Let’s take a closer look at spinal stenosis and explain what you should know about seeking compensation for your injuries after a St. Louis car accident.
It’s not uncommon to experience neck and back pain after a car accident. However, in severe car accidents, you may injure your spine and suffer spinal stenosis.
What is spinal stenosis, and how is it different from common neck and back pain that you experience after an accident? Let’s take a closer look at spinal stenosis and explain what you should know about seeking compensation for your injuries after a St. Louis car accident.
What Is Spinal Stenosis?
Spinal stenosis is an injury to the spinal column that occurs when the spinal canal is narrowed due to the impact of a crash or severe accident.
Spinal stenosis is classified into the following depending on where the spinal injuries occur:
Cervical Stenosis
Cervical spinal stenosis occurs when the spine narrows around the neck. As a result, you experience neck pain, neck stiffness, weakness, numbness or tingling in the hands, arms, leg, and foot, difficulties walking or balancing, and bladder or bowel dysfunction.
Lumbar Stenosis
Lumbar spinal stenosis occurs when the spine narrows in the lower back. In this case, you experience back and leg pain, leg cramping, pain around the buttocks, and weakness or numbness in the foot and leg.
These symptoms differ depending on a person’s experience. Therefore, we recommend discussing your pain or discomfort with a spine doctor to help you with the diagnosis.
Treating Spinal Stenosis
If you experience back pain days after an accident, don’t take it lightly. Instead, seek medical attention immediately. Your doctor will likely conduct an MRI to get a clear view of your spinal cord. Sometimes, the doctor can do a CT scan to better understand the spinal cord damage and check whether the nerves have been compressed.
After the test, the doctor will determine the best treatment to alleviate the problem. Common spinal stenosis treatment options include pain relievers, physical therapy, and chiropractic care. However, these methods may not be effective in severe cases, and your doctor may recommend spinal stenosis surgery.
Seeking Compensation
Generally, spinal injuries cause pain, paralysis, and other side effects that you may have to manage probably for the rest of your life. As a result, you may be forced to miss work and use a significant amount of money for your treatment.
To recover compensation, you generally need to file a car accident claim against the driver who caused your injuries. However, filing a car accident claim and pursuing compensation for your injuries without legal support can be a daunting task. For one, the insurance company may claim your injury is a degenerative condition to avoid paying you. Therefore, it would help to work with an attorney that understands spinal stenosis car accident cases and has won similar cases before.
Speak With an Experienced St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer
Have you been involved in a road accident that has left you with a spinal stenosis injury? The experienced St. Louis car accident attorneys at The Hoffmann Law Firm can help. Call us today for a free case evaluation!
Free Consultation with a St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer
Don’t talk to an insurance claims adjuster before speaking with The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. We can help you avoid making statements that may affect the outcome of your case. The consultation is free; you don’t pay unless we get you money!