While car accidents can cause a number of injuries, back injuries are at the top of the list of the most common injury suffered in a car accident. Your back is a very complex system of bones, nerves and muscles and while it is built to withstand a lifetime of strain, sometimes the traumatic blow of a car accident can injure in a split second what a lifetime of use can’t.
Herniated disc injuries are one of the most frequent back injuries suffered in violent automobile accidents. Your backbone, or spine, is made up of 26 bones called vertebrae. In between those vertebrae are soft discs filled with a jelly-like substance. These discs serve to cushion the vertebrae and keep them in place. A herniated disc injury can happen when the stress put on the spinal column in a car collision causes a piece of the spinal structure (called a disc) that separates your back bones or vertebrae, to move out of place. These injuries are sometimes also called slipped or ruptured discs. These disc structures can push out into the spinal channel and press against spinal nerves, producing severe back, neck and leg pain. Herniated discs are most common in the lumbar spine – the part of your backbone between the bottom or your ribs and your hips – although they can occur in any part of your spine.
When a part of the disc presses on a nerve, it can cause pain in the back legs. The exact location of the pain depends on which disc is causing the pain. Whether or not the pain is mild or excruciating depends on how much of the disc is pressing on the nerve. Most people with a herniated disc find that t he pain radiates across the buttocks and down one of the legs through the sciatic nerve into the calf. It is, however, possible to have pain in both legs. It is also somewhat common to feel a tingling sensation in the feet or to have numbness in one or both feet. As a rule, the pain form a herniated disc will be worse when you are active and feel better when you are resting. Sudden jerky movements like coughing and sneezing tend to make the pain worse. Sitting and driving also may make the pain worse as you are putting more pressure on the nerve.
If you have been involved in a car accident and think you may have suffered a herniated disc, or any other back injury, consult a doctor immediately. Many people delay seeking medical advice on the hope that the pain will go away. While most herniated disc problems can be treated, they may take months or years of treatment before the pain is relieved. Left unchecked, they are unlikely to get better on their own. If you have suffered back problems as the result of an automobile accident, consult with an experienced California personal injury lawyer immediately. Back injuries can be very expensive over the course of a lifetime and you should not have to shoulder the burden of paying for someone else’s negligence.
If you would like an experienced attorney to evaluate your back injury case, contact the law offices of Ledger & Associates at 1-800-300-0001 or visit us at www.ledgerlaw.com.
