Given the tremendous impact of most vehicle collisions, it should come as no surprise that these accidents could result in virtually any type of bodily injury. Few of these injuries have steeper potential consequences than a spinal cord injury.
Spinal cord injuries can have a life-altering effect on the victim as well as their family. These injuries often represent a loss of independence and financial stability. Thankfully, our attorneys could help pursue a legal claim to reduce this financial strain and simplify the recovery process. Continue reading to learn more about how car accidents can result in spinal cord injuries.
Understanding Spinal Cord Injuries
The spinal cord is one of the primary parts of the nervous system within the human body. It reaches from the base of the skull and down to the hips. It is a long cylinder of nerves protected by the spinal column. While these vertebrae serve as protection for the spinal cord, these nerves are especially sensitive. Any damage that occurs to the spinal cord has the potential to cause life-long consequences.
Outside of fatal injuries, the most severe consequence of spinal cord damage is paralysis. There are multiple forms of paralysis, each of which is based on the area of the body that is affected. The two forms of paralysis most commonly associated with spinal injuries are paraplegia and quadriplegia.
Paraplegia is paralysis from the waist down. Typically, this condition results from damage to the spinal cord in the back. Quadriplegia is the more severe injury of the two, as it involves paralysis from the neck down. It frequently results from neck injuries.
Other serious health effects come with spinal cord injuries outside of paralysis. Chief among these symptoms is chronic pain. Ultimately, a spinal cord injury involves damage to your nerves. Nerve damage has the potential to lead to lasting, chronic pain throughout the body. Other consequences of spinal cord injuries include muscle spasms, difficulty controlling bodily functions, and breathing challenges.
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How Spinal Injuries Occur in a Car Accident
Multiple factors combine to make motor vehicle accidents a common cause of spinal cord injuries. According to the Asian Journal of Neurosurgery, these injuries are common because of multiple factors working together—including vehicle manufacturing quality or inadequate safety measures.
Poor vehicle design and inadequate safety equipment can be responsible for spinal injuries in a vehicle crash. When restraint devices fail, neck and head injuries are more common. However, it is important to remember that any accident could lead to spinal injuries even when adequate safety equipment is in the vehicle.
Reckless and aggressive drivers are more likely to suffer a spinal injury than careful motorists. Drivers that travel at unsafe speeds or make erratic lane changes face increased odds of losing control. These accidents are often devastating for everyone involved.
Finally, the odds of a spinal injury increase dramatically when a vehicle crash results in a rollover. A rollover accident is one in which the vehicle flips and rolls onto its back or side. Damage to the roof of a vehicle frequently results in injuries to any occupants’ heads or necks. This force is the single most common cause of a spinal injury in a car accident.
Steps to Avoid These Injuries in a Vehicle Collision
While serious injuries are always a possibility in a car accident, there are steps you can take to reduce the chances of a spinal injury. The most important of these steps involves wearing your seatbelt. Wearing a seatbelt can reduce the chance of severe injuries.
This step includes not only adults but children as well. Ensuring a child’s safety restraints are the appropriate size and double-checking the fit can go a long way toward preventing spinal injuries in a crash. It is also worthwhile to ensure your vehicle has been recently inspected. When safety features like airbags fail, the chance of a spinal cord injury increases dramatically.
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Discuss Your Spinal Cord Injury with Our Attorney
Avoiding accidents might not always prevent them—you can still get hurt. Consider retaining a lawyer to help you tackle the next steps in pursuing compensation.
Let our team carefully review your claim and advise you on how car accidents result in spinal cord injuries. The team at Bader Scott Injury Lawyers knows the significant trauma that can follow a spinal cord injury, and we are ready to help you seek the compensation you deserve.
Call (404) 888-8888 for your free consultation today.
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