What You Need to Know About Spinal Injuries From Car Crashes in Texas
Car accidents can cause multiple injuries, some of which may not be easily seen like a cut or a bruise. Internal injuries are usually the most dangerous as they can lead to problems such as nerve damage, internal bleeding, or even paralysis.
Car accident injuries may leave you with medical bills that you don’t know how to pay. Car accident attorneys may be able to help you seek out compensation for your case. Read on to learn more about spinal injuries that have resulted from car accidents and how to fight for any financial relief you deserve.
The 7 Most Common Car Accident Spinal Injuries
The thick bundle of nerves that sits inside the spine is known as the spinal cord, and it can be incredibly vulnerable to damage from car accidents. Damage to the spinal cord can affect nerves and motor skills. Depending on the collision, some spinal injuries may not be severe, but some can have life-altering results.
Whiplash
Whiplash, commonly seen in vehicle accidents, is an injury to the neck caused by the sudden movement from front to back during a crash. Whiplash usually heals on its own, though some severe cases can last a lifetime and require extensive medical treatment.
Herniated Disc
Spinal discs can slip out of their original space between vertebrae, which puts pressure on the spine and spinal cord. This condition can be healed mostly on its own with pain relievers and rest, but sometimes requires surgery.
Vertebra Fracture
The vertebra can be fractured in a car accident just like any other bone. With proper treatment these vertebra fractures can heal; however, untreated fractures can lead to serious lifelong injuries.
Spinal Stenosis
This condition occurs when the opening of the spine is narrowed and places pressure on the spinal cord. Spinal stenosis is incurable, but treatment can provide some pain relief.
Facet Joint Injuries
Facet joints are the joints along the spine that allow for movement. Some injuries to facet joints can be more severe than others, sometimes causing lifelong pain or immobility.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Injuries to the spinal cord itself can affect motor skills and nerves in other areas of the body, ranging from minor numbness to paralysis.
Paralysis
Depending on the location of the damage, paralysis may affect either the lower half of the body, known as paraplegia, or the full body, known as quadriplegia.
Average Compensation for Devestating Spinal Injuries
Spinal injuries can be expensive to treat because they usually require long and extensive medical care. Treatment may be lifelong, which means compensation will need to cover future medical bills as well. Below, you can get an idea of the sort of payout that can be expected following a lif-altering car accident spinal injury.
Partial Paralysis — The first year of treatment for paraplegia averages more than $550,000, with each following year of treatment averaging just under $73,000.
Full-Body Pralysis — The first year of treatment for quadriplegia averages more than $1,100,000, with each following year of treatment averaging a little over $196,000.
Texas Spinal Injury Damages: Getting the Relief You Need
Damages from car accident spinal injuries are covered under two types of possible compensation, economic damages and non-economic damages. Spinal injury harm can fall into both of these categories as they may affect a person in both physical and emotional ways. See the lists below for some of the spinal injury damages that may be covered in car accidents.
Economic Damages
Medical bills
Future medical costs
Pharmacy costs
Disability
Reduced earning power
Lost wages
Non-Economic Damages
Emotional distress
PTSD
Pain and suffering
Disfigurement
Lowered quality of life
Lost relationships
Proving Liability for Spinal Injuries
Legal representation may be able to help you prove liability following your accident. Proving liability helps ensure you receive any compensation you may be owed for the spinal injuries that you’ve sustained. You will need to follow three clear steps to prove liability for your spinal injury:
Prove that the at-fault driver was negligent.
Prove that the negligence of the driver caused the accident.
Prove the accident is the cause of the injuries.
The Law Office of Bobby Garcia Serves Texans in Car Accident Cases
Spinal injuries resulting from car accidents can be scary and life-alterins. If you believe you or someone else may have suffered a spinal injury, medical care should be your first priority. After all medical needs have been addressed, a car accident attorney may be your next step.
If you were injured due to the actions or negligence of others, an exerienced car accident attorney can help you prove liability and file for compensation. Call the car accident attorneys at Bobby Garcia’s law office for help seeking the justice you deserve.