Can You Get Compensation if a Crash Worsened Your Degenerative Disc Disease?

Many people walk away from a car accident and only later learn that the crash woke up a back problem they never knew they had. Degenerative disc disease is one of the most common of these conditions, and it is also one of the most disputed. Insurers routinely argue that a victim’s pain is “just age” and has nothing to do with the crash. Missouri law says otherwise. This guide explains what degenerative disc disease is, how a crash can make it worse, how to prove it, and why having a pre-existing condition does not take away your right to recover.

What Is Degenerative Disc Disease?

Despite the name, degenerative disc disease is not really a disease. It is the gradual wear of the spinal discs that cushion the vertebrae, a normal part of aging that most people develop to some degree over time. Many people have it for years without any pain at all. Because it shows up on imaging as part of ordinary aging, it gives insurers an easy argument: that any back pain after a crash was already there.

How a Car Accident Can Make Degenerative Disc Disease Worse?

A crash does not create degenerative disc disease, but the sudden, violent force of a collision can do real harm to an already worn spine. It can accelerate the degeneration, cause a weakened disc to herniate or bulge, or turn a condition that was silent and painless into one that is disabling. In other words, the crash can be the event that takes a back you lived comfortably with and leaves you in daily pain. Missouri law recognizes this and holds the at-fault driver responsible for that change.

Signs Your Condition Got Worse After a Crash

Warning signs that a crash may have aggravated existing disc degeneration include new or sharply increased back or neck pain, numbness or tingling in the arms or legs, muscle weakness, pain that radiates down a limb (sciatica), reduced range of motion, and symptoms that began or worsened in the days after the collision. Because disc injuries can take hours or days to fully show, any new symptom after a crash deserves prompt medical attention.

How Doctors Confirm the Crash Aggravated Your Condition?

Proving aggravation is a medical question answered with objective evidence. An MRI is usually the key test, because it can show herniation, nerve compression, or new changes beyond ordinary wear. Where earlier imaging or records exist, a physician can compare your spine before and after the crash. Most important is a treating doctor’s written opinion on causation, an explanation that, to a reasonable degree of medical certainty, the crash aggravated your condition. That opinion is often the difference between a paid claim and a denied one.

How to Prove a Missouri Crash Aggravated Your DDD?

Get Immediate and Consistent Care

See a doctor promptly and follow the treatment plan. Gaps between the crash and your first visit, or long breaks in treatment, are the arguments insurers use most to claim you were not really hurt.

Get a Formal Opinion on Causation

A treating physician’s written statement linking the aggravation to the crash carries far more weight than your own description of the pain.

Document Life Before and After

Evidence that you worked, exercised, or lived without back pain before the crash, and could not after, helps show what the collision changed.

Gather Your Prior Records

Old medical records are not your enemy here. They establish your baseline, which is exactly what proves how much the crash changed your condition.

“It Is Just Pre-Existing”: The Insurer’s Argument and Why It Fails

Expect the insurer to point to the degeneration on your imaging and argue your pain is age-related, not crash-related. The flaw in that argument is simple: the question is not whether you had degeneration before the crash, it is whether the crash made your condition worse. Missouri law allows recovery for that worsening regardless of what your spine looked like beforehand. A clear before-and-after record and a doctor’s causation opinion are what defeat the “pre-existing” defense.

Can You Recover If You Had DDD Before the Wreck?

Missouri’s Eggshell Plaintiff Rule

Under what is often called the eggshell plaintiff rule, a negligent driver takes the injured person as they find them. A defendant cannot escape responsibility by arguing the victim was more vulnerable to injury than an average person. If the crash aggravated a pre-existing degenerative condition, the at-fault driver is responsible for that aggravation, and Missouri’s approved jury instructions allow a jury to award damages for the aggravation of a pre-existing condition.

Missouri’s Pure Comparative Fault Rule

Missouri follows pure comparative fault (Gustafson v. Benda, 661 S.W.2d 11, Mo. banc 1983). If you are found partly at fault for the crash, your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, but you are not barred from recovering.

What Damages Can You Recover for Aggravated DDD?

Compensation for an aggravated disc condition can include past and future medical care (therapy, injections, pain management, and surgery when needed), lost wages and reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, and the loss of activities and quality of life the injury takes from you. Because aggravated disc conditions often require ongoing care, the future-care portion of a claim can be significant and should not be overlooked.

What Affects the Value of an Aggravated DDD Claim?

No two claims are worth the same, and anyone promising an “average” is guessing. Value depends on how clearly the imaging and records show the crash made the condition worse, the strength of the causation opinion, the treatment required, any permanent restrictions, lost income, the effect on daily life, the degree of fault, and the available insurance coverage. For a fuller look at how back and neck claims are valued, see our related guide, and for the broader claim, our Missouri car accident lawyer page.

Do Not Wait: Missouri’s Filing Deadline

Most Missouri personal injury lawsuits must be filed within five years of the crash under RSMo 516.120. Deadlines can change with the facts, and the medical records and imaging that prove aggravation are easiest to gather early, so it is best not to wait.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a car accident cause degenerative disc disease?

A crash does not create degenerative disc disease, which develops over years as discs naturally wear. But a crash can aggravate existing degeneration or turn a condition that caused no pain into a painful, disabling one. Under Missouri law, you can still recover for that aggravation even though the underlying wear predated the crash.

Can I still recover compensation if I had back problems before the crash?

Yes. Under what is often called the eggshell plaintiff rule, a negligent driver takes you as they find you. If the crash made a pre-existing degenerative condition worse or symptomatic, the at-fault driver is responsible for that worsening. Your prior records and a doctor’s comparison of your condition before and after the crash are key to showing what changed.

How do I prove the crash made my degenerative disc disease worse rather than age?

The strongest proof combines a clear timeline, imaging, and a doctor’s opinion. Records showing you were functioning normally before the crash and symptomatic after, an MRI, and a treating physician’s written opinion that the crash aggravated the condition all help separate a new injury from ordinary aging.

What if my back symptoms did not start right away?

Delayed symptoms are common with disc injuries, and they do not bar a claim. A gap between the crash and your first visit does give the insurer room to argue the injury is unrelated, so seeing a doctor promptly and keeping consistent records helps connect the symptoms to the collision.

How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Missouri?

Most Missouri personal injury claims must be filed within five years of the crash under RSMo 516.120. Deadlines can change with the facts, and evidence fades over time, so it is best to speak with a lawyer early.

What if I was partly at fault for the accident?

Missouri follows a pure comparative fault rule, so you can still recover even if you share some blame. Your award is reduced by your percentage of fault, but partial fault does not bar your claim.

Award-Winning Personal Injury Lawyer Recognized for Excellence in Missouri

At Mutrux Firm Injury Lawyers, our results speak through the voices of our clients and now, through the honors we’ve earned in the community. Tyson Mutrux is licensed to practice in Missouri, Illinois, and U.S. Federal Courts. He takes every case seriously, representing individuals in serious injury claims with precision and care.

A lawyer’s reputation speaks volumes about their ability to handle cases effectively. Whether you need legal representation after a car crash, truck accident, motorcycle accident, drunk driving crash, rear-end collision, texting while driving crash, pedestrian accident, bicycle accident, bus crash, e-bike or scooter crash, or train accident, choosing an attorney with a proven track record is essential.

Before Tyson Mutrux became one of Missouri’s most effective personal injury lawyers, he served in the U.S. Army as a Non-Commissioned Officer. He graduated with distinction from the Non-Commissioned Officers Academy and received the Army Commendation Medal for exceptional service.

The military taught him discipline, precision, and the importance of planning three moves ahead. Those same principles guide his approach to every case today.

Over the years, he has earned notable recognition, including:

• Selected for Super Lawyers (2024 – 2026).
• Best Injury Lawyer in Columbia, Inside Columbia Magazine (2025).
• Top 10 Car Accident Lawyers in Columbia, Trust Analytica (2024).
• Best Car Accident Lawyer in Columbia, Expertise.com (2023).
• The Nation’s Top One Percent of Attorneys, National Association of Distinguished Counsel (2015).
• Top 100 and Top 40 Under 40, The National Trial Lawyers (2014).
• Superb (10/10) Rating, Avvo (2012).
• U.S. Army Commendation Medal.

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Talk to our Missouri Car Accident Lawyer

If a crash left you with new back or neck pain and the insurer is blaming your age, do not accept that. Mutrux Firm Injury Lawyers knows how to prove a crash aggravated a pre-existing condition and how to answer the “it is just degenerative” defense. We offer a free, no obligation case review, and you pay nothing unless we win. Contact us or call (888) 550-4026 today.

This page is general information about Missouri law and is not legal advice. Statutes and their interpretation can change, and how the law applies depends on the facts of each case. For advice about your situation, speak with a licensed attorney. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.