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A car accident caused by someone's negligence can be frustrating. Even a seemingly minor accident can leave you with neck or back pain that takes months to subside.
Your doctor may recommend steroid injections to help resolve the issue. But are they worth it? How much will a steroid injection increase your eventual settlement amount? It is common for potential clients to wonder how an epidural steroid injection will affect their car accident settlement.
As a personal injury attorney, I will explain steroid injections and their effect on your settlement.
Quick Summary
- Epidural Steroid Injections (ESIs) result in higher claim settlements than other therapies.
- The average settlement for herniated disc injuries is $360,000.
- Factors influencing settlement value include the severity of the injury, medical documentation, and the necessity of ongoing treatment.
- Timely medical documentation is crucial to maximizing claim value.
Will Epidural Steroid Injections (ESI) Increase Herniated Disc Injury Settlement?
Yes, epidural steroid injections (ESI) may increase herniated disc injury settlements. Car accident victims with a herniated disc often need ESI to treat their back injury.
ESIs boost settlement values for these claims more than other therapies.
It is important to note that ESIs may not necessarily be sufficient to bring a patient's pain levels down or fully heal the injury.
However, they can provide relief and allow the victim to begin physical therapy or other treatment plans with less discomfort. This could result in a higher settlement value for the case.
Insurance companies factor in ESI costs when settling herniated disc cases. So, getting one may help your case.
It is important to remember that epidural injections are not a cure-all and may not be necessary for all herniated disc injury cases.
Talk to your doctor about the potential benefits and risks of ESIs and whether they are right for you. Always consult a doctor before getting an epidural steroid injection after a herniated disc injury.
Factors to Consider When Computing the Amount of Herniated Disc Injuries with Steroid Injections
Any lawyer must consider various factors to determine how much a herniated disc injury is worth.
These factors include:
- Treatments for a herniated disc include medications and steroid injections.
- The patient's age and medical history.
- The doctors' predictions for the patient's future condition.
- The physical and emotional anguish;
- The policy limits are available from the insurance company.
In addition to the settlement amount, other factors such as lost wages, medical expenses, and the severity of the injuries may be affected. The amount could also differ if it is decided that the other motorist was at fault for causing the accident.
Call a car accident attorney if you're getting epidural steroid injections for a herniated disc from an auto accident.
Herniated Disc Settlements: How Medical Treatment Impacts Compensation
When it comes to herniated disc injuries, the level of medical treatment plays a major role in determining settlement amounts.
From mild cases requiring only physical therapy to severe injuries necessitating multiple steroid injections or surgery, compensation varies based on treatment intensity, pain levels, and long-term impact.
Settlement Ranges Based on Medical Treatment
| Treatment Type | Settlement Range | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Without Medical Treatment | N/A (rarely applicable) | Most claims require documented treatment to be considered valid. |
| With Physical Therapy Only | $5,000 – $30,000 | Conservative treatment with minimal disruption to daily life. |
| With 1-2 Steroid Injections | $25,000 – $100,000 | Moderate cases requiring short-term medical intervention. |
| With 3+ Steroid Injections | $75,000 – $200,000 | Severe cases needing ongoing care and pain management. |
| With Surgery | $150,000 – $400,000+ | High-impact cases with permanent damage, medical expenses, and long-term disability considerations. |
While steroid injections typically increase settlements, more extensive treatment—especially surgery—often leads to the highest compensation due to higher medical costs, prolonged recovery, and lasting effects on quality of life.
Real-Life Settlement Examples
Each case is unique, and factors such as age, severity of injury, and required treatments significantly impact the final settlement amount.
The following are four real-world examples that demonstrate how these elements come into play.
1. Mild Injury – Lower Settlement
- Case A: A 35-year-old woman suffered a mild herniated disc from a car accident. She underwent physical therapy only and resumed work within a few months.
- Settlement: $20,000
2. Moderate Injury – Mid-Range Settlement
- Case B: A 42-year-old man sustained a moderate herniated disc injury, requiring 1-2 steroid injections. His recovery spanned several months, with occasional lingering pain.
- Settlement: $60,000
3. Severe Injury – Higher Settlement
- Case C: A 50-year-old individual faced chronic pain due to a severe herniated disc, necessitating 3+ steroid injections for pain relief.
- Settlement: $120,000
4. Surgical Case – Maximum Settlement
- Case D: A 28-year-old woman required multiple steroid injections and eventual surgery for a severe herniated disc. The extensive medical treatment and its lasting impact on her life resulted in a significantly higher payout.
- Settlement: $250,000
Understanding how different treatments influence settlements can help injury victims and legal teams negotiate fair compensation.
If you’ve sustained a herniated disc in an accident, seeking immediate medical attention and documenting treatment is key to strengthening your claim.
How Much Is the Settlement Amount for a Herniated Disc Injury Resulting From Car Accidents?
The settlement amount for a herniated disc injury resulting from a car accident may even be six-figure, although the average settlement value for these cases is approximately $360,000.
Each herniated disc injury is unique. So, it's hard to find a specific settlement value without considering the case's details.
Most attorneys who handle herniated disc lawsuits analyze three things. They check the injury severity, liability, and the defendant's insurance policy. Then, they compute the settlement value.
Trigger Point Injections and Car Accident Settlement Negotiations
Trigger points are small knots that develop in your fascia tissue or muscles and can cause chronic pain or tenderness. Epidural steroid injections and trigger point injections relieve inflammation and muscle pain.Myofascial pain is often the result of a car accident or other trauma to the neck area. Doctors can inject medication directly into your trigger point to relieve this pain [3].Epidural steroid injections and trigger point injections can help manage neck and back pain while your spine heals. More drastic measures, such as surgery, are often only necessary if injections don't relieve your pain and swelling. If they help you feel better, you'll be able to avoid procedures that require more recovery time and cost more money.
Epidural Injection and Car Accident Settlements
Epidural injections might appear to be daunting, and they are not cheap. On the other hand, Steroid injections are minimally invasive but come with certain risks.
Some of them are:
- Feeling flushed
- Developing an allergy to the medication
- Pain at the injection site
- Increased blood sugar levels
- Developing an infection in the injection area
- Anticoagulation or bleeding disorders
- Insomnia
- Problems with the local anesthetic used
Injections may improve your settlement amount, but there is no determined dollar value. Some feel better after one injection. Others might need multiple epidurals over a year or more.
Also, side effects could affect your lawsuit settlement.
Steroid injections can also lead to increased pain and suffering, as they often are painful. If you're curious about steroid injections' impact on your case, consult a car accident attorney. They should be experienced.
What Is Epidural Steroid Injection (ESI)?
Epidural Steroid Injection (ESI) is a treatment used to minimize inflammation in the affected area [1].
This injection has a corticosteroid-based drug. It reduces swelling and pain at the site of injury from herniated discs. The epidural space contains blood vessels, nerves, and fat surrounding it.
The steroid injection is injected into the peridural space. This painless process minimizes discomfort from a back injury and helps you recover more quickly from disc injuries by:
- Reducing the swelling of an injured disc
- The prevention of inflammatory cells through the control of the immune system response
How Does Epidural Injection Work?
The epidural steroid injections work by administering steroids into the spine's epidural space. Steroids reduce symptoms of herniated disc injuries by lowering inflammation.
After ESI administration, which lasts only 30 minutes, the patient can resume normal activities a day later. Relief from this procedure may last from a few days to years after epidural steroid injections.
When Will My Doctor Prescribe Steroid Injections?
Your doctor will prescribe steroid injections based on your case. The doctor will check the patient's age, meds, and activity before prescribing steroid injections.
Doctors may give steroid injections if other treatments don’t help with disc herniation symptoms.
Herniated Disc and Its Medical Treatment
The spine is composed of a series of bones that run from the skull to the tailbone. In between these bones are cushions called discs. These discs act as buffers between the bones, allowing people to move freely and without pain.
Disc herniations occur when the discs between your vertebrae tear or leak, causing severe pain.
A car accident can cause the bones in your spine to press into the spinal canal. This is called disc herniation.
A disc herniation happens when the sudden impact of the crash puts too much pressure on the disc. This pressure irritates the spinal cord, which can cause pain and discomfort.
Related Article: Hernia Mesh Patch Lawsuit Update
What Are Other Herniated Disc Treatments?
Herniated disc treatments depend on one patient to another. Herniated disc symptoms differ from person to person, some don't experience any. In some cases, you may require medication if you suffer from a severe injury.
Most spinal disc injuries do not need surgery. They can be treated with methods your doctor will recommend.
Such treatments may include:
- Medication: Many people injured in car accidents suffer from herniated disc pain and discomfort. Some may find relief by taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen or naproxen.
- Physical therapy: A physical therapy program to relieve herniated disc pain can benefit patients suffering from a herniated disc injury.
- Chiropractic care: If you were injured in a car accident, chiropractic care might help. If not, your doctor will likely suggest epidural steroid injections to relieve pain from a herniated disc.
- Spinal injections: If a herniated disc causes pain and other treatments fail, doctors often recommend a steroid injection in the spine.
The steroid injection treatment for disc herniation helps reduce the nerve's inflammation. If the patient responds well to the first steroid injection, more can be given when symptoms from a herniated disc return.
If the steroid injection does not provide initial relief, doctors won't give more injections.
Is It Common to Use Steroid Injections for Herniated Disc Injury?
Yes, it is common to use steroid injections for herniated disc injuries. Doctors usually administer steroid injections to help relieve symptoms for people with herniated disc injuries [2]. With these types of shots, patients experience less pain, swelling, and inflammation. They can get them three to six times within 12 months.For a newer disc herniation diagnosis, doctors space out the steroid injections given every few weeks so they can resolve symptoms quickly. They work on the spinal nerves by clearing away the proteins that cause discs to swell up in the first place.Steroid injections are pain management medications lasting from a few days to years. They give patients suffering from spinal cord injuries an opportunity to improve their condition with other drugs, therapy, and programs.Related Articles:
See all related personal injury and accident lawsuits our attorneys have covered.
FAQs
1. Why Are Epidural Steroid Injections Legally Relevant?
Epidural steroid injections are important. They can reduce inflammation and pain. This helps a herniated disc injury victim manage their condition with less discomfort. This could lead to a higher settlement for the case since ESIs may help strengthen other treatments, such as physical therapy.
2. How Much Do Epidural Steroid Injections Cost?
Epidural steroid injections cost between $1,027 to $1,487. If you have a high-deductible health plan or no insurance, you can buy your procedure upfront. Use options like MDsave.
3. What Is the Risk of Epidural Steroid Injections?
Epidural steroid injections carry risks from needle insertion in the epidural area. These include bleeding, allergic reactions, nerve damage, infection, and paralysis. Insomnia, weight gain, water retention, hot flashes, and mood swings are possible side effects of the steroid injection.
4. What to Expect During the Epidural Steroid Injection?
During the epidural steroid injection, you may expect to feel some pressure. The injection might cause some stinging or burning.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer
If you believe your herniated disc injury case was caused by a car accident, it is essential to seek legal help. An experienced car accident lawyer can assess the specifics of your case and determine the best course of action for you. Contact Schmidt & Clark, LLP for a free consultation session with experienced car accident lawyers.We will help you understand how epidural steroid injections affect your settlement value and explain any other related legal options available. With our experience, you can get the most out of your herniated disc injury settlement.
References:
- https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007485.htm#:~:text=An%20epidural%20steroid%20injection%20(ESI,or%20certain%20types%20of%20surgery.
- https://mayfieldclinic.com/pe-esi.htm
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/myofascial-pain-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20375444