Spinal Cord Injuries Caused By Car Accidents

Spinal cord injuries are not only some of the most painful that can result from car accidents, but they also have permanent, life-changing implications. High speed collisions generate a tremendous amount of force, which is why they are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries. If the injury causes permanent damage, the physical and financial toll can become nearly unbearable. If the accident caused by someone else's negligence, however, the victim can seek legal recourse and have the at-fault driver's insurance pay for the damages. In order to manage the injury throughout a lifetime, the medical bills will be very high, but the insurance companies will not give proper compensation without a fight. This is where hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer can come in handy. They can level the playing field and get you the compensation you deserve.

Each year, 10,000 to 12,000 new spinal cord injuries occur, which has led to the nearly 250,000 Americans who currently live with an injured spine. Car accidents are the number one cause of these injuries, accounting for nearly 40% of them. The direct force that a high speed collision can place on the neck, head and back often results in an unnatural twisting, or fracturing of the spinal cord. Rollovers are one of the most common types of accidents that cause spinal cord injuries. The car's roof is not built to hold up the weight of the vehicle, and can collapse in on the spine of someone in the car. A common contributing circumstance to spinal cord injuries in auto accidents are when the seatbelt malfunctions, or just isn't worn in the first place. More than 80% of all spinal cord injury patients are male, which roughly correlates to the fact that men statistically get into more car accidents than women.

The initial damage to the spine in a car accident causes a chain reaction that does further harm to the body. If the crash is severe enough, it can cause the spinal discs to become displaced and fracture. This can result in the rupturing of nearby blood cells, which bleed internally and cause a lot of damage. Shortly after, the spinal cavity will swell, and cut off essential blood and oxygen to the area. When this happens, important neurons can be harmed, cutting off the connection between the brain and affected parts of the body.

Spinal cord injuries are broken down into two major classifications: incomplete and complete. An incomplete spinal cord injury means that the victim permanently loses some sensation or motor function as a result. There are multiple levels of incomplete spinal injury, but they all involve some sort of partial loss of movement or feeling. A complete spinal cord injury is paralysis. Every part of the body below the affected part of the spine loses all sensation and movement. This means that if the injury occurs at the top of the spine, the patient will lose all movement in their arms and legs. There is no cure for spinal cord injuries, but they can be best controlled if the injury receives immediate medical attention.

In both incomplete and complete spinal injuries, the victim's life will inevitably be different. Long term medical care will be necessary, it may affect job performance, and there are added pressures on close family members. If you or a family member has suffered a spine injury due to the negligence of someone else, you should speak with an experienced spinal cord injury lawyer as soon as possible.

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