Posted By Salter Healy|
February 22 2022 |Spinal Injury
Vehicle accident impacts can put significant pressure on the human body, even incidents that occur at relatively low speeds. In some cases, vehicle accidents put sudden downward pressure on the spine. This spinal pressure can create a significant injury, including a herniated disc and spinal nerve injuries. Nerves run all the way through the vertebral column and send signals to the rest of our bodies. When nerves in the spine become compressed or pinched, this can lead to symptoms known as cervical radiculopathy.
What is Cervical Radiculopathy?
Cervical radiculopathy is the term used to specifically describe tingling, weakness, radiating pain, or numbness caused by irritation or compression to cervical nerve roots. This is different from pinching a nerve in other areas along the spine. There are seven cervical vertebrae in the upper portion of our spine that support the head and allow it to have a wide range of movement. Nerve roots exist in the spine, and they pass through an area called the foramina. The foramina is a passageway where the nerve roots exit the spine and then branch out towards the shoulders, arms, hands, and fingers.
When the vertebrae in the cervical area of the spine become compressed or irritated, this can constrict the foramina, which leads to pressing on the exiting nerve roots, leading to pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness along the nerve path. Depending on where the compressed nerve is located, different areas of the body can be affected.
Causes of Cervical Radiculopathy
Cervical radiculopathy can occur in a variety of ways but typically happens as a result of external trauma on the body. Individuals involved in vehicle accidents are very susceptible to certain types of neck injuries, including rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, or T-bone side-impact collisions. The force of the crash can lead to a whiplash effect on the upper portion of the body, thereby triggering compression on the nerves in the cervical area of the spine.
However, other types of traumatic incidents can also cause cervical radiculopathy. This can occur as a result of slip and fall injuries, sports injuries, workplace incidents, and more.
Average Cervical Radiculopathy Settlement
There is no set amount of compensation available to individuals who sustain cervical radiculopathy in a vehicle accident or in any other type of incident caused by the actions of another party. The only way to properly determine an appropriate settlement amount is to fully understand the extent of the injuries, the total medical costs associated with treating the symptoms, the length of the recovery time, the impact on the quality of a person’s life, as well as the total amount of lost wages.
Settlements for cervical radiculopathy can range anywhere from a few thousand dollars upwards towards a million or more, depending on the circumstances. Before you consider settling your case with an insurance claims adjuster, it is crucial to understand your options. It may be necessary for you to file a personal injury lawsuit against the insurance carrier or the at-fault party to recover maximum compensation.
If you or somebody you care about has sustained cervical radiculopathy, we encourage you to speak to a skilled attorney as soon as possible. A St. Petersburg spinal injury lawyer will fully investigate the incident that led to your injury and work diligently to recover the evidence needed to prove liability. The ultimate goal is to recover maximum compensation for your injuries, lost wages, property damage expenses, and pain and suffering damages.
