Spine, Disc & Back Expert Injury Attorney Oregon

• Narrowed intervertebral space
• Disc material suffers a degenerative condition
• Mobility and flexibility of the spinal column is lessened
• The ability to take repeated shocks and intense regular activity is lessened
• Normal alignment of the vertebrae is compromised
• Articulating facets can undergo serious subluxation
• If there is a herniation of the 5th lumbar disc, it may displace on the sacrum posteriorly
• The annulus fibrosis and interspinous ligaments may become flabby and not able to counteract the muscular force.
• The sciatic nerve is the biggest one in the body.
• The sciatic nerve gives sensation and movement to the lower body and extremities.
• A lumbosacral joint injury can be expected to lead to serious pain along the sciatic nerve.
• Minor trauma or small accident can cause a disc rupture.
• If a disc is ruptured, it will not regrow. But the extent to which it sticks out and hits a nerve root causing neurological symptoms to vary widely. This explains why there are remission periods and exacerbation of symptoms sometimes.
• The procedure to remove a ruptured disc means the disc material must be removed; this is called a discectomy. Also, the lamina may need to be removed to drop pressure on the nerve root; this is called a laminectomy. Sometimes spinal fusion is called for to eliminate pain and mobility that causes pain.
• A procedure that is less invasive for a ruptured disc is called chemonucleolysis. This is where disc material is pulverized by the injection of a chemical.
• A disc rupture can happen again because not all the disc material was taken out.
• A ruptured disc at another level can happen after disc surgery and fusion; spine immobilization can put higher forces on the next joint. This can tend to rupture the disc in another area.​

• Head & Brain Injuries – Concussions & TBIs
• Knee, Hip, Foot Injuries
• Face & TMJ Injuries
• Hand & Wrist Injuries
• PTSD

It is important that the jury understands the pros and cons of this type of issue. So they need to have a good grasp of the vertebral column anatomy. If the attorney clearly explains the number and location of the major vertebrae and the sacrum and coccyx, as well as how the spine is curved, the jury can understand how the spine is a load-bearing structure and the risks of injury to materials that join each vertebra. This is especially true at the bottom of the column end, in the L5-S1 interface. The majority of serious injuries happen at this level or at L4-L5.

Vertebrae are stacked on each other with the nucleus pulposis between each structure. It acts essentially as a shock absorber. It is contained the space that is between the vertebrae and what is called annulus fibrosis. The nucleus pulposis is often compared to the stuff that is inside a golf ball. It may be referred to as a type of gristle-type material. If it tears or ruptures, the disc material will herniate. Depending on the location of this tear, the disc could impinge upon key nerve roots that go through the foramen and descend to make nerves that supply your lower extremities. Pressure or impingement on the nerve roots can cause pain and lead to significant impairment. Impairment may be pain, sensation loss, or numbness. Other problems could be muscle atrophy, muscle spasm, loss of range of motion, and tenderness in the joint.

There are many symptoms of a herniated disc, but all systems are not usually presented. Some symptoms relate to a higher injury level, which is thoracic, and others are related to an injury in the lumbar area. Common symptoms that can present are: