Your spine is a flexible column of bones, tendons, muscles, and other tissues that allow you the full mobility you need to walk upright. Intervertebral discs function as cushions between your 33 vertebrae. These cushions keep the bones from hitting one another, which could result in significant pain and mobility problems.
The discs themselves can suffer injuries, too, however. They can herniate, leading to complications that could affect your spinal cord. But what are herniated discs? Learn more about this injury and what could cause it.
What Are Herniated Discs?
Herniated discs, also called bulging or slipped discs, occur when the jellylike substance inside these cushions pushes out through a tear in the rubbery exterior (annulus). This can put pressure on your spinal cord, leading to irritation of the nerves, which can result in numbness, pain, and weakness.
Herniated discs are a common injury that causes everything from neck to leg pain. If you suffer a herniated disc in your lower back, it’s common to feel tingling and numbness in your legs and feet, lower back pain, and muscle weakness.
Typically, symptoms can be more severe if the herniated disc occurs in the neck area. Aside from debilitating neck pain, you can experience arm and hand numbness and tingling. Moving your head can be very difficult and painful.
Common Causes of Herniated Discs
Although it’s possible to suffer a herniated disc because of regular wear-and-tear as a result of aging, the majority of these injuries occur as a result of traumatic events.
Falls
Slip and fall accidents are among the most frequent causes of these injuries. If you land awkwardly or hit yourself against an object as you fall, you can tear the annulus of these discs and allow the nucleus to escape. This can result in significant pressure on spinal cord nerves, resulting in severe numbness and muscle weakness in the affected area.
Traffic Accidents
Car or motorcycle accidents are also a common cause of these injuries. The significant force in these crashes can cause the disc to rupture because impact can compress, twist, or hyperextend the spine.
Workplace Accidents
If your work requires repetitive movements that put stress on your back, these injuries can occur. The same applies if you perform a lot of heavy lifting without appropriate training or safety equipment. Workplace accidents can be particularly tough because the damage can occur so gradually.
Pursuing a Claim After Suffering a Herniated Disc
Herniated discs can prevent you from living your life as you wish and can result in significant medical expenses. If the injury occurred because of another party’s negligent or wrongful conduct, you may be entitled to file a claim and receive compensation.
A personal injury claim requires proving that someone else was to blame for your losses. In the majority of these incidents, negligence will come into play. To prove that negligence occurred, you’ll have to show that the other party owed you a duty of care that they breached and that their conduct led to your losses.
Negligence might be proven if you’re hit by an intoxicated driver and injure your back. Every driver on the road owes others a duty to drive safely and lawfully. Operating a vehicle while intoxicated breaks the law, so they have breached their duty of care.
Damages Available for a Herniated Disc Claim
It’s not always that simple to prove that negligence occurred, however, so you should never begin this kind of legal action on your own. With help from an attorney, you can receive the compensation you deserve to cover your losses.
This includes economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages can help address the medical expenses you incurred, as well as any ongoing treatments you may need. In instances of severe disc issues, you may need assistive mobility devices, which will also be covered.
Often, you may need to take time off to recover, and that means losing income. That can be covered, too. When you can’t return to work because of the severity of the injuries, economic damages can also cover loss of earning potential.
Non-economic damages address pain and suffering as well as loss of enjoyment of life. These aren’t easy to put a price tag on, so you need guidance from attorneys.
Contact the St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyers at Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today
After suffering such a serious injury as a herniated disc, having guidance from experienced attorneys can make a significant difference. At Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers, our team can offer the ongoing support you deserve as you manage a claim. You don’t have to go through this alone. Contact our team to speak with one of our St. Louis injury attorneys at (314) 444-4444.
