The force and impact of a car collision commonly cause injury to the necks, backs, and spines of vehicle occupants. A herniated disc is one back or neck injury that people in car accidents frequently suffer from. Whether your injury was minor or severe, if the car accident was not your fault, you should not have to pay your medical bills or other expenses.
A Fort Lauderdale herniated disc caused by a Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyer may be able to help you receive the compensation you deserve after a car accident caused by someone else. Contact the team at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine for help negotiating with insurance providers or pursuing a lawsuit to get reimbursement. We provide responsive legal care for all your needs, including a free consultation at no obligation. Call us today at 1-800-747-3733.
Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment of Herniated Discs
The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) explains that discs provide cushioning between each of the spinal bones in your back. A herniated disc occurs when an inner part of the disc tears or ruptures through the outer layer and pushes into the spinal canal. This is also called a slipped, ruptured, or bulging disc.
A herniated disc can press on your spinal nerves and cause severe pain. Other symptoms include aches, numbness, and weakness. However, there may be no symptoms if the herniated disc does not press on spinal nerves. Pain can become worse with certain movements, depending on where the herniated disc is.
A severe strain or traumatic injury is what can cause the spinal discs in your back to herniate. In a car accident, the most common cause of a herniated disc is whiplash, when your neck moves forward and backward very suddenly upon impact.
In many cases, a herniated disc can heal on its own after time. Doctors may prescribe pain medication, heat, and ice therapy, traction, and physical therapy to help the healing process. In severe cases, a herniated disc can require spinal or neck surgery.
You should always seek medical treatment after a car accident, even a minor one. A physician can usually diagnose or rule out a herniated disc with an MRI scan; they do not appear on X-rays. If you go home after a car accident and later suspect you may have a herniated disc because of pain or other symptoms, you should return to the doctor and ask for more tests.
Herniated Discs and Florida’s No-Fault Car Insurance System
The medical bills from a herniated disc, the time you may need to take off from work, and how the injury affects your ability to work can add up quickly. Suppose the car accident that caused your injury was not your fault. In that case, you are legally entitled to seek reimbursement for your medical expenses as well as the costs of your property damage, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses.
Since Florida is a no-fault state, however, according to Florida Statutes § 627.7407, you must file a claim with your own insurance provider after a car accident for help with your medical expenses, no matter who was at fault for the accident. All Florida drivers must carry at least $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) coverage, which pays for your treatment costs for a car accident-related injury.
Unfortunately, PIP coverage is not always enough to pay for all of your expenses. Florida Statutes § 627.737 allows you to seek compensation from the at-fault driver if your injury is serious. You may be able to recover the full compensation you deserve by pursuing a Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawsuit in addition to your car insurance claim.
At the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, a Fort Lauderdale herniated disc caused by a car accident lawyer can show car insurance providers and the court that you suffered a serious injury and argue for you to receive complete reimbursement for your medical bills as well as all the other expenses of the car accident. Reach out to us at 1-800-747-3733 for a free consultation on your legal options for recovering compensation after your herniated disc injury.
Recoverable Damages
When another person causes you to suffer through their actions or negligence, such as violating traffic laws and causing you to be in a car accident, you have the legal right to ask for financial compensation. Economic damages you may be entitled to recover include:
- Doctor’s visits
- Medical imaging
- Physical therapy
- Surgery
- Home health care
- Lost income
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Rental vehicles
- Vehicle repair or replacement
- Other out-of-pocket expenses
You may also be able to recover non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, impairment, inconvenience, loss of enjoyment of life, and more.
Contact an attorney for help with your case as soon as possible to make sure your paperwork gets filed on time. You can lose your right to financial compensation if you miss the four-year deadline for personal injury lawsuits set out in Florida Statutes § 95.11.
How the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine Can Help You
A Fort Lauderdale herniated disc caused by a car accident lawyer at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can help you by:
- Investigating the car accident and collecting evidence of who is liable for it, such as the police report, eyewitness statements, photos, video surveillance, and the cars’ electronic memories.
- Reviewing your medical records and obtaining expert medical testimony to establish that you suffered a serious injury beyond PIP coverage.
- Filing all your paperwork for a car insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit accurately and promptly.
- Managing all communication with insurance providers and the at-fault driver and presenting them with the evidence.
- Negotiating with insurance claims adjusters, the at-fault driver, or their attorney.
- Representing you in court if necessary.
- Aggressively pursuing compensation on your behalf.
When you entrust your case to us, we go the extra mile so you do not have to. You have to worry about getting better. We take care of everything else.
Call the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine today at 1-800-747-3733 to schedule your no-cost consultation. We work on contingency, which means we will never charge you any fees unless we can recover financial compensation.
We Can Help.
