Our spinal cords have the job of delivering messages from our brains to the rest of our bodies. When we suffer herniated disc injuries, this messaging system is badly affected. Herniated discs are among the most common back injuries suffered by Orlando citizens, and they can often cause the most significant pain.
Herniated discs often require continued medical care and, in some serious cases, can lead to permanent disability or disfigurement. If you were involved in an accident that caused you to suffer from a herniated disc, you may be entitled to compensation. Once you can prove that your injuries were caused by another party’s negligence, you can file a personal injury lawsuit to recover the costs of your injuries.
Personal Injury Lawyers at The Law Place
At The Law Place, we specialize in helping our Orlando clients recover compensation through personal injury claims. We understand how stressful it can be to suffer a serious spinal injury and we want to relieve any further stress by dealing with your case on your behalf. We will fight for your compensation while you have enough time to recover from your injuries.
Suffering a herniated disc can have a significant impact on your life. You may pay huge medical bills, be unable to return to work, and face reduced mobility that affects your daily life. The only way to ensure you receive justice for your injuries is by hiring an experienced personal injury attorney to help you file a claim.
Call our law office today to schedule a free consultation at (941)-444-4444.
What Are Herniated Discs?
In the human body, the spinal cord is protected by tough discs and several smaller parts that allow you to move, bend, and twist freely. These discs in our spine weaken as we get older, and we become more susceptible to serious back injuries. A herniated disc can occur on any of the discs supporting our spinal cords, however, the most common injuries occur on the lower disc.
It is possible to suffer a herniated disc injury because of a serious accident, such as a car accident, or because of a weakened spine. If you suffer a herniated disc, the disc supporting the spinal cord pushes out onto nerves, often causing chronic pain in your back and throughout your entire body.
However, not all herniated discs result in serious pain, and you may suffer only minor symptoms as a result. Regardless of how serious your symptoms are, it is important that you seek medical treatment for a herniated disc injury, as it could lead to further health problems down the line.
Symptoms of a Herniated Disc Injury Orlando, Florida
Herniated disc injuries, like all spinal cord injuries, can be extremely painful and dangerous. Most herniated disc injuries can be healed with physical therapy and medical treatment. However, in more serious cases, a person may require surgery to help their recovery process, and they could even suffer permanent disability.
Some common symptoms of a herniated disc include:
Weakness
Because herniated discs protrude and press against certain nerves, many people suffer muscle weakness and difficulty carrying out tasks, such as holding or lifting items. Sometimes, in severe cases, the nerve damage can be permanent, causing a permanent loss of normal muscle function.
Pains
Depending on where on the spinal column the injury occurred, you may suffer pains throughout different parts of your body. If the injury occurred on your lower back, you may experience pain in your lower back and legs. If the injury is further up your spinal cord, you may experience pain in your shoulder or arms. People with herniated discs also report feeling shooting pains while coughing or sneezing.
Numbness or Tingling Sensations
Injured clients may experience numbness or a tingling feeling in the area where their nerves are affected by the spinal cord injury.
The symptoms of spinal cord injuries can be serious, often limiting your ability to carry out daily tasks. It is important that you first seek medical treatment for any injuries to your spinal cord, and then speak with a personal injury attorney to assess whether you can file a claim to cover the costs of your medical expenses.
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Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries in Orlando
As noted previously, elderly people are more at risk of suffering a herniated disc injury because of the weakening of their spinal cord with age. However, a person can suffer a herniated disc injury at any stage of their lives because of a traumatic accident, such as a car accident.
Spinal cord injuries can affect you for the rest of your life. So, it is important you get appropriate medical help if you suffer from a herniated disc.
Some common causes of spinal cord injuries in Orlando include:
- Motor vehicle accidents, including car accidents, motorbike accidents, and pedestrian accidents.
- Slip and fall accidents.
- Workplace accidents.
- Violence and physical assault, including gunshot wounds.
- Sports injuries.
Depending on how your accident happened, you may be able to recover compensation for your spinal cord injury. If it was the fault of another person or party, such as the driver of a vehicle or your workplace, you could make a personal injury claim to recover compensation for your injuries. An experienced injury attorney in Orlando can advise you on your legal options and assess whether you have a valid injury claim.
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Recovering Compensation for a Herniated Disc Injury
To recover compensation for a herniated disc injury, you will need to file a personal injury lawsuit against the party responsible for your injuries. If you suffered a herniated disc injury in an automobile accident, you may need to file a claim with your own insurance company or the insurance company of the other driver.
Personal Injury Cases
For personal injury cases, the claimant must prove that their injuries were caused directly by the negligence of the other party. There are several distinct elements required to prove negligence in Orlando courts. The onus is on the claimant to provide sufficient evidence showing why they should receive compensation. The elements of personal injury cases include:
- Duty of care – The negligent party had a reasonable responsibility, through their actions, to prevent you from being harmed.
- Breach of duty – The negligent party must have breached this responsibility to you through negligent or reckless behavior. If you suffered spinal cord injuries by slipping on a wet floor, you must prove that the party responsible for putting up a wet floor sign failed to do so through their own negligence.
- Causation – There must be a direct link between the injuries you suffered and the breached duty of care. You cannot claim compensation for spinal cord injuries that were not caused by the negligence of the other party.
- Damages – You suffered damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, or emotional trauma.
Once you can prove the above elements, you will have a successful personal injury claim. The judge must be satisfied that the other party’s negligence caused your injuries and that they should compensate you. Our experienced spinal cord injury lawyers can gather evidence on your behalf to support your claim and fight to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers.
Types of Compensation Available in Orlando, Florida
The compensation you can recover for herniated discs depends on the severity of the harm you suffered. A spinal injury usually requires extensive care over a long period, which can be quite costly. Without compensation, you may struggle to pay the medical bills for continued treatment, which can lead to further spinal cord damage down the line.
An experienced personal injury attorney will assess the damages you may be entitled to for your herniated disc injury and advise you on how much compensation you may recover. Some types of damages they can claim include:
Medical Expenses
You can recover medical bills for hospital and doctor’s appointments, operations, rehabilitation, and continued care for your injuries. You may also recover costs for driving to and from medical appointments. The amount of compensation will increase depending on the medical costs you endure.
Lost Wages
If you could not work because of your herniated disc, you can claim for wages you lost as a result. This is calculated based on the time length of time you could not work and the money you would usually make. The court may also consider future earning capacity, potential bonuses, and increased salary resulting from missed promotions.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are based on other symptoms of an accident that are more difficult to prove. Some types of non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering.
- Loss of enjoyment of life, which could result from your inability to take part in an activity or sport that you used to.
- Disfigurement or permanent damage to your body.
- Emotional trauma.
- Loss of reputation.
These damages are more difficult to prove than economic damages, such as medical care and lost wages. However, with the help of an experienced attorney, you could recover a significant amount of compensation for the emotional and physical trauma that you suffered from the accident.
Comparative Negligence in Orlando
Because Florida is a ‘comparative negligence state, the amount of compensation you recover will depend on your level of accountability. When a court is deciding how much compensation they should award a victim for an accident, the Judge will consider the fault level of each party. The compensation awarded will then be reduced by the claimant’s level of fault.
If you suffered a spinal cord injury in a car accident that was caused by the other driver running a red light, the court may determine that the driver was 100% at fault, and reward you with the full settlement amount. However, if you were speeding at the time of the accident, the court may decide that you were 20% at fault, and reward you with just 80% of the full settlement amount.
The same rules can apply if you delay getting medical treatment. For example, if you suffered a spinal cord injury caused in an accident that another driver was 100% at fault for, yet you delayed getting treatment by 3 weeks, which worsened your back injuries, your compensation may be reduced.
The best way to prove that your spinal injuries were caused entirely by someone else’s negligence is to hire an experienced personal injury lawyer. Our personal injury lawyers will fight to prevent your compensation from being reduced based on comparative fault rules. We will submit evidence to prove that the accident was caused by the negligent party, that any pre-existing conditions are unrelated to the injuries sustained in the accident, and that you are completely innocent.
Contact an Orlando Herniated Disc Lawyer at The Law Place!
Spinal cord injuries, including herniated discs, can cause a significant amount of pain and reduced mobility. If you were involved in an accident that caused you to suffer a herniated disc, you may wonder whether you can recover damages to help you pay for medical and related costs.
If your accident was caused by the negligence of another individual, you can file a personal injury lawsuit to recover compensation. To have a successful personal injury claim, you need to prove that another person’s negligence directly caused you to suffer a herniated disc and that you endured damages as a result.
At The Law Place, our personal injury lawyers have the experience necessary to get you the compensation you deserve for your herniated disc injury. Our law firm has over 75 years of combined experience and we know what it takes to win personal injury cases. Our herniated disc lawyers will investigate your claim, advise you on your legal options, gather evidence on your behalf, and fight to ensure that you get compensation.
We understand the risks associated with serious injuries like a herniated disc, and we want to do everything we can to protect your best interests.
Call our law firm today to schedule a free case evaluation at (941)-444-4444.