What are the Signs of Nerve Damage After a Car Accident?

The signs of nerve damage after a car accident can include numbness, tingling, burning pain, weakness, muscle spasms, and loss of feeling in parts of the body. You may notice symptoms right away, or you may start to feel them days or weeks after the crash.

A serious crash can stretch, pinch, bruise, or tear nerves, and these injuries may affect the neck, back, arms, hands, legs, or feet. In serious cases, nerve damage can make it hard to work, drive, sleep, or handle daily tasks.

Our Raleigh car accident lawyer can help you pursue damages for nerve damage in a crash in North Carolina. A claim may help cover your current losses and future care tied to the injury.

What is Nerve Damage?

Nerves help the body send signals back and forth to the brain. They affect movement, feeling, balance, and muscle control. Nerve damage happens when those nerves are injured and stop working properly.

During a crash, sudden movement in the neck, back, arms, or legs may injure those nerves. Swelling, herniated discs, broken bones, and soft tissue injuries can also press against nerves after a crash. Some nerve injuries heal over time.

When they don’t, they can result in long-term pain or permanent physical injuries.

Symptoms That May Point to Nerve Damage After a Crash

The signs of nerve damage after a car accident injury may affect different parts of the body depending on which nerves were hurt.

Common symptoms include:

• Tingling in the arms, hands, legs, or feet
• Burning or sharp pain
• Numbness
• Muscle weakness
• Trouble gripping objects
• Sensitivity to touch
• Muscle twitching or spasms
• Loss of balance or coordination
• Pain that travels down the arms or legs
• Partial paralysis in severe cases

Some people describe nerve damage as a “pins and needles” feeling. Other people report that parts of their bodies feel heavy, weak, or hard to control. Symptoms can come and go at first, but in some cases, they worsen over time.

Where People Often Feel Symptoms After a Nerve Injury

Crashes can injure one nerve or several at the same time.

Common areas affected after a wreck include:

Neck and Shoulder Nerves

Whiplash injuries can stretch or compress nerves in the neck and shoulders. This may lead to pain, weakness, headaches, or numbness in the arms and hands.

Back and Spine Nerves

A herniated disc or spinal injury may press against nerves in the lower back. Pain may travel into the hips, legs, or feet.

Hand and Wrist Nerves

People who brace for impact during a crash sometimes injure nerves in their hands or wrists.

Leg and Foot Nerves

Crashes can injure nerves in the hips, knees, ankles, or feet. Some people struggle to walk or stand for long periods after these injuries.

Why Nerve Injuries Can Be Hard to Live With

Nerve damage affects more than a person’s physical comfort. Pain and weakness can interfere with daily life in many ways.

If you are experiencing nerve damage, you may have trouble:

• Sleeping through the night
• Sitting in one position for very long
• Carrying groceries or other items
• Driving
• Doing the same type of work you handled before the crash
• Caring for children or other family members
• Keeping up with chores around the house

Some injuries require surgery, physical therapy, injections, or long-term medical care. In some cases, severe nerve damage may never fully heal.

How Do Doctors Diagnose Nerve Damage After a Car Accident?

Doctors have several ways to check for nerve injuries after a crash.

They can run various tests, which can include:

• Physical exams
• Reflex testing
• MRI scans
• CT scans
• Electromyography (EMG)
• Nerve conduction studies

Medical records carry weight in injury claims. They help show how the crash affected the body and how the injury affects a person’s daily life.

Common Damages People Seek in Nerve Damage Claims

People with nerve injuries often face medical bills, missed work, and lasting pain after a collision caused by another driver.

A personal injury claim may help someone recover damages for:

• Medical treatment
• Physical therapy
• Lost income and changes in earning ability
• Pain and suffering
• Future medical care
• Loss of normal daily activities

Why Waiting Too Long Can Hurt a Claim

After an accident, some people think their pain and numbness are minor at first, so they wait before seeking medical care. Days later, though, the condition may become worse.

That delay may give the insurance company a reason to question whether the crash caused the injury or how serious the condition really is.

Even if you think your injury is minor, see a doctor soon after a crash. Medical records, imaging results, and treatment notes can help connect the injury to the accident. These records may also show that the injured person sought medical care soon after the crash, which can support a claim for damages.

How Our Car Accident Lawyer Can Help You Seek Damages

Nerve injury claims often require medical evidence, records from specialists, and proof showing how the injury changed someone’s daily life.

When we handle your case, we will help by:

• Gathering medical records
• Reviewing crash reports
• Speaking with doctors
• Handling insurance company calls
• Calculating long-term losses
• Negotiating a settlement
• Preparing the case for court, if needed
• File an injury lawsuit by the three-year deadline under G.S. § 1-52

Every case involves different injuries, medical needs, and financial losses, so we tailor our legal approach to match the person’s situation.

Get Help for a Nerve Damage Injury After a Car Accident

Pain, numbness, weakness, or burning sensations after a crash may point to a serious injury. These and other signs of nerve damage resulting from car accident injuries can affect work, movement, sleep, and everyday life.

Whitley Law Firm helps injured people with serious accident claims and lawsuits. We have spent more than five decades helping injured people across North Carolina, and our lawyers bring more than 120 years of combined legal service to injury cases.

We Answer the Call. We are available 24/7 and aim to return phone calls within 24 hours. Call us today for a free consultation to review what options may be available.