Back and Spine Injury Attorneys in Clarksville Get You the Help You Need

Fighting for paralyzed and mobility-impaired accident victims

The spine is a complex structure that can be very sensitive to damage and very difficult to repair should damage occur. Not only does it contain dozens of individual discs and vertebrae, but it also houses the most important neural pathway in the entire human body – the spinal cord. For these reasons, even minor damage to this crucial structure can have a substantial and long-term effect on your quality of life. Serious damage can have a catastrophic effect, including paralysis or other lifelong mobility and vocational limitations. At the Kennedy Law Firm, PLLC, we have cultivated a distinguished network of respected and credible back and spine experts to assist our clients in Clarksville, TN, in documenting and proving their injury claims. Our reputation lets insurance companies and defendants know from the start that our attorneys do not accept less than fair compensation for our injured clients and their families.

Common types and causes of back and spine injuries

Traumatic spinal injuries most commonly occur from car accidents, serious falls and similar accidents. Serious back injuries can also occur without trauma because of repetitive stress or motion. Whether traumatic or non-traumatic, these injuries can run the full range of severity:

What Are Herniated Disc Injuries? 

Although the medical term is a herniated disc, this type of injury is often referred to by other names, such as a bulging, slipped, ruptured or protruding disc. They all refer to similar conditions that have to do with spine and vertebrae health.

Some injuries can cause the jellylike center of the vertebrae to leak or push against the outside ring. This creates excessive pressure on the nerves running up and down your spine, causing numbness, pain and weakness. This could be in your neck, your back or even extending down into your legs.

A herniated disc can cause serious symptoms. It can make it difficult to walk or do manual labor. Employees may miss time at work, parents may struggle to care for their children, and injured parties may have to endure consistent pain and suffering that lasts for weeks. Generally, a herniated disc should heal in roughly a month or a month and a half, but this is not always the case.

How Could You Suffer From A Herniated Disc?

There are many ways that you could experience a herniated disc, such as:

• Being involved in a car accident
• Suffering a slip and fall accident
• Making heavy or awkward lifts, such as an employee lifting items in a warehouse or a hospital
• Playing sports
• Being involved in pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents or motorcycle accidents

Additionally, these types of accidents can exacerbate existing injuries. A person may have a slight disc injury that leads to mild pain and discomfort, but that does not really inhibit them in their day-to-day life. 

But if they are then rear-ended by another driver at a stoplight, it could aggravate that injury so that it becomes incredibly serious and they need extensive medical care. Not only is this type of medical care expensive, but options like surgery may then lead to extensive recovery times, increasing medical bills, lost wages and other related costs.

What Are The Symptoms Of A Herniated Disc?

You could have both short-term and long-term symptoms from a herniated disc, which can lead to sciatic nerve pain, known as sciatica. Symptoms may include:

• Pain that moves from the lower back through the buttocks and down through the leg
• Lower back pain
• Muscle weakness
• Limited mobility
• Numbness in the legs or feet
• A tingling sensation

A herniated disc can also be located much higher on the spine. If it is located in the neck, it could cause:

• Neck pain
• Tingling and numbness in the arms
• Pain in the shoulders, hands or fingers
• Pain that worsens when turning or bending

These symptoms can be very severe, which is when medical intervention may be necessary. At a time like that, it is important to understand exactly what legal options you have, especially if someone else caused the injury.

Long-term effects of spinal injuries

Your spine bears a significant and continuous load every day. For these reasons, damage to the bones, the cervical, thoracic or lumbar spine or the attached muscles can cause chronic pain and loss of mobility and ultimately may prevent you from working or engaging in the activities you once enjoyed. Paralysis, often caused by serious damage to or severance of the spinal cord from a catastrophic injury can not only change your life forever but can also cause a number of cardiac and respiratory ailments in addition to its direct effects.

With more than 75 years of combined personal injury experience, our attorneys at the Kennedy Law Firm, PLLC have managed nearly every type of back injury case and understand the tactics insurance companies and defendants use to minimize or avoid liability. By bringing our substantial experience and resources to bear, we hold them accountable for the full extent of your injuries and the effect they have had on your life.

Understanding Sciatica Injuries From Accidents

Sciatica represents one of the most common and debilitating back injuries resulting from car accidents, slip-and-fall incidents and other traumatic events. This nerve pain condition occurs when irritation, inflammation, pinching or compression affects one or more nerves that run down your lower back and into your legs, creating symptoms that can significantly impact your daily life and ability to work.

What Is Sciatica And How Do Accidents Cause It?

Sciatica involves injury or irritation to your sciatic nerve, the longest and thickest nerve in your body. This nerve bundle runs from your lower back through your hip and buttock down each leg until it reaches just below your knee. Motor vehicle accidents, particularly rear-end collisions and side-impact crashes, frequently cause the sudden jolting motions that can herniate discs or compress spinal nerves, leading to sciatica.

Slip-and-fall accidents on commercial properties or private premises often result in sciatica when victims land hard on their backs or experience twisting injuries while falling. Workplace accidents involving heavy lifting, repetitive motions or falls from heights can also damage the spinal structures that protect the sciatic nerve pathways.

Recognizing Sciatica Symptoms After An Accident

Sciatica symptoms can appear immediately following an accident or develop gradually over days or weeks. Understanding these warning signs helps accident victims seek appropriate medical attention and document their injuries for potential legal claims.

Common sciatica symptoms include these significant indicators that require medical evaluation:

• Burning or electric shock-like pain that radiates from the lower back down one leg
• Tingling or pins and needles sensations in the back, buttock or leg
• Numbness in affected areas that may indicate nerve damage
• Muscle weakness in the back or legs that affects mobility
• Pain that worsens with coughing, sneezing, bending or lifting

More severe symptoms, such as loss of bladder or bowel control, indicate serious nerve damage requiring emergency medical attention.

Short-Term And Long-Term Effects Of Sciatica

While many sciatica cases resolve within four to six weeks with proper treatment, accident-related sciatica can cause both immediate and lasting complications. Short-term effects include severe pain that prevents normal activities, sleep disruption and temporary disability that affects work performance and daily tasks. Long-term complications may include chronic pain lasting months or years, permanent nerve damage resulting in ongoing numbness or weakness, and conditions like drop foot that make normal walking difficult or impossible. Some accident victims develop chronic muscle weakness or permanent loss of feeling in affected legs that requires ongoing medical care and lifestyle modifications.

The Critical Importance Of Immediate Medical Documentation

After any accident involving potential back, neck or head injuries, seeking professional medical examination becomes crucial for both your health and legal protection. Medical professionals can properly diagnose sciatica through physical examinations, imaging studies and nerve conduction tests that document the extent of your injuries.

Comprehensive medical records created immediately after your accident provide invaluable evidence for tracking your condition’s progression and establishing the connection between the accident and your injuries. These documents become essential when pursuing compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering caused by accident-related sciatica. Delaying medical treatment can weaken your legal case and potentially worsen your condition, making immediate professional evaluation critical.

We can help victims of permanent spinal injuries in Clarksville

When a catastrophic back injury changes your life or the life of someone you love, you can trust your case to the experienced and dedicated attorneys at the Kennedy Law Firm, PLLC. From our offices in Clarksville, we have been fighting for people and families throughout Tennessee for nearly 27 years. Call us today at 931-444-5620 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation and case analysis at one of our three Clarksville office locations or at your home, hospital or other location. Accident victims have up to one year from the accident to file a claim, but they should not wait, as they have a better chance for favorable results if they file as soon as possible. We can help you get the compensation you need to preserve quality of life and continue providing for your family even after a serious spinal injury.