Degenerative Disc Disease from a Car Accident
The number of car accidents is increasing every year. According to a survey, around 1.4 million people lost their lives in road traffic crashes. The reasons can be many; some people even meet with severe injuries due to car accidents. These injuries include broken bones, concussions, and other traumatic injuries. The question here is that can there be a degenerative disc disease from a car accident?
What is a Degenerative Disk Disease?
These are diseases caused due to injuries caused in the intervertebral discs of the spinal cord. These discs are responsible for holding and separating the two consecutive vertebrae. A degenerative disk disease can be naturally caused as a person ages. However, it can even be caused due to severe accidents. Although most car accidents can result in degenerative disk diseases, some can worsen the condition if you already have a broken vertebra.
Types and Causes of Degenerative Disk Disease
There can be various types of degenerative disk diseases depending on the location of the injury. The most common car accident caused by degenerative disk disease is herniated disk injury which causes the displacement of the spinal disk from its original position. Depending upon the severity, disc herniation may take a week to months to be treated entirely, and in some cases, it can even cause a slipped disk.
There can be various causes where the vertebral disc gets weakened; majorly, these happen due to age and the weakening of bones. Let’s discuss some reasons in detail:
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Drying of Intervertebral Fluid
There is a fluid present in the vertebrae that protects them from shocks and injuries. This fluid gets dried up as a person ages. The lesser the fluid, the more are the chances of degenerative disk disease.
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Cracking of the Vertebral Wall
In everyday life, we may get minor car accident injuries that can ultimately weaken the outer wall of vertebrae over the years as a person grows old. If there is a severe injury, this wall can get completely broken, resulting in degenerative disc disease.
Diagnosis and Treatment
A degenerative disk disease symptoms include discomfort in bending the back, numbness in arms/legs, or lower back pain while you sit. If this happens, you may need to take complete bed rest for months depending upon the severity and how it is treated.
Medical Practitioner can quickly Diagnose a Degenerative Disk Disease
However, it is better to get yourself checked even if there is no symptom, as in many cases, there are no symptoms or pains for the first few days, and the severity can increase if it remains untreated for a long time. A medical practitioner can quickly diagnose this condition through an X-ray or MRI. An X-ray is used to locate a broken vertebral disc, while MRI can also show a tissue tear.
How can you Prove Injuries to claim Insurance?
In most cases, a degenerative disk disease cannot be caused by a car accident. Even if it happens, it is vital to prove no pre-existing injuries in your vertebrae. This can be done by documenting the victim’s medical reports( X-ray report/ MRI report) and doctor’s prescriptions or a medical certificate stating that the accident has caused or worsened the injury. For a smooth and hassle-free insurance claim, it is better to hire an accident lawyer as they know all about ways to prove the injuries.
Contact us at The Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato
To conclude, it can be said that a car accident can rarely lead to degenerative disk disease. However, it can increase the chances of such illness or worsen the condition if you have any pre-existing injuries. You can take the help of a witness or a doctor to prove any physical pain or psychological distresses caused by the car accident. Our Fort Lauderdale car accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Wolf and Pravato can assist you in claiming insurance for a degenerative disk disease caused by a car accident. Call us today to know how we can help you.
