DuPage, Kane and Will County Personal Injury Law Blog

As with all injuries of the spine, a disk herniation in Illinois is potentially serious. It may be helpful to understand what a disk herniation is, what causes it and what one can do to prevent it. 

To understand disk herniation, it is important to first understand what a disk is. According to the Mayo Clinic, disks consist of cartilage and exist in the spaces between the vertebrae. Their purpose is to act as cushions, absorbing the shock of any blow to the spinal column. Each disk actually consists of two separate layers: a soft layer of cartilage on the inside surrounded by a protective layer of tough outer cartilage. If the harder outer layer of cartilage ruptures, allowing the softer inner layer to protrude out through the crack, then the disk has become herniated.

The dangers associated with drinking and driving are well known, and the risks of texting or talking on your cell phone while behind the wheel have gained much more exposure in recent years. Could there be, however, another form of reckless driving that may be equally as dangerous yet you and others in Naperville are unaware of? Indeed there is; eating behind the wheel is another major driving distraction, yet one that few appreciate. 

If you have recently been involved in an accident, and the driver that struck admitted to eating something as they were driving, consider exactly how that action might have contributed to your collision: 

• The driver had to take at least one hand off the steering wheel in order to grasp whatever was being eaten
• The driver had to focus their attention on what they were eating
• That change of focus forced them to take their eyes off the road ahead

People fall all the time. Often, such accidents are not serious. They may result in some scrapes and bruises and a little embarrassment, but the person recoups and carries on without much thought about the incident. However, in some fall accidents, a person gets seriously injured. According to iMedPub, most serious falls happen to older adults who already have other health problems or who may have balance issues, so they fall harder.

When you fall, your injuries occur due to the energy from your fall. The surface stops you and your body must absorb that energy. If you fall from a higher distance, there is more energy for your body to absorb, so the chances increase for severe damage to your body. If your body is compromised in any way, such as weak bones, your chances increase for a severe injury even with a short fall.

The weather is cooling down, decorations are going up and you are starting to shop for gifts. These things all mean that the holiday season is in full swing yet again. While it may be the most wonderful time of the year, it can also be dangerous. 

There are tens of thousands of holiday-related injuries every year. If you are curious about what causes so many accidents during the holidays, check out the list.