Am I fast and furious enough to beat rush hour traffic? Where is the nearest shortcut? Do I have time to get a snack along the way? These are the common questions men might ask before getting behind the wheel. Can a car accident cause erectile dysfunction? Is not the kind of question that comes up before a man puts pedal to metal.
According to the National Library of Medicine, spinal cord injuries cause a combination of erectile and ejaculatory dysfunctions that can even lead to infertility issues down the road. If you’re the victim of a spinal cord injury accident then it’s best to talk with an experienced lawyer, like Avrek Law, for advice about your legal options.
Erectile Dysfunction After Car Accident Injuries
When classifying spinal cord injuries there are four different types: cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral. Traumatic cervical (head and neck region) syndrome is often referred to as whiplash. This is the least severe type of spinal cord injury. Although there is no evidence that minor whiplash leads to erectile dysfunction, complete spinal cord injuries resulting in paralysis from the waist down and even traumatic brain injuries can have a negative impact on a man’s sex life.
Trauma to the spinal cord isn’t the only car accident-related injury that negatively impacts sexual health. Medication, mental health and changes to hormone levels due to a traumatic brain injury can also cause erectile dysfunction. It can also occur due to sciatic nerve pain after car accident injuries.
However, these types of injuries impact erectile dysfunction differently. As explained in American Family Physician, men can have one of two kinds of erections (or a combination of both: psychogenic or reflexogenic. For example, men suffering from severe sciatic nerve pain or a spinal cord injury may only get an erection from thinking about sex (psychogenic). Those men suffering from a traumatic brain injury may only be able to achieve an erection from physical touch (reflexogenic).
Types of Car Accident Injuries
The most common types of injuries from a car accident are:
- Whiplash and neck injuries
- Burn injuries
- Broken bones
- Back injuries
- Internal injuries
Whiplash and neck injuries are the most common type of injury that is often reported after a car accident. The head can jerk violently back and forth, even in a low impact collision, possibly causing a concussion as well.
Back injuries are also known to cause sciatica pain that can last for months and sometimes years after a car accident. This could be caused by a herniated disk that compresses part of the sciatic nerve, resulting in inflammation, pain and even numbness in the affected leg. And in some cases, sciatica has also been known to cause erectile dysfunction as well.
The True Cost of a Car Accident
Depending on the type of injury, the physical therapy for accident victims regarding erectile dysfunction is often overlooked and the costs to treat it may not appear as part of a settlement or insurance compensation unless you talk with your doctor. Although medication and intimate support aids have been known to help men with erectile dysfunction due to a severe spinal cord injury or brain trauma, these costs are usually paid for out of pocket.
There are also costs associated with the reproductive health of men with a spinal cord injury. According to Forbes Health, a single in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment cycle costs between $15,000 to $30,000. If you find yourself the victim of a car accident and you’re able to prove that erectile dysfunction is part of the overall injuries you sustained, additional legal options may be available to you.
A Car Injury Attorney Who Will Fight for You
Can a car accident cause erectile dysfunction? When you work with an experienced lawyer, they will ensure you’re working with a doctor who can assess the short-term and long-term impacts of your injuries. With more than 50 years combined experience representing cases in several states that involve car accident injuries, Avrek Law is the expert when it comes to ensuring you get the justice you deserve. The consultation is free and you’ll get advice from a law firm with more than $1 billion recovered in more than 45,000 cases. View one of our locations or contact us for a free consultation.
