People can suffer spinal stenosis from a car accident after experiencing trauma. However, this condition can be challenging to diagnose post-accident, because it involves a narrowing of the spinal column that causes other conditions.
When a person believes they are suffering from spinal stenosis because of an accident with a negligent driver, it’s important to seek legal representation. An experienced Greenville car accident lawyer will know how to navigate a spinal stenosis injury claim and help their client recover as much financial compensation as possible for their cases.
At David R. Price, Jr., P.A., or goal is to guide you towards your maximum potential recovery. Contact us to request a free consultation.
Types of Spinal Stenosis Following Car Crashes
Generally, there are two types of spinal stenosis: lumbar stenosis and cervical stenosis. Lumbar stenosis is the more common injury, and the term describes a narrowing of the spine in the lower back. Cervical stenosis is when there is a narrowing of the spine in the neck.
Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis After a Crash
Lumbar stenosis may result in pain, weakness, or numbness in a person’s legs, calves, or buttocks, cramping in a person’s calves while walking that requires frequent short rests to walk a distance, pain in the thighs and legs, loss of motor functioning in the legs, and loss of normal bowel or bladder function.
Cervical stenosis may result in neck pain, pain in one or both arms, an electrical sensation shooting down the back when the head moves, and numbness in the arms, a feeling that arms or hands are asleep, and weakness of the arms and hands with loss of coordination.
Medical Diagnosis for Spinal Stenosis
Diagnosis of a spinal stenosis injury often involves a doctor performing multiple radiologic exams. Some of the tests people may include:
- X-rays: X-rays use electromagnetic radiation to produce images of fractures, internal tissues, and organs.
- Computerized Tomography (CT or CAT) scans: CT scans are diagnostic imaging procedures using a combination of X-rays and computer technology to generate images from inside the body, and they offer more detail than traditional X-rays.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): An MRI produces detailed images of most internal structures in the human body but does not involve the radiation involved with X-rays.
- Myelogram: A myelogram is a diagnostic imaging test typically performed by a radiologist who uses a contrast dye to outline the nerves and spinal cord and X-rays or CT tests to look for problems in the spinal canal.
Treatment Options for Spinal Stenosis
Treatment for spinal stenosis could be surgical or non-surgical. A non-surgical treatment plan could involve neck immobilization, physical therapy, and possible steroid injections.
Additional medications may include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antidepressants, anti-seizure drugs, or opioids. There could also be needle procedures for thickened ligaments, creating more space in the spinal canal.
Surgical options in these cases could include laminectomy, in which the back part (lamina) of the affected spinal bone is removed to ease pressure on the nerves by creating more space. Laminotomy is another procedure in which only part of the lamina is removed, and a surgeon carves a hole large enough to relieve pressure on a specific spot.
Another procedure is laminoplasty, involving spinal bones in the neck. The surgery will make the space within a spinal canal larger by creating a hinge on the lamina.
Car Accident Compensation for Spinal Stenosis
Any person who suffers a spinal stenosis injury following a car accident in South Carolina needs the skilled guidance of an injury attorney. That’s because insurance companies rarely play fair in handling these claims. They want to pay you as little as possible to close your case.
An injured person should always avoid speaking with the insurance company for another driver until they have determined whether they want to hire a lawyer. Insurers try to get people to unknowingly make statements that ultimately hurt their cases. When you hire an attorney to handle your case, your lawyer can immediately step in to deal with the insurance company for you and protect your rights.
People dealing with spinal stenosis could have very sizable injury claims since it is possible they could be dealing with symptoms of your injuries for the remainder of their lives. Victims in such cases could be entitled to numerous compensatory damages, which usually include past and future economic and noneconomic damages.
Economic damages refer to monetary losses that can be proven with specificity in court, with common examples including:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Property damage
Noneconomic damages are more difficult to determine because they are subjective types of losses that could include:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Mental anguish
Call Us Today to Speak with a Greenville Car Accident Attorney
Did you or your loved one recently sustain a spinal stenosis injury after a car accident in Greenville, South Carolina? Contact the attorneys at David R. Price Jr., P.A., so you can give yourself the best chance of obtaining as much compensation as possible in your case.
Our firm understands how frightening and confusing the road ahead after a spinal stenosis diagnosis can be, and we work closely with our clients so they can fully understand their legal rights. You can call (864) 207-4741 or contact us online to set up a free consultation.
David Price is a Personal Injury, Civil Litigation, Collections, and Criminal Defense Attorney who practices in Greenville, SC. He graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law, and has been practicing law for 12 years. David Price believes in helping those who have been injured. Learn more about his experience by clicking here.
