When you are involved in an accident, your back and spine can be affected in many ways. One of those is a bulging disc. A bulging disc occurs when the outer layer of cartilage surrounding the disc protrudes, and it can happen anywhere on your spine.
While the protruding disc itself doesn’t always hurt, it can pinch the nerves coming out of your spinal cord and cause excruciating pain that travels to your arms and legs.
Your spinal discs often wear down with age and dehydrate, causing them to naturally deteriorate and stiffen. An accident can also cause your vertebral discs to lose their shape or aggravate an existing back injury. An automobile, workplace, or other type of accident can worsen existing symptoms or cause new symptoms, making it difficult to determine the actual cause of your pain.
Bulging discs can cause symptoms like tingling or numbness in your hands and shoulders, pain in your feet and lower spine, and difficulty walking or lifting objects. In many cases, a bulging disc heals on its own over time with conservative treatments like physical therapy and hot and cold therapy. In other cases, you may develop chronic pain or need surgery to relieve your pain. Whether your symptoms or mild or more severe, you will likely require medical treatment and time off from work to heal, meaning lost earnings and disruption to your daily routine.
If an accident led to your bulging disc, you have a right to hold the at-fault party responsible and seek financial recovery for your injury.
Let our experienced attorneys handle your case, we also handle cases related to burn injuries, Austin wrist injuries, spinal cord injuries, Austin spinal fusion surgery injuries, and more.
Damages in a Bulging Disc Injury Case
Determining damages in a bulging disc injury case can be difficult because the cause and severity of each injury can vary widely, as can the future cost of medical care. That’s why it’s important to get an accurate medical diagnosis as soon as possible after your accident to determine the short- and long-term impacts of your injury.
Pursuing the appropriate damages requires an accurate medical diagnosis and a determination of whether conservative or more invasive treatments are needed. Depending on your injury, you may need anything from physical therapy and chiropractic care, to oral steroids or epidural steroid injections, to surgery. The more invasive your treatment, the more you’re likely to recover in damages.
In addition to reimbursement for future medical consequences and costs, you can also seek reimbursement for lost earnings and lost earning capacity. In any bulging disc injury case, it’s important to consider the economic impact that your injury is likely to have on you in the long term.
Austin bulging disc injury lawyers can help you determine the amount of damages you may be able to recover and work with any medical providers to prove that the accident either caused or worsened your injury. Your attorney will make sure you have all the medical documentation needed to prove the actual costs associated with your injury so that you can recover as much as possible.
What Factors Can Affect Your Bulging Disc Injury Case?
There are a variety of factors that come into play when determining how much you can recover in your bulging disc injury case. Factors such as who caused the injury, whether the accident caused a new injury or worsened an existing injury, and the extent of needed treatments will all affect the amount of damages paid out to you. Other factors that can affect your case include:
- What caused your bulging disc. You will need to prove that another party’s negligence caused or aggravated a bulging disc injury. In Texas, how much you can recover depends on if you were partially at fault for the accident or had a preexisting injury that was aggravated by the accident.
- How your bulging disc injury impacts your ability to work. A bulging disc can make it uncomfortable or painful to sit, stand, and lift objects. Whether from pain or recovery from surgery, you may need to take time off work because of a bulging disc. If you can prove that your injury reduced or diminished your ability to work, you may be able to recover lost wages. If you can show that your injury will affect your ability to work in the future, whether because of ongoing pain or treatments, you may be able to seek lost earning capacity.
- How much insurance will pay out. It’s typical for insurance policies to have payout limits. If your losses are above the coverage limits of the at-fault party, you’ll need to find other sources of recovery.
Bulging disc injury lawyers can review all the unique factors in your case to determine how much you may be able to recover in damages, and then work diligently to get you what you deserve.
How a Lawyer Can Help with Your Bulging Disc Injury Case
Bulging disc injury cases can be more complicated than they seem, and it can be overwhelming to talk to medical providers and insurance companies while dealing with your injuries. Austin bulging disc injury lawyers can help you get all of the needed paperwork sorted out so that you can focus on healing.
Your attorney will make sure you receive proper care from medical professionals who can explain the severity of your injury and provide an accurate picture of its long-term impact. They can even recommend appropriate physicians who have expertise in treating back issues. If needed, your attorney can hire experts who can recreate the accident to show that it led to your bulging disc or aggravated an existing injury.
Working with a bulging disc injury lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and options when it comes to the unique facts of your case. Your lawyer will help you understand the possible routes you can take in your case and advise you on how to protect yourself as you go through a legal action. They can also give you advice on financial aspects of your treatment such as helping you arrange payment plans or lowering or deferring medical bills so you can afford to take care of your health.
Insurance providers often do their best to avoid paying out damages, leaving you frustrated and sometimes willing to accept a lowball offer. Your attorney can help make sure that doesn’t happen and will fight for your right to fair compensation against insurance companies and other liable parties.
Why Hire FVF to Help with Your Bulging Disc Injury Case?
You may not need an attorney in every bulging disc injury case, but taking the time to consult with experienced Austin bulging disc injury lawyers is always recommended to ensure the best outcome for your case. At FVF Law, we aim to provide compassionate advice, exceptional counsel, and a commitment to helping you understand your rights, options, and our recommendations on how to proceed.
If you are suffering from a bulging disc injury due to an accident, you deserve to know your rights and what you can legally recover. We offer free, no-commitment case consultations so you can learn about your options. Contact us today to learn more about your legal options from an expert Austin bulging disc injury lawyer, and start the process of recovering the compensation you deserve.