Radiculopathy

What is radiculopathy?

Radiculopathy is a clinical finding of nerve root dysfunction, confirmed through testing that measures how well electrical signals travel along a specific nerve pathway.

It differs from imaging findings like a herniated disc, which show anatomy. Radiculopathy shows function, confirming that a nerve is actually being affected rather than simply nearby a structural abnormality.

The combination of an imaging finding and confirmed radiculopathy at the corresponding level is considerably more persuasive than either finding alone, since each corroborates the other.

It is typically established through electrodiagnostic testing, commonly a combination of nerve conduction studies and electromyography.

What symptoms suggest radiculopathy?

The pattern generally follows the specific nerve root's distribution rather than appearing generally.

• Pain radiating along a specific, defined path into an arm or leg
• Numbness or tingling in a distribution matching a specific nerve root
• Weakness in the particular muscles that nerve root controls
• Diminished reflexes on physical examination
• Symptoms that follow a nerve pattern rather than a general area of pain

Why does confirmed radiculopathy matter so much in New Jersey auto claims?

Because it is a form of objective medical evidence that the verbal threshold specifically requires to establish permanency.

Subjective pain reports alone, however genuine, generally do not satisfy this requirement. Radiculopathy confirmed through testing does, since it is a measurable clinical finding rather than a reported symptom.

This is precisely why this specific test is so frequently ordered in cases involving a herniated disc or bulging disc, since it can transform an anatomical finding into a functional one with direct legal significance.

How does the defense respond to this evidence?

By arguing the test results are equivocal, that a different underlying condition explains the finding, or that the specific correlation between the imaging and the symptoms is genuinely unclear.

The response is generally a physician's clear opinion connecting the specific finding to the mechanism of the crash and to the timing of when the symptoms actually began.

Prior testing, where it exists, is valuable here as well, since it can establish whether this particular finding is new or represents an unchanged, pre-existing condition.

Common questions

What test confirms radiculopathy?

Electrodiagnostic testing, commonly including nerve conduction studies and electromyography, measures how electrical signals travel along the affected nerve pathway.

Is radiculopathy the same as a herniated disc?

No. A herniated disc is an anatomical finding on imaging. Radiculopathy is a functional finding confirming that a nerve is actually affected, and the two together are considerably stronger evidence than either alone.

Can radiculopathy alone meet the verbal threshold?

It is a strong piece of objective evidence, though a permanency opinion and the overall clinical picture together generally determine whether the threshold is actually satisfied.