As an Ohio resident who probably spends a lot of time in your car, driving back and forth to work, on errands, and taking your children to school and their various activities, you know that car crashes happen all too frequently. What you may not know, however, is that if you are unfortunate enough to be involved in one, it could leave you with lasting nerve damage.
Your body is full of nerves – billions of them. Each one serves a different function, but they fall into the following three categories:
- Motor nerves that control the movements you voluntarily make, such as walking, bending, smiling, chewing, grasping and using tools, etc.
- Autonomic nerves that control the involuntary movements of your body, such as breathing, pumping blood, digesting your food and regulating your internal temperature.
- Sensory nerves that let you see, hear, taste, touch and smell, as well as feel pain.
Nerve damage symptoms
It probably will shock you to learn that more than 100 types of nerve damage can result from an auto crash. Your symptoms will vary depending on which nerves were damaged and the extent of their injury. Be on the lookout for the following symptoms:
- Pain, oftenn severe
- Headaches, dizziness and/or loss of coordination
- Tinnitus; i.e., ringing in your ears, and/or blurred or double vision
- Paralysis, temporary or permanent, of one or more parts of your body
- Incontinence, both urinary and fecal
- Sexual dysfunction
You always should seek immediate medical assistance after an auto crash, even if you do not think you are seriously hurt. Only a trained health care professional can assess your injuries and arrive at a diagnosis.
In addition, you may wish to contact an experienced personal injury attorney who can assess your legal situation and determine if you have a valid personal injury claim against the driver who caused your accident. In addition,(s)he can guide you through the insurance process and make sure you do not accept any settlement offers that may not be sufficient to cover your medical and other expenses.