If you suffer a Herniated Disc in a car or trucking wreck is that a serious or permanent injury?
It depends on the type of Herniated Disc you may have suffered. Let me explain.
In our spine we have 23 discs that sit between vertebrae (or intervertebral bodies) that provide three functions:
- mobility
- hold the vertebrae together, and
- shock absorption.
If a disc herniates or ruptures that integrity of the disc is compromised a
nd the anatomy of the disc is permanently changed. Furthermore, because there is NO blood supply into the disc–the disc will never repair itself. All independent medical experts will agree that trauma can cause a perfectly healthy disc to herniate. Once a healthy disc herniates, it will never return to its normal anatomical state—the disease or injury is permanent in nature.
For those experiencing such injuries after an accident, consulting a personal injury lawyer in San Jose can be crucial to understanding your legal rights and obtaining the compensation you deserve.
In interest of brevity, I will not discuss all the different types of herniation except mention that NOT all herniations are the same. For example, you can suffer a posterior herniation, anterior herniation, right paracentral herniation, left paracentral herniation. In addition, the specific area within body where you suffer the herniation is significant. You can suffer a herniation in your neck, referred to as a cervical herniation. You can suffer a herniation in your mid-back called thoracic herniation, and/or you can suffer a low back herniation medically known as a lumbar herniation.
Posterior Herniation is where the protruding disc material is oriented towards the spinal cord.
Anterior Herniation is where the protruding disc material is oriented away form the spinal cord side.
Right Paracentral Disc Herniation is where the protruding disc material is right of center. Typically, a person suffering from a right paracentral disc herniation will experience radiating pain traveling down the right side of his/her body. For example, if you have a right sided herniated disc in your low back at the L5-S1 level then the radiating pain should be traveling down your right leg into your toe.
Left Paracentral Disc Herniation is where the protruding disc material is left of center. Typically, a person suffering from a left paracentral disc herniation will experience radiating pain traveling down the left side of his/her body. For example, if you have a left sided herniated disc in your low back at the L5-S1 level then the radiating pain should be traveling down your left leg into your toe.
A herniated disc within your back will require medical treatment to help alleviate the pain. The different types of medical treatment that help deal with herniated disc injuries, include but are not limited to chiropractic care, pain management and/or potential spine surgery.
Degenerative Disc is where a disc in your neck or back undergoes the normal aging process. The intervertebral disc loses the natural water content within the disc causing the disc to lose its natural height.
If you are suffering from any of these injures and conservative treatment does not help, then your only option may be spinal surgery. Have surgery to your spine should be the option of last resort.
Contact Us
If you have suffered a herniated disc, you need to speak to an experienced trial lawyer that understands the dynamics of the injury. Give Dan T. Matrafajlo, Esq of Beninato and Matrafajlo Attorneys at Law, LLC a call to discuss your case, plus all consultations are free.
Dan T. Matrafajlo, Esq. is the Managing Member and Lead Partner at Beninato & Matrafajlo, Attorneys at Law, LLC, a New Jersey-based personal injury law firm with offices in Elizabeth and East Brunswick. With over two decades of experience representing clients in complex matters—including motor vehicle accidents, workers’ compensation, and wrongful death cases—he has recovered over $100 million on behalf of his clients and is known for securing significant results. He has also helped shape New Jersey personal injury law through notable Appellate Division decisions such as Hardison v. King and Frenklakh v. Lojek, with his litigation work featured in the New Jersey Law Journal, underscoring his authority in the field.
Mr. Matrafajlo was recognized as a Super Lawyers® Rising Stars honoree from 2012 to 2017 and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum—an honor reserved for attorneys who have achieved multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements. Combining deep legal expertise with a client-focused approach, he provides strategic, results-driven representation while guiding clients through every stage of the legal process. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law and is admitted to practice in both New Jersey and New York.
