A car accident can cause degenerative disc disease. Any kind of trauma to the neck or back, even an unnoticed minor injury, can speed up the process of spinal degeneration. Degenerative disc disease is not actually a disease; it is a natural part of aging. Over time, the flexible discs between the vertebrae in your back become worn. A back injury from a car accident can accelerate the breakdown of your discs.
Degenerative Disc Disease Symptoms
When your discs are breaking down, you might feel pain and stiffness in your neck, back, arms, or legs. You might have weakness, numbness or tingling in your arm or leg. If your injury was in your neck, your shoulders, arms, and hands might be affected. For a lower back injury, your legs and buttocks can be the locations of your pain.
Some people do not notice any symptoms, while others experience debilitating pain. As you get older, your symptoms generally worsen because the discs continue to deteriorate. If your spine becomes unstable, you can experience painful muscle spasms from your body trying to hold itself in place correctly.
Treatments for Degenerative Disc Disease
Non-invasive treatments include:
- Physical and occupational therapy to strengthen the back muscles and restore flexibility
- Medications to reduce inflammation and relieve pain and muscle spasms
- Using adaptive furniture, such as kneeling or reclining chairs
- Wearing a corset or brace
- Facet rhizotomy, which involves applying a radiofrequency current to the damaged disc area to deaden the nerves and prevent the transmission of pain messages from the spine to the brain.
Invasive treatments include:
- Injections of local anesthetic and steroids into the joints around the damaged disc, also called facet injections
- Thermal treatments, such as intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty (IDET), which involves inserting a catheter into the disc and applying heat to the disc to reduce pain
- Spinal fusion/stabilization surgery, to fuse two vertebrae together and relieve extreme pain in an unstable neck or back.
- Decompression surgery removes pieces of the bony material around the disc to lessen the pressure on the nerves and reduce pain
How Degenerative Disc Disease Can Impact Your Life
Degenerative disc disease can make it challenging to maintain gainful employment if you suffer from chronic pain or if your job involves activities that you cannot perform because of the condition, such as:
- Lifting heavy objects
- Sitting for long periods of time
The condition can also impact your ability to perform activities that bring enjoyment to your life, such as hiking, engaging in sports, or traveling. In severe cases, it might be hard for you to live independently without assistance.
How We Prove Your Damages for Degenerative Disc Disease Related to a Car-Accident
You can get compensation for your injuries if you suffered a neck or back injury and developed degenerative disc disease from a car accident that was not your fault. Every case is different, but here are some of the more common types of damages in these situations:
- Medical Expenses: We will use your bills, receipts, and insurance statements for the ambulance, hospital, doctor, surgery, physical therapy, prescription drugs, and any other medical intervention you had to undergo because of the crash.
- Lost Wages: Your employer records will show the income you lost because of the collision, medical treatments, and recuperation from your injuries.
- Ongoing Medical Problems: Since degenerative disc disease is a condition that gets worse as you get older, people often continue to have medical problems. We will gather the medical records to prove the amount of this loss and use experts to estimate your anticipated future medical expenses.
- Decreased Future Earnings: If your injuries and disc degeneration cause you to have to take a lower-paying job or not work as many hours, we will work with a vocational expert to calculate the amount of your lost future income.
- Pain and Suffering: We will determine a fair amount to compensate you for the physical pain and mental distress you suffered from your injuries.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: It can put a damper on your outlook on life when you are enduring chronic pain, cannot engage in enjoyable activities, and know that things are only going to get worse as you age. We will seek damages for this loss.