Common Types of Pre-Existing Injuries
While any injury or condition that existed prior to an accident is a pre-existing one, there are certain types that are more common than others. These common types of pre-existing injuries often include:
- Slipped disks, herniated disks, spinal stenosis or degenerative disk disease
- Spinal cord injuries such as a broken back or damaged spinal cord
- Broken bones, fractured bones or torn ligaments
- Joint problems in the knees, elbows or hands
- Head trauma such as previous concussions or a traumatic brain injury (TBI)
These are just some of the common types of injuries or trauma that an accident victim could have already sustained or been living with before the time of the accident. It is important to not be afraid of filing a claim because of the aggravation of a pre-existing injury in an accident. This does not mean that you are ineligible or that your claim has no merit. The opposite is true in fact, as you should seek damages for not only the new injuries sustained in the accident but the exacerbation or worsening of the existing ones as well.