Herniated Disc Injury Lawyer in Durham, NC

herniated disc

A herniated disc can be extremely painful and keep you from doing many of your favorite activities, working and earning a paycheck, and even being able to care for yourself. But if someone else was to blame for your back injury, they should also be responsible for its consequences.

The Durham personal injury attorneys at Kreger Brodish LLP are committed to helping those who have suffered a herniated disc get the compensation and accountability they deserve. We have more than a decade of experience fighting for injured North Carolinians and helping our clients recover maximum compensation. We can investigate even the most complicated accident, identify the parties liable for your injuries, and hold them responsible for their actions.

Contact us today for a free case review with a Durham herniated disc injury lawyer.

What Is a Herniated Disc?

Cushioned discs support the spine’s vertebrae to protect them from damage. However, a fallcar accident, or another type of physical trauma can damage these discs if they are put under too much strain. A herniated disc occurs when a disc’s lining tears or ruptures, causing the spongy material inside to protrude from the disc’s casing. Sometimes, fluid inside the disc may leak out after a hernia. This makes the disc less able to cushion the vertebrae.

The three primary forms of herniated disc injuries are:

  • Disc extrusion is when part of a disc’s outer wall tears, causing material from the inner disc to project out of the disc’s wall and into the spinal canal.
  • Protruded disc– This is when part of a disc’s nucleus breaks through a tear in the disc’s lining. But because the lining does not break entirely, the nucleus does not extend as far out in a protrusion as it would in an extrusion.
  • Disc sequestration is when part of a disc’s nucleus breaks through the outer walls and becomes lodged in the spinal canal. From there, the nucleus fragment can move to different parts of the spine, causing pain and other symptoms. These injuries are sometimes known as free fragment injuries.

Symptoms of a Herniated Disc

While symptoms of a herniated disc injury can vary depending on the site and severity of the injury, common ones include:

  • Herniated disc in the cervical spine– The cervical spine is the top portion of the spinal cord and runs from the base of the skull, through the neck, and into the upper back. A herniated disc in the cervical spine can cause pain, weakness, numbness, and a tingling sensation in the neck, arms, shoulders, and hands.
  • Herniated disc in the thoracic spine– The thoracic spine runs through the middle part of the back. A herniated disc in the thoracic spine can cause intense pain in the upper or mid back, pain in the chest or stomach, numbness or weakness in the lower extremities, trouble balancing or walking, and bladder or bowel dysfunction.
  • A herniated disc in the lumbar spine– The lumbar spine includes the vertebrae in the lower back until the spinal cord terminates above your tailbone. A herniated disc in the lumbar spine can pinch or compress the nerves in the lower part of the spinal cord, causing pain, numbness, and weakness in the lower part of the body.