Nerve Injuries

Damage to the body’s nervous system may not only lead to injuries that require long-term treatment, but may also be undiscoverable for a long time following an accident. The injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon offer compassionate representation to Miami residents and other individuals throughout South Florida who are suffering from harm to the nervous system. Whether your nerve injury was caused by a motorcycle accident, car collision, or dangerous product, you may be entitled to compensation from a range of at-fault parties.

The nervous system controls much of how our bodies operate. Damaging even one nerve area can be very painful or even cause significant changes to a person’s day-to-day life. There are three general types of nerves to which injuries may occur, each with their own set of symptoms:

Autonomic nerves are those that regulate basic involuntary functions, including breathing or our heartbeats; Motor nerves control a person’s movement by assisting communication from the brain to muscles; and Sensory nerves are those that pass information between muscles and skin to make sure a person is able to detect pain or other sensations.

Car accidents are the leading cause of nerve damage, since certain common injuries to the neck as well as compression or crushing injuries can all result in nerve damage. These injuries are especially difficult to diagnose because they can manifest in different ways and also show symptoms in seemingly unrelated areas of the body.

If you have sustained a nerve injury in an accident, you may be able to assert a negligence claim to pursue proper compensation for your harm. To prove a defendant acted negligently, the victim must show that he or she was owed a duty of reasonable care and that the defendant breached that duty. For example, all drivers owe others on the road a duty of care to act as a reasonable and prudent person would behave under similar circumstances. If a driver fails to adequately check his or her mirrors when switching lanes, or engages in another dangerous maneuver, this likely would be considered a breach of the duty of care.

Once duty and breach have been shown, the accident victim would need to prove causation and damages. Causation usually has two components, which consist of showing that the harm would not have happened if the defendant had met the applicable standard of care and proving that the accident was a reasonably foreseeable result of the defendant’s actions. Damages must be reasonably quantifiable rather than overly speculative. They may come in economic, or relatively objective, and non-economic, or relatively subjective, forms. Common examples of economic damages include medical bills, the costs of future treatment, and lost wages or lost earning capacity. Non-economic damages that are often awarded in personal injury cases include the pain and suffering endured by the victim as well as any emotional distress. In addition, a family member may be able to bring a related claim for loss of consortium.

In some instances, damage to the nervous system may lead to a tragic, unexpected death. When this happens, family members of the victim may be able to bring a wrongful death claim against any party that was responsible. The statute of limitations for these cases is shorter than for ordinary personal injury claims, however, so it is important to avoid any delay in investigating and exploring your legal options.

If you have sustained a nerve injury in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident, or another incident of negligence, the Miami lawyers at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon can help you pursue the compensation to which you may be entitled. We also represent individuals in Miami and other cities throughout Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties. Call 877.499.4878 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation about your case.