, experienced Knoxville car wreck attorney Mark Hartsoe is ready to help you pursue damages.

Herniated discs most often occur in the lumbar spine or the cervical spine. Common symptoms of a herniated disc include leg or arm pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness. If you are experiencing traveling pains or any of these symptoms, it is important to see a doctor. You should also let the doctor know if you were in a car accident before these pains began. In some cases, herniated discs may cause difficulty in urination or saddle anesthesia. Treatments for a herniated disc may include prescription drugs, physical therapy, and sometimes surgery.

For many people, the only way that they can afford the treatment and time off work that may be necessary after suffering a herniated disc is to file a personal injury lawsuit against an at-fault driver. In most cases, a car accident could have been prevented by using reasonable care. A driver who fails to drive safely under the circumstances and thereby causes an accident that results in injuries may be held liable under a theory of negligence. If a driver violates a safety law or regulation, and the violation causes injuries of the type that the law or regulation was designed to prevent, the driver may be "negligent per se," or negligent as a matter of law.

If you successfully establish negligence, you may recover compensatory damages. These may include medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment. Noneconomic damages like loss of enjoyment, mental anguish, and pain and suffering vary dramatically, depending on what a jury believes are the reasonable losses that would flow from an injury of a particular type.

A herniated disc injury may be quite significant to someone who had an active lifestyle. For example, someone who was involved in bicycling, running, or playing basketball for fun prior to an accident may experience a drastic loss of enjoyment after suffering a herniated disc. It is important to retain Knoxville attorney Mark Hartsoe, who understands all of the potential consequences that victims may suffer.

If you suffer a herniated disc in an auto accident that was caused by someone else, you should explore your options with Knoxville car wreck lawyer Mark Hartsoe. Call the Hartsoe Law Firm at 865-804-1011 or complete our online form to arrange a free consultation. Hartsoe represents victims who are seeking a motor vehicle collision attorney in many areas of East Tennessee, including Knox, Blount, Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Cumberland, Fentress, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hamilton, and Jefferson Counties.