Accidents and intentional acts can result in numerous types of injuries, including nerve damage. Sustaining nerve damage anywhere in the body can mean facing severe pain, loss of sensation, motor function issues, and a variety of other consequences. These can be mild injuries that heal with time, or they could be catastrophic injuries that can alter the course of your whole life.
If you’ve suffered nerve damage because of another party’s negligence or misconduct, one option you may have is to pursue a personal injury claim to recover your losses. Learn more about nerve damage and why having legal representation in these cases is vital.
Understanding Nerve Damage
Nerve damage, also called neuropathy, occurs when nerve fibers anywhere in the body suffer physical harm, interrupting the signals between the brain and the body.
If you’re dealing with nerve damage, you might experience neuropathic pain, which could make you feel discomfort for no apparent reason or exaggerate cold or hot sensations. Alternatively, you may not experience pain when you should.
You may also notice any of the following symptoms:
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Difficulty holding objects
- Muscle weakness
- Cramps
- Loss of coordination
- Difficulty walking
The exact type of nerve you hurt and the extent of the damage will inform your specific symptoms. There are a few different types of nerves in the body, with the main categories being sensory, motor, and autonomic nerves.
Sensory nerves control responses to temperature, touch, and physical damage. Motor nerves control movements, so if you harm these, you could experience muscle weakness and coordination issues.
Autonomic nerves, meanwhile, control involuntary functions, such as heart rate, sweating, breathing, and digestion. Suffering any kind of injury to these nerves can mean blood pressure changes, loss of bladder or bowel control, or more serious issues.
Common Causes
Nerve damage is most often a result of trauma. Crushing injuries arising from a car accident, for example, can sever nerves or deform them enough to cause problems. Slip and fall accidents and sports injuries can also produce these injuries, as can performing repetitive motions. For example, carpal tunnel syndrome is an overuse injury that affects the median nerve in the wrist.
In rarer cases, medical malpractice can lead to nerve damage. This may happen if a surgeon damages a nerve during a procedure or a healthcare provider fails to correctly diagnose and treat an illness with which nerve damage is associated, such as diabetes or infection.
Available Treatments
The type and severity of the nerve damage you’ve suffered will dictate the appropriate treatment. Medications may be recommended first, along with physical therapy, to alleviate pressure on the impacted nerves. If your neuropathy impacts your balance or coordination, you may also need assistive devices like braces or prescription footwear.
For more severe nerve injuries, surgery may be necessary. If a nerve can’t be repaired, surgeons can replace it completely using donor tissue.
Taking Legal Action After Sustaining Nerve Damage
If your nerve damage resulted from another party’s misconduct, you may have the right to file a personal injury claim against them. For your claim to succeed, you’ll need to demonstrate that they owed you a duty of care that they failed to uphold, directly resulting in your injuries.
To improve your chances of receiving the compensation you need, you should hire an experienced attorney to assist you. Your legal representative will gather the necessary evidence to demonstrate that the other party was at fault and negotiate with their insurance company to reach a fair settlement, which may include both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages address concrete expenses, including any future care you may need. You can also seek compensation for any wages you’ve lost while receiving care. If you can’t return to work in the same capacity or at all, you may also be repaid for your loss of earning potential.
Non-economic damages address losses that aren’t as easy to put a number to. These include the physical and emotional suffering you’ve experienced, as well as your inability to enjoy your life the way you used to.
Contact Our Charleston Personal Injury Lawyer at Ty Robinson Personal Injury & Car Accident Law Firm for a Free Consultation
To obtain meaningful compensation after nerve damage, you need assistance from someone who has experience with these cases.
Ty Robinson Personal Injury & Car Accident Law Firm can provide comprehensive support as you plan your next steps. We know how difficult the aftermath of an accident can be, and we’ll do everything we can to ensure that you get the resources you deserve.
You shouldn’t have to deal with the costs of medical care or bear the burden of physical discomfort on your own if another party was responsible for your injury. Contact our law office at (843) 278-2222 today to schedule a free consultation.