How Much Does Steroid Injection Increase Settlement for a Car Accident in Chicago?

“How much do steroid injections increase settlement amounts?” is a commonly asked question among car accident survivors. This medical treatment provides relief from pain caused by herniated disc injuries and can improve quality of life.

However, they can also have an impact on receiving fair compensation for personal injury claims. The Chicago auto accident lawyers at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC could increase your case settlement by using your medical records to prove you were seriously injured.

Contact us today for a free consultation. All sensitive information you share with our legal team remains confidential.

What Is Epidural Steroid Injection (ESI)?

Epidural injections are considered minimally invasive procedures to relieve pain and discomfort from a herniated disc injury.

The epidural or peridural space contains blood vessels, nerves, and fat.

The steroid injection is delivered to the epidural space to minimize pain from a back injury, reduce inflammation, and speed up recovery from disc injuries.

This well-tolerated and widely used medical treatment is available at nearly all of Chicago’s major hospitals, including UChicago Medicine, Rush Medical Center, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and the University of Illinois Health.

How Does Epidural Injection Work?

These injections reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and speed healing. Doctors use an X-ray-guided needle to deliver medication precisely to the correct part of your spine. The procedure takes approximately 30 minutes, and most people can resume daily activities the next day. Pain relief can last weeks, months, or years, depending on injury severity and the type of medication used.

When Will My Doctor Prescribe Steroid Injections?

This non-invasive treatment is preferred over surgery and may be a doctor’s first choice. Doctors will consider your medications, age, physical activity, and the specific injury before deciding to use this treatment.

Herniated Disc And Its Treatment

The human body has a series of spine bones stretching from the skull base to the tailbone. Between each bone is a round cushion called intervertebral discs, which provide flexibility to the spine. Unfortunately, herniated discs are common in car accidents because the violent jostling puts severe pressure on the spine, pushing discs out of alignment and leading to extreme pain.

What Are The Treatment Options For Herniated Disc Injuries

Disc herniation symptoms may improve on their own, even without medical care. However, if herniated disc symptoms are causing debilitating pain, then physician-prescribed medical treatment may improve the patient’s quality of life.

In general, doctors will start with conservative treatments rather than surgery so as to avoid causing further complications.

Doctors usually recommend the following conservative treatment to address spinal disc problems:

• Medication: Some accident victims may benefit from taking over-the-counter medicines such as ibuprofen or naproxen to manage inflammation and pain.
• Physical therapy: A patient suffering from a herniated disc injury can benefit from a physical therapy program to relieve herniated disc pain.
• Chiropractic care: Patients who suffered injuries from car accidents may benefit from chiropractic care.
• Spinal injections: When medication and physical therapy do not relieve patients from the discomfort of disc herniations, doctors usually recommend a steroid injection into the epidural space in the spine.

Is It Common To Use Steroid Injections For Herniated Disc Injury

Epidural steroid injections are a common treatment option for herniated disc injuries, as they are less invasive than surgery. Steroid injections work on the spinal nerves by flushing the proteins that cause disc swelling.

In general, patients can receive three to six treatments per year. For new disc herniation, steroid injections are given weeks apart to resolve symptoms quickly.

Why Are Epidural Steroid Injections Considered The Best Treatment For Herniated Discs?

Studies show epidural steroid injections effectively relieve discomfort and pain in 70% to 90% of patients suffering from herniated disc injuries.

Steroid injections have a strong anti-inflammatory effect, making them an effective treatment when introduced directly into the painful area near the spinal nerve.

An epidural injection is administered using the following approaches:

Transforaminal route: This technique is a precise administration of steroids into the space around the dura mater in the spinal cord.

A local anesthetic will be used to numb the skin area on the patient’s lower back. The doctor, guided by X-ray imagery, will then administer anesthetic and steroid injections into the afflicted nerve route.

Interlaminar route: Doctors deliver the medication in the epidural area through a needle insertion with this steroid injection treatment.

A needle is inserted between adjacent vertebral laminae to reach the peridural space.

While interlaminar is a simple approach, it is also less precise because the medication is not deposited near the target nerve root.

Caudal route: Like the other epidural injections, caudal injection is administered to reduce pain and inflammation. The injection is administered in the lower back with a local anesthetic.

Like most steroid injections, the caudal route is an outpatient procedure with minimal downtime.

This procedure is safer and easier to administer, though most doctors consider this treatment less effective than other types of epidural injections.

The Trigger Point Injections For Herniated Disc Injuries

A trigger point injection is a pain management option where local anesthetics and steroid injections are introduced in muscle areas with trigger points.

The trigger points are painful “knots” in the muscles that typically form if the muscle cannot relax.

An injection effectively relieves pain from disc herniation problems, though three or more injections in the same area are not recommended.

After treatment, patients must refrain from engaging in strenuous activities for a few days.

Patients can expect pain relief 24 hours after the procedure. Frequent injections are usually required as pain relief lasts only about a month.

How Much Is The Settlement Amount For A Herniated Disc Injury Resulting From Car Accidents?

Some herniated disc injury settlements may be six figures, although the average settlement value for these cases is $360,000.

Nonetheless, each herniated disc injury is unique, and it can be challenging to determine a specific settlement value without examining the relevant facts of the case.

Most lawyers who handle herniated disc injury cases compute the settlement value by analyzing the liability, the serious injuries sustained, and the defendant’s insurance company policy.

Will Epidural Steroid Injections (ESI) Increase Herniated Disc Injury Settlement?

Yes, epidural steroid injections can increase personal injury settlements. This is because it demonstrates that the injured disc controlling your spine was severely compromised. During settlement negotiations, your attorney can estimate your future medical care needs and ensure these are included in your settlement amount.

Jury Awards And Payout Ranges For Herniated Disc With Steroid Injection

The settlement range for herniated disc injury cases with steroid injections is from $60,000 to $700,000. The reason for the wide range of potential settlement amounts is that many factors determine how much you will receive, such as liability, available evidence, and estimated future costs.

Illinois uses modified comparative negligence for tort actions (§735 ILCS 5/2-1116). If you are less than 50% to blame for an accident, then you can sue, but the percentage of your blame will reduce your compensation. Therefore, this can also impact how much you receive.

You are required to file a police report according to Chicago municipal law (§9-56-010). Failing to do so can mean you are given more blame in the accident, and make it harder to receive fair compensation.

Factors To Consider When Computing The Amount Of Herniated Disc Injuries With Steroid Injections

Calculating the settlement amount for a herniated disc injury requires examination of various factors, including the following:

• What treatments you receive
• Your age and medical history
• Future medical care needs
• The pain and suffering
• Costs, like lost wages and medical expenses
• Injury severities
• Liability
• Insurance policy limits

Available evidence may also play a role in what you can receive, especially if the case goes to trial. For example, post-accident photographs may be used by the jury to determine how serious the crash was, as in Peach v. McGovern. Having a large amount of evidence will be in your favor and make insurance companies more likely to settle.

Examples Of Verdicts And Settlements For Herniated Disc With Steroid Injections

Herniated Discs From a Taxi Accident Requiring Steroid Injections

$43,000.00 Settlement in Michigan: An adult male suffered multiple injuries, including disc herniations, when his car was hit by a taxi.

Police officers found that the cab driver was entirely at fault for the accident.

The plaintiff suffered severe injuries that required him to see different medical professionals, including a chiropractor and a physical therapist.

His physicians recommend steroid injections, amongst other treatment programs, to alleviate symptoms.

Herniated Disc Injury Due To Left-Turn Accident

$40,714.00 Settlement in Minnesota: A female passenger suffered cervical strain and herniated disc injury when another vehicle hit her car as she was about to turn left at an intersection.

The victim required intensive medication and therapy. Her doctors gave her steroid injections to assist with faster recovery.

Multiple Herniated Discs Treated With Steroid Injections From Red-Light Accident

$61,500.00 Settlement in Illinois: An adult female suffered from a herniated disc and other injuries when the car driver failed to observe road signs, resulting in a collision with another vehicle.

The case was settled out of court, and the defendant agreed to pay $61,500.

Herniated Disc Treated With Trigger Point Injection And Epidural Injections

$39,000 Settlement in Maryland: The victim suffered disc herniations when she was T-boned by the other motorist trying to pull out of a parking lot.

She had to be treated with epidural and trigger point injections to reduce her pain and discomfort.

Herniated Disc Injury Treated With Steroid Injections

$45,000.00 Settlement in Wyoming: The victim was a minor female passenger who suffered multiple injuries, including a disc injury, labral tear, and ligament tear. The physicians recommend steroid injections.

She was in a vehicle when another car failed to yield at a traffic light, resulting in a collision.

While the defendant denied liability, the case was brought to a panel recommending a $45,000 settlement.

Steroid Injection Settlement FAQs

Can I Return To Work After Steroid Injections?

Steroid injections are non-invasive procedures that require minimal downtime. Most patients can resume their day-to-day activities a day after the procedure.

Will Trigger Point Injections Affect Herniated Disc Injury Settlement?

Trigger point injections may affect the amount of injury settlement. After several non–invasive medications, your doctor may recommend administering trigger point injections.

You will have a history of several medications and treatment programs by then.

Your lawyer can help you demand a higher settlement to cover your pain management treatment.

Is Herniated Disc Considered A Severe Injury?

Herniated disc injury is considered a severe injury when its symptoms interfere with a person’s normal day-to-day activities. It’s time to see a doctor if:

• Pain and discomfort interfere with daily life, such as doing regular household tasks and going to work.
• Symptoms are not getting better after four weeks.
• Symptoms are getting worse.
• The patient develops a loss of bladder or bowel control.
• The patient has difficulty standing and walking.

If left untreated, a herniated disc can lead to permanent injury. It may cause the patient to lose sensation in the inner thighs, legs, and around the rectum.

Should I Get A Steroid Injection For Pain After My Herniated Disc Injury?

Patients who are suffering from disc injury may benefit from ESIs. While it will not reduce the size of a herniation, this medication helps manage the pain caused by a herniated disc.

In severe herniated disc cases, symptoms often prevent people from proceeding with rehabilitative exercises.

The ESI can relieve the pain so patients are comfortable enough to continue their therapy programs.

What To Expect During The Epidural Steroid Injection?

Before starting the treatment, the physician will review the patient’s medical history and imaging studies to ensure that an injection is safe for them.

The area will be anesthetized, and a small needle filled with anesthetics and steroids will be inserted into the nerve root.

While this non-invasive procedure requires minimal downtime, patients may need someone to drive them to and from the center.

What Are The Side Effects Of Steroid Injection Treatments?

Side effects include:

• Numbness
• Mild muscle weakness
• Bleeding
• Allergic reactions
• Weight gain
• Insomnia
• Water retention
• Hot flashes
• Mood swings
• Elevated blood sugar in diabetics

Serious side effects include nerve damage, infection, and paralysis. Before agreeing to treatment, a proper risk assessment is crucial.

Consult a Personal Injury Lawyer Near You!

You do not have to suffer a permanent injury to receive compensation for a herniated disc injury resulting from an auto accident.

Our Chicago personal injury attorneys have helped victims of car accidents recover compensation, such as medical treatment, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Call (888) 424-5757 or schedule a free consultation online today.

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.