Rarely care accidents go without any kind of injury. The majority will result in some form of injury, that can be minor to sever and some even life-threatening. The most common injuries after a car accident are broken bones, injuries to your spine, brain injuries, cuts and bruises. Not many people consider, but should, is the nerve damage after a car accident and the pain that goes with it. You may not know, but there are about 7 trillion nerves all over your body which work in wonderful synchronicity. But due to an impact, some of them might be pinched, torn, stretched or damaged in some other way. Nerves are responsible for sending signals from your brain and all over your body. They also transmit pain signals, so if there’s nerve damage after a car accident, one of the possible symptoms is chronic pain. Given the fact that nerves in our body are quite important, it’s quite surprising how easily nerve damage after a car accident is overlooked. These damages can cause serious problems without the proper treatment. But car accident victims tend to omit reporting them because they are really hard to prove and receiving compensation for them is very difficult. We understand that nerve damage after a car accident can be incredibly debilitating. Even if the nerve damage doesn’t cause paralysis or some other form of disability, it can still cause months, even years of pain.

What injuries can cause nerve damage after a car accident?

No matter if you were in a minor fender bender or were in a car crash at high speed, the risk of suffering nerve damage and pain is always present. Some of the most common injuries that can cause nerve damage after a car accident include:

• Whiplash – when the head suddenly jolts forward then backward
• Impact to the spine – If your back or spine were impacted in the car accident, there’s a possibility that your nerves got pinched or compressed and thus are causing you pain.
• Herniated disk – Damage to the vertebrae disks which can also pinch your nerves, causing pain.
• Secondary nerve injuries – Nerve damage can be caused by other, primary damage in your body such as a broken bone, internal injuries and so on.

What type of nerve damages are there?

Everyone has experienced some sort of nerve pain in their life. You might have pinched a nerve during sport activities, or while you were sleeping etc. These types of nerve damages usually go away on their own in a short amount of time. But nerve damage after a car accident can be more serious and extensive, since the nerves tend to stretch, rupture or tear. Depending on the type of nerve damage and severity, we classify nerve damage into several categories: Neurapraxia – This is the mildest form of nerve damage and it usually happens when the nerve is stretched or compressed. It typically resolved itself. Axonotmesis – This involved nerve damage to the axon (where the nerve sends the signals). This is a more serious form of nerve damage after a car accident, and even with extensive therapy and exercise, it can take up to a year to fully heal. Neurotmesis – this is the most severe nerve damage after a car accident and it refers to a condition when the nerve is completely severed. It mostly occurs after a violent and open injury. Surgical intervention could help achieve partial recovery, but complete recovery is very rare. If you or your loved one notice any pain or other sings of nerve damage after a car accident, make sure to follow up with your doctor and contact Schenk Podolsky car accident attorneys so we could represent you and you could receive the compensation for your injuries that you deserve.