Seattle Personal Injury Attorneys
A number of injuries can result from a car accident. Some, such as cuts, scrapes, burns, and broken bones are immediately visible. However, others, like nerve damage, are not as obvious and may not be noticeable immediately following an accident. Nerve damage is a serious injury. It often lasts longer than other injuries as well. It can also require ongoing medical care. Furthermore, depending on the severity, damaged nerves can negatively affect your ability to work and maintain your quality of life.
Additionally, damaged nerves often result from the trauma or compression of an impact. Oftentimes this impact occurs during a car accident. Furthermore, nerves are vital to the proper functioning of your body. You should always take any harm done to your nerves seriously. You should also get proper treatment from medical specialists to ensure you get the best possible recovery.
If you have nerve damage resulting from an accident caused by a negligent party, you may want to pursue the compensation you deserve. The experienced attorneys at Premier Law Group will take care of the legal aspect of things, so that you can focus on recovery.
Call Premier Law Group today at 206.285.1743 to schedule your FREE case review.
What Is Nerve Damage?
Nerves are special tissues which connect our organs to the nervous system. The nervous system plays a role in every function of the body. It helps us sense hot and cold, control muscles, and regulate breathing as well.
Nerves are divided into three categories:
- Autonomic nerves control the reflexive or partially reflexive activities of the body. This includes blood pressure, digestion, heart rate, and also the regulation of temperature.
- Motor nerves control movements and actions. They transmit signals from the brain and spinal cord to muscles.
- Sensory nerves also send information from your skin and muscles to your spinal cord and brain. This is what allows you to feel pain and other sensations.
With healthy nerves, your brain gets the information it needs for pain awareness, proper functioning of internal organs, as well as muscle movement. However, when nerves are damaged, the brain may not receive necessary information. This can result in pain, or your muscles not moving properly.
What Causes Nerve Damage?
The force of sudden movement or an impact to the body can compress nerves in the back or spinal cord and interfere with the signals they normally transmit. Some examples of the conditions that lead to nerve damage are:
- Lacerations – A laceration can sever nerve tissue.
- Pinched Nerve – Bone spurs or ruptured discs can pinch the nerves that run down the arm or spine.
- Broken or Dislocated Bones – A broken bone that gets moved out of place can compress or damage nearby nerves.
- Whiplash – When your head and neck are jolted back and forth, extra pressure is placed on the nerves in your spine or neck.
Signs and Symptoms of Nerve Damage
Not all injuries are noticeable right away after a car accident. You might not notice you have nerve damage until some time has passed. Furthermore, the first signs of a damaged nerve can be unsettling. You may find that you cut yourself but didn’t feel any pain. Or, you could experience intense pain for no known reason as well. A variety of symptoms come with a damaged nerve, and also depend on the type of nerve.
Symptoms of damage to autonomic nerves may include:
- Excessive sweating or the inability to sweat
- Dry eyes or mouth
- Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting
- Digestive issues, such as loss of appetite, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal bloating, nausea, or vomiting
- Bladder or sexual dysfunction
- Vision difficulties when adjusting from light to dark
Motor nerve damage symptoms may include:
- Loss of muscle mass
- Weakness
- Muscle twitching
- Paralysis
Damage to sensory nerves may include:
- Pain
- Numbness
- Sensitivity
- Burning, tingling, or prickling
- Lack of coordination/clumsiness
- Trouble recognizing positional awareness
It is also possible for two or three types of nerves to have damage. For example, you might experience both tingling and weakness in your arm. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms as the result of an accident, contact Premier Law Group. Our experienced personal injury attorneys will help you navigate your case.
How To Treat Nerve Damage
Oftentimes, cases of nerve damage get worse over time. It is vital to get proper medical treatment before the injury progresses to the point of permanent impairment. Additionally, if your nerve damage is related to another injury, treatment may start with treating that underlying cause. Surgery may also be necessary to repair your injury. Recovery from a damaged nerve can take weeks, months, or even longer as well. However, there are treatment options to prevent further complications and help alleviate symptoms.
You may be prescribed medications such as:
- Pain relievers
- Anti-seizure drugs
- Antidepressants
- Capsaicin cream
Other treatments may be used in addition to medication such as:
- Physical therapy
- Meditation
- Hypnosis
- Acupuncture
- Biofeedback
- Antioxidant vitamins
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), which is a small device placed on the affected area
Sometimes a nerve is so severely damaged that it never heals completely. In such cases, treatment will focus on managing symptoms and improving functionality, as well as quality of life. However, treatment for nerve damage can leave you with extensive medical bills, and result in lost income if you are unable to work while recovering.
Getting Compensation for Your Injuries
Nerve damage can be life changing. As such, you deserve an experienced personal injury attorney on your case. At Premier Law Group, we care about the satisfaction of our clients. Call Premier Law Group today and speak directly with our Seattle personal injury attorneys. We will help you and provide honest answers to your questions.
We will also help protect your health, emotional well being, and finances, as well as give you useful resources. At Premier Law Group, we want to provide everyone who contacts us with the information they need about their legal options.
Contact Premier Law Group to schedule a free case review of your nerve damage case today. Call 206.285.1743. And remember, there is no fee unless we win your case.