Gregory S. Baumgartner Trucking Accidents Law Blog on Lawyers.com

Injury to the Spine

Sunday, December 5, 2010 by Gregory S. Baumgartner

Spinal cord injuries are some
of the most devastating and debilitating results of a car wreck or truck
accident – in part because the scope of problems is great – and the expected
hope for recovery may be minimal depending on the severity of the injury. Often
surgery may be necessary and even it goes great the recovery can be very
difficult.

Statistically,
approximately 44% of all new spinal cord injuries in the United States result
from motor vehicle accidents. In children this figure goes up. Recent data
shows that nearly 70% of spinal cord injuries in children up to age 19 can be
attributed to motor vehicle accidents. The highest risk portion of this
population is young men.

In a car or truck
accident there are a number of failures that can occur within the vehicle
itself – opening up greater possibilities for spinal cord injuries –
particularly in the case of a rollover. These include such things as the roof collapsing
in on the driver and/or passenger, the back seat collapsing in on passengers,
and even the failure of a seat belt to properly hold the passenger in place. Many
times a personal injury attorney will investigate the vehicle itself from a
design perspective.

Some of the more common
types of spinal cord injury include bulging or herniated discs and partial or
full paralysis. Bulging discs occur when one of the spinal cord bones shifts
out of its normal position. Symptoms are varied and include such things as back
and neck pain and even some tingling in the limbs. A herniated disc is a much
more serious medical condition and may also be called a ruptured or slipped
disc. This often requires an operation to correct.

Paraplegia and
quadriplegia are the medical terms for paralysis. Both conditions are a loss of
motor function, both will require substantial rehabilitative services and the
cost of which can be substantial– and often a person never returns to full
mobility.

Greg Baumgartner is a Texas truck accident lawyer and the founder of the Baumgartner Law Firm, which is dedicated to helping injury victims seek civil justice. For a free- no obligation consultation with a Texas personal injury lawyer call the Baumgartner Firm.

Posted at 10:26 AM

Topic: Trucking Accidents