After any car accident, it is important to seek a thorough examination from a qualified medical professional. Depending on the injury, car accident victims may not realize they sustained harm, or they may not connect the injury to the car collision.
There are more than one hundred different types of nerve damage, ranging from mild to severe. But any type of nerve damage can result in costly medical bills and pain and suffering. WebMD explains various symptoms of nerve pain and damage (Source: https://www.webmd.com/brain/nerve-pain-and-nerve-damage-symptoms-and-causes). Those involved in motor vehicle accidents deserve to know the many ways a car collision may harm them.
Your nerves are part of your nervous system—a wide-ranging network that’s involved in everything your body does. Nerves are responsible for thousands of various functions, from regulating your breath to controlling your muscles and sensing cold and heat.
These are the most prevalent types of nerve damage found as a result of car accidents in personal injury lawsuits:
- Autonomic nerve damage – Autonomic nerves control digestion, blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature regulation. Signs a person may have autonomic nerve damage include sweating too little or too much, constipation, dry mouth and eyes, bladder and sexual dysfunction, and lightheadedness. Patients with autonomic nerve damage may also not feel a heart attack, angina, or other chest pains.
- Sensory nerve damage – The body’s sensory nerves deliver information from the muscles and skin to the brain and spinal cord. Common indications of sensory nerve damage include sensitivity, pain, prickling, numbness and burning. Nerve damage may also reveal itself in issues with positional awareness.
- Motor nerve damage – Motor nerves dictate actions and movements. Symptoms of damage to these nerves include declining muscles, weakness and paralysis. A person may also experience twitching.
- Multiple nerve damage – Another reason car crash victims must receive immediate medical attention is that they may have damage to multiple types of nerves. For example, someone with multiple nerve damage could experience the burning associated with sensory nerve damage and the weakness associated with motor nerve damage.
Physical sensations after a car accident may indicate an unrelated health condition, or they could become a sign of nerve damage. Those involved in motor vehicle collisions cannot afford to take chances with any discomfort or odd feelings they experience. Each degree of nerve damage severity can individually impact a victim’s symptoms, pain levels, and path to healing.
Damage typically occurs during the force of impact. A victim’s body can be thrown against the vehicle steering wheel, dashboard, or door, or the victim can suffer severe injuries that damage nerves. Similarly, an accident can damage bones in the victim’s body, causing secondary nerve damage.
Many drivers experience nerve damage in their legs, feet, arms, shoulders, hands, and face, depending on where they suffered crash-related injuries.
One Call to Harsh Law
Have you or a loved one suffered nerve damage injuries because of another driver? The personal injury attorneys at Harsh Law offer complimentary evaluations to review all aspects of your case, from your medical expenses to your pain and suffering.
Call us at 909-793-6261 to discuss your case today.