If you have been injured in an accident in Illinois you may have suffered a back injury such as a herniated disc. This type of injury can be very painful and sometimes lead to the need for surgery. It can also cause an individual to lose a significant amount of time at work.
A Chicago personal injury lawyer will evaluate your case to determine if someone else’s negligence was the cause of your accident in Illinois. They will help you proceed with filing a claim to fight for compensation that you may be entitled to due to your herniated disc injury.
Overview of a Herniated Disc
When the vertebral spine is torn or damaged it can lead to a herniated disc. Symptoms of this injury will be dependent on the location and extent of damage. While a herniated disc can happen in any part of the spine it usually occurs in the lumbar spine, located in the lower back.
Sometimes the herniated disc can occur in the cervical spine, which is in the neck and in rare cases it will occur in the thoracic spine, the upper back.
A herniated disc is the result of cracks or tears in the outer layer of the disc, which can lead to the gel inside coming out. The disc may then bulge, break into pieces or break open.
Symptoms of a Herniated Disc
Lower back pain is a common symptom experienced when an individual has suffered a herniated disc. It often results in the individual being disabled for a few months but in some circumstances if the pain doesn’t go away it could be due to the disc putting pressure on a root nerve.
The symptoms of a herniated disc are not limited to back pain. An individual may also feel weakness and numbness in the area where the nerve is located.
If you have sustained a back injury as a result of a car accident in Illinois, you may be facing the prospect of undergoing back surgery. This may lead you to wonder if you should pursue filing an Illinois personal injury claim.
Consulting with a Chicago car accident attorney is the best way to understand what your legal options are and if you should proceed with seeking compensation for your back injury through an Illinois personal injury claim. A Chicago car accident attorney will determine if the car accident in Illinois was the fault of someone else and if they can be held legally liable.
How Back Surgery May Affect Your Illinois Personal Injury Claim
If your car accident in Illinois resulted in a serious back injury, the need for back surgery may not be evident until later on. Many times a back injury will first be treated with other options such as physical therapy, acupuncture and medication. However, further down the road a doctor may determine that back surgery is necessary.
This can affect your Illinois personal injury claim because the negligent party’s insurance company may try to say that the back surgery has nothing to do with your car accident in Illinois.
They may try to say that your back surgery is related to a pre-existing medical condition, such as a degenerative condition or an old injury.
This is why it is in your best interest to seek the help of an experienced Chicago car accident attorney soon after an accident or at the very least, when your back injury gets progressively worse or is slow in healing. In the event that you end up needing back surgery, you will need to prove that it was related to your car accident in Illinois. This can significantly affect the outcome of your Illinois personal injury claim.
