Car accidents are among the most common causes of spinal cord injuries in the United States. There is no question that a serious spinal injury can turn the victim’s and his or her family’s life upside down. A car accident has the potential to cause a spinal injury when it results in a sudden blow to the spinal cord and the surrounding tissues, ligaments, discs and bones.
This type of trauma may cause sensitive tissues to be damaged or the vertebrae to break. If the injury is located further down the spinal column, it may result in serious damage to the nervous system that interferes with motor function. Any damage to the spinal cord may result in difficulty functioning even if the spinal cord has not been severed. The extent of these injuries depends on the intensity of the trauma and the location of the injury.
Common Spinal Injuries in Car Accidents
There are a number of different types of trauma and levels of trauma that may occur in a car accident that lead to spinal injuries. Here are some of the common spinal cord injuries our New York car accident lawyers see:
Whiplash: This type of injury occurs frequently when the victim’s vehicle is rear-ended. It is a neck injury that occurs when the neck suddenly snaps back and forth in a rapid motion, much like the cracking of a whip. This results in a debilitating injury because of trauma to the tissues in the neck. Symptoms of whiplash may not develop soon after the accident and may even take a few days to surface. Some of the symptoms of whiplash include dizziness, headaches that originate at the base of the skull, limited neck movement, numbness or tingling in the arms, pain or tenderness in the upper back, shoulders or arms, and stiffness or pain in the neck.
Herniated disc: The discs in the spine cushion the vertebrae and essentially act like shock absorbers. They consist of a soft, jelly-like center and a tough exterior. A herniated or bulging disc occurs when the soft center leaks through a crack in the exterior and puts pressure on the surrounding nerves and nerve roots. This type of injury is common after trauma to the spine during a car accident. Symptoms of such injuries include muscle weakness near the affected nerves; a sharp pain that may radiate from the shoulders or lower back to the arms and legs; and tingling or numbness in the legs or arms.
Fractures: The vertebrae or bones of the spinal column are susceptible to breaking during a car accident. Major trauma to the spine may result in paralysis or even death. Spinal fractures can cause moderate to severe pain that gets worse with movement. Injured victims may experience tingling, numbness or weakness in the arms or legs and/or loss of bladder or bowel function.
Compensation for Injured Victims
For many car accident victims who suffer spinal cord injuries, the road to recovery can be long and arduous. Those who suffer spinal injuries may face significant medical bills and expenses with regard to treatment, care and rehabilitation. They may require long-term care and physical therapy or even occupational therapy.
A victim who has been injured by someone else’s negligence (carelessness) or wrongdoing may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against the individual and/or entity that caused his or her car accident and seek compensation for medical expenses, lost income and benefits, hospitalization, cost of rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, long-term care, past and future pain and suffering, etc.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident or pedestrian accident, or if you have lost a loved one in an auto accident caused by a negligent (careless) driver, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
For nearly 50 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury and/or medical malpractice cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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