Car accidents can cause a range of debilitating injuries, one of them being nerve damage. This type of injury happens when the nerves are cut, stretched, or compressed beyond their normal range. Depending on the severity of the nerve damage, it can lead to numbness, pain, paralysis, or even death.
If you are in Florida and have suffered nerve damage from a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, a reputable Orlando car accident lawyer like the attorneys at JustCallMoe can help you seek compensation through filing a personal injury claim.
In this article, we’ll look at an overview of nerve damage in car accidents and potential nerve damage car accident settlements in Florida.
What Is Nerve Damage?
Nerve damage is an injury that affects your nerve fibers to the point they are unable to either send or receive signals from your brain, thus affecting the sensory organs such as muscles, skin, and internal organs. The result can be numbness, paralysis, tingling, or loss of sensation.
Degrees of Nerve Damage
There are three main degrees of nerve damage from car accidents:
- Neurapraxia: This is the mildest form of nerve damage, which causes a temporary loss of nerve function.
- Axonotmesis: This is a moderate degree of nerve damage that can cause partial or complete paralysis.
- Neurotmesis: This is the most severe type of nerve damage and can be life-threatening. It involves the complete severance of nerve fibers and can cause permanent paralysis.
These three degrees of nerve damage can be caused by a car accident, depending on the collision’s severity.
Types of Nerve Damage in Car Accidents
The type of nerve damage from car accidents depends on the speed of the impact, its location, the force of the crash, and other factors. Depending on these elements, some resulting types of nerve damage include:
- Whiplash: This is the most common type of nerve damage that results from car accidents. It involves sudden forceful neck movement, which can stretch and tear the nerves in your neck, shoulders, back, arms, or even chest.
- Radiculopathy: This type of nerve damage affects the nerves that branch out from your spinal cord. It can cause pain, numbness, or weakness in any body area, including arms, legs, and hands.
- Peripheral neuropathy: This type of nerve damage affects nerve endings in your extremities, such as your legs and arms. Symptoms include tingling, burning, and even paralysis.
- Pinched nerve: A pinched nerve happens when the nerve is compressed due to swelling, debris from the crash, or direct impact. Symptoms include pain, numbness, and muscle weakness.
- Herniated disc: This type of nerve damage occurs when the discs between your vertebrae are damaged due to the crash. It can cause pain, numbness, and tingling in the affected area.
- Spinal cord injury: This is one of the most severe types of nerve damage that can occur from a car accident. It happens when there is direct trauma to the spinal cord, causing a wide range of symptoms that can include paralysis and loss of sensation.
Symptoms of Nerve Damage
If you experience any of the following symptoms after being in a car accident, it could be a sign of nerve damage:
- Weakness or numbness in arms or legs
- Loss of skin sensation
- Pain that radiates from the neck or back to an arm or leg
- Burning, prickling, tingling
- Muscle spasms and cramping
These symptoms can range from mild to severe, depending on the type and severity of the injury.
Where Can Money For Medical Care Come From?
In Florida, nerve damage car accident compensation can come from:
- The other driver’s insurance company
- Your own personal injury protection (PIP) coverage, if it applies in your case;
- Your health insurance coverage, if it applies in your case;
- The other driver and/or any other at-fault parties involved in the accident.
What Damages Can I Claim for Nerve Damage?
If you have suffered nerve damage due to a car accident, you can seek damages for the following:
- Medical care: This can include medical bills such as hospital visits, doctor’s appointments, and physical therapy.
- Lost wages: If you have lost wages due to nerve damage caused by the accident, you may be able to seek compensation for those lost wages.
- Pain and suffering: This includes the physical pain and emotional trauma caused by nerve damage.
- Punitive damages: In some cases, victims of car accidents may also be able to seek punitive damages for the reckless behavior of the person responsible for the accident.
How to Obtain a Settlement for Nerve Damage After a Car Accident
If you have suffered nerve damage in a car accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be able to seek compensation through a personal injury claim.
However, getting a settlement for car accident nerve damage can be a long and complicated process. It is essential to talk to an experienced lawyer who can help you:
- Understand your rights: An experienced personal injury attorney can help you understand your rights and legal options.
- Gather evidence: An experienced lawyer can also help you gather the necessary evidence to prove that the other driver was at fault for the accident and any medical bills or other expenses related to the nerve damage.
- Negotiate a settlement: A lawyer can also help you negotiate a settlement with the other driver’s insurance company or file a lawsuit, if necessary.
By working with a lawyer, you can help ensure that your rights are protected and that you fight to get the full compensation you deserve for your nerve damage car accident settlement.
Contact a Florida Car Accident Attorney to Review Your Nerve Damage Case
An experienced lawyer can help you understand your rights and legal options, gather the necessary evidence, and negotiate a settlement with the other driver’s insurance company. This will help you fight to get the full compensation you deserve.
At JustCallMoe, we serve victims of nerve injuries in Orlando, Tampa, and West Palm Beach, FL. Our team will help you navigate the claims process and increase the likelihood of the maximum settlement available to you.
You shouldn’t have to face the financial burden of nerve damage alone: contact us today to discuss your options.
Car Accident Case FAQs
Is there a time limit for filing a claim for nerve damage car accident compensation?
Yes. In Florida, you have four years from the date of the accident to seek compensation through a personal injury claim. After this period, you will no longer be able to file a claim and seek damages. In certain cases, the statute of limitations may be even shorter, so you should speak with an experienced attorney as soon as possible.
How much compensation can you receive for nerve damage from a car accident?
The compensation you can receive depends on the severity of your nerve damage and other factors such as medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. An experienced lawyer can help you evaluate your case to determine how much compensation you may be entitled to recover.
How long does it take to get a settlement?
The length of time varies depending on the complexity of your case and the insurance company’s response. An experienced lawyer can help guide you through the process and help ensure you receive your settlement as quickly as possible.