Car accidents rank as one of the primary causes of unintentional injuries in New York. Nerve damage can occur in a car accident due to the forces of the crash injuring or destroying a victim’s nerve tissues. If you suffer nerve damage in a New York car accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Reach out to a car accident lawyer in Forest Hills.
Types of Nerve Injuries
An automobile collision could cause a minor to severe nerve injury. Some nerve injuries recover within a few weeks, while others take months or are never capable of fully recovering. The three main nerve injury classifications are:
- Neuropraxia: mild nerve injury from a physiologic block rather than actual nerve damage
- Axonotmesis: moderate nerve injury that only partially interrupts the nerve signals
- Neurotmesis: severe nerve injury where the nerve is completely torn or ripped away
The most common locations for nerve injuries from a car accident are the neck and back. A spinal disk could herniate or move out of place, for example, and put pressure on surrounding nerves. Other types of spinal cord injuries and whiplash are also common causes.
Common Signs of Nerve Damage After a Car Accident
A car accident can cause nerve damage in many ways. Nerves in various parts of the body can sustain injury from blunt-force trauma, being crushed or compressed, being torn or stretched, or being severed.
The signs of a nerve injury after a car accident often include:
- Sensory changes
- Numbness
- Chronic pain
- Sharp or radiating pain
- Tingling or “pins and needles” sensation
- Burning feeling
- Muscle weakness
If you notice any of these or other unusual symptoms in the hours or days following a car accident, seek professional medical care right away.
Who Pays for a Car Accident Nerve Injury in New York?
New York is one of only a handful of states that use a no-fault car insurance law. Under this rule, your first option for recovering compensation after a car accident is your own car insurance policy. Your personal injury protection (PIP) insurance will offer coverage for your medical costs and partial lost wages.
If you suffer a serious nerve injury, however, you may be eligible to sue the other driver outside of the no-fault system. Filing a lawsuit against the at-fault party for your car accident nerve damage could lead to greater compensation, including damages for your pain and suffering, property damage, and total lost wages.
How to Prove a Nerve Damage Car Accident Case
In the event that you need to file a lawsuit against another driver for your car accident in New York, you must prove that the claim you are making is most likely to be true. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to prove an “invisible” injury such as nerve damage without assistance from a personal injury lawyer and medical experts.
You need evidence that the defendant named in your claim is responsible for causing your car accident and that you suffered nerve damage in the collision. Common types of evidence to support these cases include medical records, accident reconstruction, expert witness testimony, photos or videos, and eyewitness statements.
When to Contact a Car Accident Lawyer
If you are diagnosed with any type of acute or chronic nerve injury from an automobile accident in New York, it is recommended to contact an attorney to discuss the true value of your injury claim before accepting a fast settlement from an insurance provider.
An insurance company may underestimate how much your nerve injury has and will continue to impact your life. A personal injury lawyer, however, will work for you and want to maximize your settlement value as much as possible.
If you are curious about a potential car accident nerve damage case, contact Abaev Law Firm, PLLC to request a free consultation.