One of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries is motor vehicle accidents, including car, truck, and motorcycle crashes. The force of a collision can crush, twist, or sever the spinal cord, leading to permanent damage.
No matter how a spinal cord injury (SCI) happens, the effects can be devastating. Seeking legal guidance can help you determine whether someone else may be responsible for your injury. Our Kansas City personal injury lawyers can lead your case for damages while you recover from the accident.
Why do Crashes Most Commonly Cause Spinal Cord Injuries?
According to data cited by the Cleveland Clinic, about 18,000 new traumatic spinal cord injury cases occur each year in the United States, and motor vehicle crashes make up nearly 40% of all spinal cord injuries.
Car accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries because they involve high-impact forces, sudden jolts, and extreme pressure on the spine. While other incidents also cause spinal trauma, vehicle crashes pose the highest risk due to several key factors:
- The sheer number of crashes: Thousands of motor vehicle accidents happen every year, making them one of the most common causes of traumatic injuries, including spinal cord damage.
- High–speed impacts: Unlike most falls or sports injuries, car accidents involve extreme speeds and forces that can fracture vertebrae, compress the spine, or cause whiplash that leads to severe nerve damage.
- Sudden deceleration: When a car stops suddenly in a crash, the body continues moving forward due to momentum, often straining or injuring the spinal cord.
- Risky driving behaviors: Distracted driving, speeding, and reckless maneuvers increase the severity of crashes, raising the likelihood of catastrophic spinal injuries.
- Lack of spinal protection: While seat belts and airbags help prevent fatalities, they cannot fully protect against spinal cord trauma, especially in rollovers or high-impact collisions.
If a car collision caused your spinal cord injury, you may be able to file a personal injury case to recover damages. Our Kansas City car accident lawyers can advise you on your next steps.
What Other Incidents Can Cause Spinal Cord Damage?
Other common causes of spinal cord injuries include:
- Falls: Slip and fall accidents, workplace falls, and falls from heights often result in serious spinal cord trauma, especially for older adults.
- Violence: Gunshot wounds and other acts of violence can cause severe spinal cord damage.
- Sports injuries: Contact sports, diving accidents, and recreational activities can lead to spinal cord trauma.
- Medical and surgical errors: Mistakes made during surgery or other medical procedures can sometimes result in spinal cord injuries.
If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury, it’s important to understand what caused it and what legal options are available.
Contact our Kansas city personal injury lawyers now.
We Will Seek Compensation for Your Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries often cause serious and long-term damage, affecting mobility, sensation, and even basic bodily functions. Because of these and other factors, claims involving these injuries are complex, which is why some people get legal help for their cases.
We are dedicated to fighting for the best outcome for spinal cord injury victims. We will:
- Investigate the cause of your injury and determine who is responsible
- Work with medical professionals to assess the full effects of your injury
- Negotiate with insurance companies to seek maximum compensation
- Take your case to trial if necessary to fight for your rights
We understand the emotional and financial burden of a spinal cord injury, and we are here to help.
What Compensation Can You Recover for a Traumatic Injury?
A spinal cord injury can lead to hundreds of thousands—or even millions—of dollars in medical expenses over a lifetime. If someone else’s negligence caused your injury, you may be able to recover damages for:
- Medical expenses (past, present, and future)
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy
- Lost income and loss of earning ability
- Pain and suffering
- Home modifications and assistive devices
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
If a spinal cord injury resulted in a wrongful death, family members may also be able to seek damages. Our compassionate lawyers will file a lawsuit for damages if necessary and submit it on time. In Missouri, injured victims have a limited time to seek compensation.
In injury cases, plaintiffs have five years from the date of injury or loss to sue, per Revised Statutes of Missouri § 516.120. For wrongful death cases, plaintiffs generally have three years from the date of the person’s death, per Revised Statutes of Missouri § 537.100.
What Are the Different Types of Spinal Cord Injuries?
Spinal cord injuries fall into two main categories:
- Complete SCI: The injury completely cuts off communication between the brain and body below the injury site, resulting in total paralysis.
- Incomplete SCI: Some nerve signals can still travel past the injury, allowing for partial movement or sensation.
SCIs are also classified based on where the damage occurs:
- Cervical (neck): The most severe type of SCI, often leading to full-body paralysis
- Thoracic (upper back): Can affect the chest, legs, and internal organs
- Lumbar (lower back): Can cause weakness or paralysis in the legs
- Sacral (pelvic area): Can affect bladder, bowel, and sexual function
What Are the Long-Term Effects of a Spinal Cord Injury?
A spinal cord injury can impact nearly every part of your life. Depending on the severity, you may experience:
- Paralysis (paraplegia or quadriplegia)
- Loss of sensation
- Chronic pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Loss of bladder and bowel control
- Emotional and psychological effects, such as depression
Medical treatments, physical therapy, and assistive devices can help some people regain function, but SCIs are often permanent.
Who Can You Hold Liable for an Injury to the Spinal Cord?
Liability for a spinal cord injury depends on how the injury happened. In many cases, another person or company may be responsible, including:
- Negligent drivers: If a reckless or distracted driver caused a crash that led to your SCI, they may be liable.
- Property owners: If you fell on someone else’s unsafe property, the owner may be responsible.
- Employers: Workplace falls and accidents may lead to workers’ compensation claims or lawsuits.
- Manufacturers: If a defective product caused your spinal injury, the manufacturer could be held accountable.
Our attorneys will investigate your case and determine who should be held responsible.
Call Us Today for Help With a Spinal Cord Injury Case
At Foster Wallace, we believe you shouldn’t have to fight alone after a life-changing injury. While motor vehicle crashes commonly cause spinal cord injuries, many other incidents can also result in serious harm. No matter the cause, we will explain your legal options.
Our attorneys have strong roots in the Kansas City area, and we take a collaborative approach to cases to get the best results for our clients. With over $1 billion recovered in settlements, jury awards, and judgments, we have the experience to handle serious injury cases.
Our clients receive private, personalized legal counsel, and we don’t charge any fees unless we win your case. If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury, call us today for a free consultation. Let us help you get the justice and compensation you deserve.
