Spinal Cord Injury After a Crash: Your Rights in Las Cruces, NM
Even a single car accident can leave victims with long-term or permanent spinal cord damage. Unlike many other injuries, spinal cord trauma often impacts mobility, independence, and quality of life. The medical, financial, and legal consequences are severe. Knowing your rights matters if you or a loved one is facing this reality.
What Is a Spinal Cord Injury?
A spinal cord injury is different from a general spine injury. While a spine injury may involve bones, muscles, or ligaments, a spinal cord injury affects the bundle of nerves that send signals between the brain and the rest of the body.
The severity of a spinal cord injury often depends on the level of the injury:
- Cervical (neck) – can result in paralysis of arms and legs, or difficulty breathing.
- Thoracic (upper back) – may cause loss of function in the legs and trunk.
- Lumbar (lower back) – often affects hips and legs, sometimes bladder and bowel function.
- Sacral (base of spine) – can lead to partial loss of function in the hips, legs, or pelvic organs.
Understanding these spinal cord injury levels is important both medically and legally, since the long-term effects can influence the amount of compensation available in a claim.
Common Spinal Cord Injury Symptoms After a Car Accident
After a crash, it is not always obvious that a spinal cord injury has occurred. Victims should watch for symptoms such as:
- Loss of movement or paralysis below the injury site
- Numbness, tingling, or weakness in arms or legs
- Difficulty walking or maintaining balance
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- Difficulty breathing or coughing
If you experience these spinal cord injury symptoms after a car accident, seek immediate medical care. Early treatment can reduce complications and strengthen your legal case.
Why Spinal Cord Injuries Are Common in Car Accidents
Car accidents are one of the leading causes of spinal cord injuries. High-speed impacts, rollovers, and rear-end collisions put extreme force on the spine. Even when safety devices like seatbelts and airbags function properly, they cannot always prevent spinal cord trauma.
Legal Options for Victims in New Mexico
When another driver’s negligence causes a spinal cord injury car accident, victims have the right to pursue compensation. Negligence may include:
- Distracted driving, such as texting behind the wheel
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Speeding or reckless driving
- Failing to follow traffic laws
A personal injury claim can recover damages for:
- Medical expenses, including surgery, rehabilitation, and long-term care
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- Pain, suffering, and emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Compensation in Spinal Cord Injury Cases
Spinal cord injuries often lead to some of the highest settlements or verdicts in personal injury law because of their life-changing impact. Factors that influence compensation include:
- The severity and permanence of the injury
- The level of spinal cord damage (cervical injuries often result in the most severe outcomes)
- The effect on the victim’s ability to work and live independently
- Ongoing costs for medical care, mobility devices, and home modifications
Because of the complexity of these cases, it is critical to work with an attorney experienced in spinal cord injury litigation.
Protecting Your Future After a Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries require both medical and legal support. Victims may face years of treatment, rehabilitation, and lifestyle changes, but they should not face these challenges alone.
If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury in a New Mexico car accident, contact Egan Law Offices today.