An accident can leave a victim with long-lasting problems, one of which is nerve damage. This, in turn, can lead to a number of health complications and even permanent disability. The victim will likely need ongoing medical treatments, physical therapy, and medications to cope with the pain and decreased dexterity.

If you or a loved one have developed nerve damage due to someone else’s negligence, you should not have to bear the financial burden of these and other medical expenses and financial losses. You deserve serious legal representation to help you seek the monetary damages that you will need. Count on the dedicated Long Island personal injury attorneys of Dell & Dean PLLC.

Accidents and Injuries That Cause Nerve Damage

There are many ways that someone can get hurt and experience nerve damage. These often point to negligence on the part of another individual, business, or entity. Because the injury victim has the burden of explaining how they suffered nerve damage, it helps to understand some of the most common reasons it happens:

  • Compression and pinched nerve: Compression occurs when there is too much pressure exerted on a nerve from surrounding tissues. This can lead to a pinched nerve. Any sort of injury that results in carpal tunnel syndrome may cause the victim to experience the pain of a compressed or pinched nerve.
  • Spinal cord injury: Extreme pressure on the spine can cause herniated or bulging of the discs which lie between the vertebrae. A deformed disc can press on nerves that are near the spine, resulting in discomfort and pain. Treatment options for Long Island victims such as anti-inflammatory injections, surgery, and disc replacement are often expensive.
  • Inflammation: Any sort of injury can cause the body to become inflamed as a defense against infection. But severe inflammation in the tissue can lead to inflammation in the nerves. The victim may notice weakness, muscle spasms, pain, numbness, and burning or tingling sensations.
  • Bone fracture: When someone breaks a bone, the broken ends can tear into soft tissue and cause damage to the nerves, along with muscles and blood vessels. The resulting injury means the body will not properly exchange nerve signals. Since nerves are located all throughout the body, the victim must assume that a fracture could have harmed their nervous system.
  • Penetrating injuries: This category includes lacerations, abrasions, and anything else that punctures the skin. These can easily sever nerves and prevent signals from traveling to and from the brain. While penetrating injuries may arise in any sort of accident, they are common in construction and workplace accidents in Long Island.
  • Burns: Third-degree and fourth-degree burns damage all layers of skin and reach the nerves. However, a burn that is this serious may not cause pain because it can destroy the nerves entirely. Despite the absence of sensation, your brain will not send and receive vital nerve signals.

The Different Degrees of Nerve Damage

It’s imperative that you see a doctor after experiencing any kind of accident or injury in Long Island. Your doctor can perform tests which will help diagnose whether, and to what degree, your nerves were damaged. The different degrees of nerve damage are:

  • First-degree: This is the mildest form of injury, and most victims will recover on their own with minimal treatment. Injuries causing nerve compression and pinching often lead to first-degree nerve injury.
  • Second-degree: Testing can help your physician determine if you have suffered a slightly more serious second-degree nerve injury. Surgery is typically not required, but the recovery period may be longer.
  • Third-degree: Recovery is more complicated when the injury elevates to the third degree. The victim may require nerve cleaning (neurolysis) or grafting to repair the nerve.
  • Fourth-degree: A fourth-degree injury can result in scarring, and this will prevent nerve regeneration. Surgery and nerve grafting will be necessary for the victim to properly heal.
  • Fifth-degree: If the nerve is divided in two, for instance due to laceration or extreme stretching, the result will be fifth-degree nerve damage. Surgery is the only way to repair the nerves in this type of injury.

Compensation For Your Long Island Nerve Damage Case

Victims who suffer nerve damage will most likely incur significant medical expenses, possibly for years after the accident. They will also experience other losses for which compensation may be available. Depending on the severity of your nerve injuries, you could be eligible to seek the following damages:

  • Medical bills: These damages cover hospital bills, emergency care, prescription medication, surgery, adaptive medical equipment, and more.
  • Physical therapy and rehabilitation costs: Learning to adapt to nerve damage takes time, but rehabilitation and physical therapy can aid with dexterity and recovery.
  • Long-term care expenses: The most serious cases of nerve damage require long-term care, in medical facilities or in the victim’s home.
  • Lost wages and decreased earning capacity: You will likely miss work and therefore income while you are recovering, and you may not be able to return to your previous occupation.
  • Non-economic damages: Victims can also seek so-called non-economic damages like pain and suffering, diminished quality of life, and disability.
  • Punitive damages: Certain accidents that result from extreme negligence may allow the victim to ask for punitive damages, which are intended to punish the wrongful conduct.

Contact Our Long Island Nerve Damage Injury Attorney

Victims who suffer nerve damage should not have to bear the personal and financial burdens that often carry long into the future. You need skilled legal representation that understands the nature of your losses and how to seek compensation for them. Connect today with Dell & Dean PLLC to begin working on your case.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nerve Damage Injuries

How do attorneys determine the value of a nerve damage case?

Many of the financial expenses mentioned above pertain to future medical needs like physical therapy, plus future economic losses such as decreased earning capacity. You can seek compensation for reasonably estimated future damages such as these. Often, it means retaining the services of an expert witness who can explain and quantify these damages.

Can I ask for compensation in a medical negligence case?

While many nerve damage cases result from accidents, they also stem from medical negligence or medical malpractice. Negligent surgical work and failure to diagnose an injury or condition are examples of malpractice. Our firm helps victims of medical negligence claim damages for their medical, financial, and other losses.

Will my case go to court?

There are different recovery options for nerve damage cases, including filing a lawsuit and taking the matter to trial. Victims can also file a claim against the at-fault party’s insurance company or settle a lawsuit in mediation. We explore all avenues of recovery and represent Long Island victims each step of the way.