Accidents often result in nerve damage that can limit your ability to perform everyday tasks such as using your joints, lifting objects, or even walking. If your nerve damage is due to someone else’s negligence, recovering compensation can allow you to seek adequate medical treatment. It can also help you avoid financial strain from lost wages and escalating medical bills.

Common Accidents That Cause Nerve Damage

Accidents that damage the nerves can have a devastating impact on your quality of life. Nerve damage can cause paralysis, loss of sensation, and difficulty with movement and coordination. It can also keep you from working or enjoying your favorite hobbies and recreational activities. In some cases, nerve damage can even lead to chronic pain.

Many types of accidents can cause nerve damage, including:

Almost half of all cases (46%) of peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage) are due to motor vehicle crashes and motorcycle accidents. Other causes include pedestrian accidents, falls, industrial accidents, and violence.

How to Identify Nerve Damage

To diagnose nerve damage, your doctor will perform a physical examination and order tests such as X-rays, MRIs, or nerve conduction (electromyography) studies.

Symptoms of nerve damage include:

  • Pain
  • Tingling
  • Numbness
  • Weakness
  • Loss of sensation

What Kind of Treatment Does Nerve Damage Require?

Treatment for nerve damage depends on the underlying cause. For example, carpal tunnel syndrome may require splinting or surgery to relieve pressure on the median nerve. Sometimes, nerve damage may resolve on its own over time. However, it is also possible for nerve damage to lead to permanent disability.

Physical therapy may be recommended to help the patient regain strength and coordination. You may need to wear a splint to correct limb positioning or use an electrical stimulator to activate muscles while the nerve heals.

Surgery such as a nerve graft or a tendon transfer may be necessary in more severe cases to repair the damage and restore motor function. In addition, neurologists may prescribe medication to help relieve pain and other symptoms associated with nerve damage.

Tricyclic antidepressants and SNRIs (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) are used to manage neuropathic pain as an alternative to powerful opiates.

How Long Does Nerve Damage Take to Heal?

When a nerve is damaged, it can take a long time to heal. The length of time depends on the severity of the damage and the type of nerve involved. Sensory nerves, responsible for transmitting information about touch, temperature, and pain, typically heal more quickly than motor nerves, which control muscle movement.

The healing process also depends on the underlying cause of the nerve damage. In some cases, such as when nerve damage is due to an injury or inflammation, the nerve will regain function over time. However, the nerve may never fully recover in other cases, such as when a disease or infection causes damage.

Types of Compensation You Can Recover for Nerve Damage

Nerve damage can have a profound and lasting effect on your life. Depending on the location and severity of the injury, you may not regain mobility in the affected limb. If you have suffered nerve damage due to someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation that will allow you to move forward with your life.

Several types of compensation may be available in a personal injury claim for nerve damage. Economic damages such as medical expenses can include the cost of doctor’s appointments, surgeries, physical therapy, and rehabilitative care. If you are unable to work due to your injuries, you may be able to recover lost wages.

Additionally, you may be able to recover non-economic damages, including mental anguish, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and disfigurement damages. These damages are intended to compensate you for the physical and emotional distress caused that cannot be quantified using a dollar amount.

Speak with the Attorneys at Wagner Reese

If you have sustained nerve damage due to an accident or negligence, it is vital to consult an experienced personal injury attorney to help you understand your legal rights and options. An attorney can also investigate the circumstances of the accident and gather evidence to support your claim.

Accident victims suffering nerve damage can contact the Indianapolis catastrophic injury attorneys at Wagner Reese. Our attorneys can pursue a personal injury claim on your behalf, whether you are in Indiana or anywhere else in the United States.

For a no-obligation, free initial consultation, contact us today and learn how we can help you recover damages.