One of the most serious outcomes of a car accident is a spinal cord injury. These can range from incomplete injuries with a potential for recovery to complete injuries resulting in permanent changes like quadriplegia or paraplegia—injuries a car accident lawyer often sees in cases involving significant force or high-speed impacts.
The force of a crash, even a seemingly minor one, can exert tremendous pressure on the spine, leading to damage that disrupts the vital communication between the brain and the rest of the body. The specific type of spinal cord injury depends on which part of the spine is damaged and the severity of that damage.
Key Takeaways about Types of Spinal Cord Injuries Common in Car Accidents
- Spinal cord injuries are generally classified as either "complete" or "incomplete," which describes the degree of functional loss below the site of the injury.
- The location of the injury on the spinal column—cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back), or lumbar/sacral (low-back)—determines which parts of the body are affected.
- Cervical injuries are the most severe, often resulting in tetraplegia (quadriplegia), while thoracic and lumbar injuries typically lead to paraplegia.
- The extreme forces in a car accident, such as sudden impact, compression, or twisting, are the primary causes of these traumatic spinal injuries.
- Recognizing symptoms like numbness, weakness, or extreme back pain after a collision is critical for seeking prompt medical attention.
Understanding the Spinal Cord and Its Function
To grasp the different types of spinal cord injuries, it helps to know a little about the spinal cord itself. Think of it as the body's main information highway. It’s a thick bundle of nerves that runs from the base of your brain down through your backbone, which is made up of small bones called vertebrae. This nerve bundle is responsible for carrying messages between your brain and the rest of your body.
When you decide to walk, your brain sends a signal down the spinal cord to your leg muscles. When you touch something hot, the nerves in your hand send a signal up the spinal cord to your brain, telling you to pull away. This constant, two-way communication controls everything from movement (motor functions) to feeling sensations like touch, heat, and cold (sensory functions).
When this highway is damaged, those messages can get blocked, leading to a loss of function and sensation.
How Car Accidents Cause Spinal Cord Injuries
Car accidents are a leading cause of traumatic spinal cord injuries. The reason is simple physics. When a vehicle traveling at high speed, as many do on Bakersfield's Highway 99 or the Westside Parkway, comes to an abrupt stop or is hit by another car, the people inside keep moving until they are stopped by a seatbelt, an airbag, or a part of the car's interior. This violent force can jolt, stretch, compress, or even sever the spinal cord.
The vertebrae that protect the spinal cord can be fractured or dislocated in a crash, sending bone fragments into the delicate nerve tissue. In other cases, the ligaments holding the spine together can be torn, causing instability. The specific actions that cause the damage include:
- Sudden Impact: The body being thrown forward, backward, or sideways, causing the head and neck to whip back and forth violently.
- Compression: The spine can be squeezed or compressed when the head is forced down toward the chest, such as in a rollover accident.
- Twisting: Rotational forces can cause the spine to twist beyond its normal range of motion, damaging the nerves within.
These forces can happen in any type of collision, from a rear-end bump to a serious T-bone crash at an intersection.
The Main Categories: Complete vs. Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries
Medical professionals classify spinal cord injuries into two main categories. This classification is crucial because it helps predict the potential for recovery and determines the type of care a person will need.
- Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: This is the more common category. An injury is "incomplete" if the spinal cord is only partially damaged. This means that some signals can still get past the injury site. A person with an incomplete injury may retain some sensation or have some motor control below the level of the spinal cord injury. The extent of function varies widely from person to person. For example, one person might be able to feel their legs but not move them, while another might be able to move one leg but not the other.
- Complete Spinal Cord Injury: A "complete" injury means there is a total loss of all sensory and motor function below the level of the injury. The information highway is completely blocked. In this case, the brain and the parts of the body below the injury can no longer communicate with each other. It’s important to know that a complete injury doesn't necessarily mean the spinal cord has been severed; it can be caused by severe bruising, a loss of blood flow, or intense pressure on the cord.
Understanding these two broad categories helps set the stage for looking at the specific types of spinal cord injuries based on where they occur.
Common Types of Spinal Cord Injuries from Vehicle Collisions
The level of the spine where the injury occurs is the most significant factor in determining the outcome. The higher the injury to the spinal cord, the more widespread the effects on the body.
Cervical Spinal Cord Injuries (Neck)
The cervical spine is the section in your neck, running from the base of the skull down to the shoulders. An injury in this area is the most severe type of spinal cord injury. Because these nerves control the arms, hands, and even the diaphragm (the muscle that controls breathing), damage here can have profound consequences.
An injury to the cervical spine often results in tetraplegia, also known as quadriplegia. This term means there is a loss of function in both the arms and the legs. The extent of this loss depends on the exact location of the injury within the cervical region.
Potential effects of a cervical spinal cord injury include:
- Loss of control and sensation in arms, hands, torso, and legs.
- Inability to breathe without the help of a machine (ventilator).
- Loss of bowel and bladder control.
- Inability to speak clearly.
These are life-altering changes that require a lifetime of medical care, support, and adaptation for the injured person and their family.
Thoracic Spinal Cord Injuries (Mid-Back)
The thoracic spine is the section in your upper and middle back, extending from the base of the neck to the abdomen. This part of the spine is protected by the rib cage, which makes it more stable and less prone to injury than the neck. However, car accidents can generate enough force to cause serious damage here as well.
An injury to the thoracic spinal cord typically affects the torso and the legs, resulting in paraplegia. This means the person loses function in their lower body but usually retains full use of their arms and hands.
A person with a thoracic injury may need to use a wheelchair for mobility. They will also likely experience a loss of physical sensation in their legs and torso, and will have changes in bowel and bladder function. The stability provided by the rib cage means that thoracic spine injuries are often complete injuries.
Lumbar and Sacral Spinal Cord Injuries (Lower Back)
The lumbar spine is in the lower back, and the sacral spine is at the very base, near the pelvis. These nerves control signals to the hips, legs, and feet, as well as bladder and bowel functions. Injuries to these lower parts of the spinal cord are serious but often less debilitating than injuries higher up.
Damage to the lumbar or sacral regions can result in varying degrees of weakness or paralysis in the hips and legs. The effects can include:
- Loss of movement and sensation in the legs (paraplegia).
- The need for a wheelchair or braces to walk.
- Loss of bowel and bladder control.
While still incredibly serious, people with lumbar or sacral injuries may have a better chance of retaining some leg function or regaining the ability to walk with assistance compared to those with higher-level injuries.
Regardless of the location, any of these types of spinal cord injuries represents a fundamental change in a person's life and requires immense personal and financial resources to manage.
Recognizing the Symptoms of a Spinal Cord Injury After an Accident
After a car crash, you might feel dazed and sore. The rush of adrenaline can mask the signs of a serious injury. That’s why it’s important to be aware of the potential symptoms of a spinal cord injury, which might not appear for hours or even days after you get home. If you or a loved one experiences any of the following, seek medical attention immediately.
- Extreme Pain or Pressure: Intense, stinging pain or a feeling of pressure anywhere along your back or in your neck.
- Weakness or Incoordination: Noticeable weakness, clumsiness, or an inability to control movement in any part of your body.
- Numbness or Tingling: A "pins and needles" sensation or a complete loss of feeling in your hands, fingers, feet, or toes.
- Loss of Sensation: An inability to feel heat, cold, or touch.
- Balance and Walking Problems: Difficulty walking or maintaining your balance.
- Loss of Bladder or Bowel Control: This is a sign of a serious neurological issue.
- Oddly Positioned or Twisted Neck or Back: A visible sign that something is wrong with the alignment of your spine.
Paying attention to these symptoms is critical. Delaying medical care can lead to more severe and permanent damage.
The Long-Term Impact of Spinal Cord Damage
The consequences of a spinal cord injury extend far beyond the initial physical limitations. The financial cost of care can be staggering. According to data from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, the first-year expenses for a person with high tetraplegia can exceed $1 million, with lifetime costs running into many millions of dollars.
These costs cover everything from emergency medical care and surgery to ongoing needs like:
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy.
- Mobility devices like wheelchairs and braces.
- Modifications to a home and vehicle for accessibility.
- Personal care attendants.
- Medications and medical supplies.
Beyond the financial aspect is the emotional and psychological toll on the injured person and their family. Adapting to a new way of life takes incredible strength and support. The focus often shifts to recovery, rehabilitation, and finding ways to live a full and meaningful life despite the new challenges.
The Importance of Seeking Legal Guidance
When a spinal cord injury is caused by another driver's carelessness, the law provides a way to hold the responsible party accountable. According to the California Civil Code, everyone is responsible for injuries caused by their lack of ordinary care or skill. Filing a personal injury claim is about securing the financial resources needed to cover the immense costs of a spinal cord injury and to provide for your future.
A personal injury attorney can investigate the accident, gather evidence, and work to show that the other party was at fault. The goal is to obtain compensation that addresses the full scope of your losses, both now and in the years to come. This compensation is intended to cover a wide range of needs.
- Medical Expenses: All costs related to your injury, from the initial hospital stay to future surgeries, therapies, and prescriptions.
- Lost Income: Wages you've lost while unable to work and compensation for any diminished ability to earn a living in the future.
- Home Modifications: The cost of installing ramps, widening doorways, or making other changes to your home to accommodate your needs.
- Pain and Suffering: Compensation for the physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life caused by the injury.
Pursuing a claim allows you to focus on your health and recovery while a legal professional handles the complexities of the legal process.
Types of Spinal Cord Injuries FAQs
Here are answers to some common questions people have about spinal cord injuries after a car accident.
What is the difference between tetraplegia and quadriplegia?
There is no difference. Tetraplegia and quadriplegia are two different words for the same condition: the loss of function in all four limbs (both arms and both legs). "Tetra" is from Greek and "quad" is from Latin, but they both mean four. Medical professionals in the United States and elsewhere increasingly use the term tetraplegia.
Can a spinal cord injury get worse over time?
Yes, it is possible for the effects of a spinal cord injury to worsen in the hours and days following the initial trauma. This is often due to secondary damage caused by bleeding, swelling, inflammation, and a lack of oxygen to the nerve cells around the injury site. This is why immediate medical care is so important to minimize this secondary damage.
How long does it take to know the full extent of a spinal cord injury?
It can take a significant amount of time, often weeks or even months, for doctors to determine the long-term prognosis. Initially, the spinal cord goes into a state of "spinal shock," which can cause a temporary loss of reflexes and function. As this shock subsides, a clearer picture of the permanent damage and potential for recovery begins to emerge.
Does a spinal cord injury mean I will be in a wheelchair forever?
Not necessarily. The outcome of a spinal cord injury depends heavily on whether it is complete or incomplete and on the individual's response to rehabilitation. Many people with incomplete injuries are able to regain some degree of movement and may learn to walk again, sometimes with the help of braces or other assistive devices.
Contact the Law Offices of Mickey Fine for a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one has sustained a spinal cord injury in a car accident in Bakersfield or anywhere in Kern County, you are facing a difficult road. You don’t have to go through it by yourself. At the Law Offices of Mickey Fine, we have been helping injured people and their families for over 30 years. Our Bakersfield spinal cord injury lawyers are committed to fighting for the full and fair compensation you need to cover your care and secure your future.
Attorney Mickey Fine will personally oversee your case and work to hold the responsible parties accountable for their actions. We understand the challenges you are facing and will stand by your side every step of the way. Your consultation is free, and you pay no fees unless we recover compensation for you. Contact us today to learn how we can help.