Seven Common Car Accident Spine Injuries

Even the most cautious driver can’t always avoid a car accident. If you’re lucky, your accident may only result in minor damage to your car. More severe accidents can be frightening and life-changing—especially when they leave you injured. If you suffered a spine injury from a car accident, you might be overwhelmed by the disruption and trauma your injury has caused to your daily life. 

In Colorado, the law entitles you to recover compensation from the party that caused your injuries. Hiring an experienced Colorado auto accident attorney who understands the complexity of personal injury law increases the likelihood of getting what you deserve.

For a free consultation, please don’t hesitate to call (719) 309-4202 or send us an online message today.

Common Types of Auto Accident Spine Injuries

Here are some of the most common spine injuries sustained by car accident victims

Whiplash Injuries

Whiplash is one of the most common spine injuries from car accidents. When a person’s body experiences a sudden jolt due to rapid deceleration or acceleration, or both, whiplash may occur. Although whiplash usually occurs in the neck, it’s also not uncommon for injured victims to feel whiplash anywhere in their spine.

A car accident spine injury like whiplash stretches the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in spinal areas, leading to pain and lack of mobility. If if the trauma is severe enough, it can result in tears to the muscles, tendons and ligaments. These injuries often result in permanent residual effects.

Herniated and Ruptured Discs

The fibrous shock absorbing like discs between your vertebrae protect your spinal column and keep the vertebrae from rubbing together. When you suffer a spine injury from a car accident, these discs may rupture, tear, or shift, causing pain throughout your entire body. If the disc ruptures enough, it can herniate out to the fibrous exterior and press directly up against spinal nerves that run throughout the spine, causing extreme pain.

Spinal Fractures and Spondylolisthesis

When your body jerks roughly from side to side or forward to backward, this movement may cause a compression fracture in your spine. Compression fractures cause spondylolisthesis, where fractured vertebrae shift or place pressure on the spinal column. This type of car accident spinal cord injury might cause pain and numbness in various body areas and bladder control issues.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries can be especially catastrophic, as they may result in long-term or permanent disabilities, including paralysis.

Facet Joint Injuries

Facet joints represent the connections between the bones of the spine. Our nerve roots pass through these joints throughout the spine.. When damaged, this type of spine injury from car accidents can cause pain to all body parts and arthritis-like stiffness. 

Thoracic Spine Injuries

The thoracic spine is located in your mid-back, at a similar level to your lungs. Thoracic spine injuries can be particularly severe and difficult to treat.

Lumbar Spine Injuries

The lumbar spine is the lower part of your back. A spinal cord lumbar injury more commonly occurs after high-speed collisions. These can also be very painful, be difficult to treat, and can result in permanent impairment and surgery.

If you suffered a car accident spine injury, it’s crucial to seek immediate and appropriate medical attention. 

What Should You Do After a Car Accident? 

It may be difficult to remember what to do immediately after a car accident. Rarely do people have the clarity of mind to take all of the following steps. 

However, these tasks help protect your rights if you file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible party. 

• Seek medical attention—seek prompt medical attention. Some injuries may not become apparent until days or weeks after an accident.
• Contact an attorney—It’s never too soon to contact a personal injury attorney to discuss the facts of your case, and to protect you from the other driver’s insurance company.
• Call law enforcement—Reporting law enforcement officials will create an accident report detailing unbiased third-party observations about the accident. These reports are valuable sources of information for attorneys and insurance companies.
• Gather evidence—If you are able to, gather relevant evidence, including photographs, contact information, and other observations at the accident scene.

An experienced attorney can step in and assist you if your injuries prevent you from completing these tasks. Without representation, you may fall victim to aggressive insurance companies pressuring you to accept a quick settlement offer that fails to compensate you for your losses adequately. 

Contact Us 

With over 50 years of combined legal experience, the personal injury attorneys at McCormick & Murphy, P.C., have worked tirelessly to recover millions of dollars on behalf of their clients. Our attorneys provide convenient and exceptional legal services to personal injury victims throughout Colorado.

We understand the wave of emotions you experience in the days and weeks following a car accident. You may think you’ll never get your life back. We are here to help. We work hard to bring you the compensation you deserve while talking you through the entire legal process. As you recover, we handle the rest.

Contact us online or call (719) 309-4202 today for a free, no-obligation consultation.