Nerve Damage

Approximately 20 million people suffer from nerve damage in the U.S. Nerve damage can be painful and interfere with your daily life and work. If you suffered nerve damage because of an accident caused by another person’s negligence, you may have the right to financial compensation for the harm you have suffered.

Continue reading to learn more about nerve damage, including the compensation you can seek in a personal injury claim.

Table of Contents

What Is Nerve Damage?

What Is Nerve Damage? Nerves send electrical signals throughout your body and control muscles, sense heat and cold, regulate your breathing, control movement, and help complete other important bodily functions. Nerves are made up of fibers that are covered with tissues that insulate them.

In some cases, only the tissues are damaged while in other cases, the fibers and tissues are damaged. In some cases, nerves are completely cut. When nerves are damaged, they no longer receive signals from the brain to transmit sensation.

Nerve damage is more common in a person’s arms, feet, and hands. However, other parts of the body can be affected.

What Types of Nerve Damage Can Occur?

The body consists of three main types of nerves:

Autonomic nerves – These nerves control involuntary functions of the body, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature regulation.
Motor nerves – These nerves control movements and actions by relaying information from your brain and spinal cord to your muscles.
Sensory nerves – These nerves relay information from your muscles and skin to your spinal cord and brain, such as feelings of pain and other sensations.

There are more than 100 different types of nerve damage. Nerve damage is also known as peripheral neuropathy. Nerve damage can affect various aspects of your body and seriously impede your quality of life.

What Are Common Causes of Nerve Damage?

Nerve damage can be caused by various types of health conditions. Up to 70% of people with diabetes have nerve damage, and it’s more common as you age. It can occur after any injury, such as after a car accident. It can also occur after surgery to treat injuries. More serious nerve damage tends to follow more severe injuries.

Compression can cause nerve damage, too. For example, a crushing injury in a construction accident can cause nerve damage. Pinched nerves in the neck can occur after a bicycle accident or a slip sand fall and cause nerve damage. Workplawce injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome can also cause nerve damage.

What Are the Symptoms of Nerve Damage?

With so many different types of nerve damage, there can be many different symptoms.

The following symptoms can indicate various types of nerve damage:

Numbness or tingling in the hands and/or feet
Inability to sense chest pain
Muscle atrophy
A buzzing sensation
Twitching
Too much or too little sweating
Muscle weakness
Lightheadedness
Dry eyes and mouth
Sharp pains in your extremities
Pain, sensitivity, numbness, burning, or tingling in damaged areas of your body
Regularly dropping objects that you are holding
Constipation
Bladder dysfunction
Sexual dysfunction

If left untreated, nerve damage can lead to serious complications.

What Complications Are Caused by Nerve Damage?

Nerves are essential to every bodily function, so nerve damage can seriously affect your quality of life.

It can also lead to complications such as:

Ulcers
Additional injuries and wounds
Gangrene
Amputations
Cardiovascular and respiratory problems
Lower-extremity deformations
Digestive issues
Loss of bladder control

To avoid these complications, it is important to seek prompt medical treatment for nerve damage.

How Is Nerve Damage Treated?

Different nerve damage injuries require different types of treatment. In some cases, damaged nerves can be repaired, such as when they are treated quickly after an injury. A surgeon may be able to remove injured tissues and reconnect severed nerves. This treatment can help restore sensation to the affected nerves.

Consulting a doctor as soon as you notice symptoms can help reduce the likelihood of permanent damage.

Treatments may include:

Physical therapy – Physical therapy may be able to address compression or trauma to the nerves.
Medication – Your doctor may prescribe various types of medications to manage pain or treat underlying symptoms, such as pain relievers, antidepressants, anti-seizure drugs, or capsaicin cream.
Electrical nerve stimulation – TENS or other electrical nerve stimulation may also be used in combination with other treatment options.
Surgery – Surgery may be able to stop nerve damage from getting worse since it is often a progressive condition.

If you suspect you may have suffered nerve damage, your first step should be to seek prompt medical treatment. Then, contact a personal injury lawyer for help with your claim.

What Compensation Can You Recover in a Nerve Damage Claim?

Nerve damage may require ongoing medical care. You may be able to receive compensation for past, current, and future medical expenses stemming from an accident caused by another person’s negligence. You could also recover payment for wages you lost from work and any reduction in your earning capacity.

Personal injury laws also allow you to recover for non-economic harm you have endured, such as pain and suffering.

An experienced lawyer can help determine the potential value of your nerve damage claim.

How Long Do You Have to File a Nerve Damage Lawsuit in New York?

New York’s statute of limitations generally provides you with three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, there are times when the deadline is shorter, such as if you are filing a claim against a governmental entity. Do not delay. Reach out to an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to protect your rights.

Contact a New York Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss the Compensation You Can Seek for Your Nerve Damage

Did you suffer nerve damage in a car accident or other personal injury incident? If so, you may be able to recover compensation for the damages you have suffered from the at-fault party. This can mean you have the money necessary to pay for continued care, make up for lost income, and compensate you fairly for the pain and suffering you have endured.

The Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers can help prepare a claim on your behalf while you focus on your recovery. Contact or call us today at (212) 564-2800 to discuss your nerve damage and the compensation you can seek for it.