Degenerative Disc Disease Car Accident Settlement

The law likely entitles you to recover medical expenses, lost earnings, losses due to a reduced capacity to work, and other losses relating to changes in your quality of life. However, before you can truly understand what type of recovery you should expect, it is your burden to prove the full extent of your injury as well as the future implications. Because a degenerative disc disease diagnosis is pretty generic, that diagnosis alone should not be used as a basis for determining what kind of recovery you should expect.

The following factors can give you an idea of the amount of damages you may be able to reasonably expect:

• An accurate medical diagnosis. Many primary care doctors and urgent care doctors do not understand the significance of a generic degenerative disc disease diagnosis. So, it is important to secure an opinion from a spine specialist, such as a pain management physician or orthopedist, who will educate you on the nuances of your injury. If they believe your disc injury is trauma related, they will generally be prepared to advocate on your behalf and testify that the injury was caused or aggravated by the crash.
• The severity of the injury and the extent of your losses. A degenerative disc disease diagnosis covers a broad range of severity and treatment protocol; one person might require only physical therapy to recover, while another person with the same diagnosis might need major surgical intervention. The more serious the injury and the more serious the interventions needed, the higher the expected settlement amount might be. A traumatic spine injury can also greatly limit your capacity to work while you’re recovering and seeking treatment, sometimes even permanently. You have a right to those wages that you would have otherwise earned if not for the negligent actions of the other driver. Finally, spine injuries, no matter the severity, can have a significant impact on your quality of life. The law allows financial recovery for those losses as well.

Available recovery sources. If the amount of your losses surpasses the maximum payout amount of the at-fault driver’s insurance policy, your lawyer will help you identify other sources of recovery. Options may include the insurance policy of the driver’s employer if the driver was working at the time of the accident, the personal assets of the driver, or your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

It’s very difficult to give a precise time frame for any type of accident settlement because the length of your case depends on your specific circumstances. However, there are a few factors that can affect your case’s timeline, such as the ones described below.

• The nature of your injuries. The severity of your condition and how it impacts your life will likely affect the length of your case. More severe, long-term injury cases typically take longer to resolve, simply because there is more compensation on the line in these cases. Additionally, it may take time for your doctor to determine how likely you are to recover and what medical treatments and quality of life you can expect in your future. This can add length to your case timeline.
• The cooperativeness of all parties involved. Ideally, all parties involved in a case will respond in a timely manner and cooperate with requests for information. However, any delays in this process can obviously extend the length of time until your case is resolved. Additionally, in degenerative disc cases, it is not uncommon for insurers to claim that your condition was not the result of your car accident, but rather an existing condition that you sustained beforehand. In this case, you may need to do additional work documenting your condition and proving that your accident did in fact cause your injuries. Negotiating a fair settlement may also take longer in this case.
• The litigation process and jury trial. If your lawyer is unable to obtain a fair settlement for your injuries in negotiation, they may recommend that you take the case before a jury. This can significantly extend the length of your case, but it may also mean that you receive the compensation you need to recover.

Ready to speak with an experienced lawyer?

Contact us for a no cost consultation

Why Hire a Lawyer to Help with Your Degenerative Disc Disease Car Accident Settlement?

How a Car Crash Lawyer in Austin, TX at FVF Law Can Help with Your Auto Accident Settlement