What Types of Car and Truck Accidents Lead to Spinal Cord Injuries?

One of the most traumatic, life-changing injuries that a person can acquire is a spinal cord injury. Spinal cord injuries happen when there is damage to the tight bundle of nerves that receive and send messages between the brain and the rest of the body. A person can suffer a spinal cord injury from damage to the back, chest, or neck. Where the damage is will determine how much mobility a person will retain.

One of the leading causes of spinal cord injuries (SCI) in the United States, especially for younger people between 16 and 30, is motor vehicle accidents. According to the Mayo Clinic, motor vehicle accidents account for nearly half of all new SCI cases each year.

What car accidents can lead to spinal cord injuries?

One type of car accident that can lead to spinal cord injuries for drivers and passengers is a head-on collision. It is one of the deadliest car accidents because both vehicles are traveling at a particular speed and are forced to come to an abrupt stop.

For example, if both vehicles are traveling at 50 miles per hour before colliding with one another, it would be equivalent to hitting a brick wall at 100 miles per hour. Because the driver or passenger’s bodies do not have enough time to adjust to the abrupt collision, one or both parties are likely to suffer serious injuries such as spinal cord injuries.

Another type of car accident that produces spinal cord injuries is the rear-end collision. Even if the driver was traveling at a slower speed, rear-end collisions can cause drivers and passengers to suffer substantial damage in the back and spine area. In some cases, it may take several hours before the spinal cord damage becomes apparent, especially if the injury is not clean cut.

Side-impact collisions – when a vehicle broadsides or “T-bones” another vehicle or collides with the side of another vehicle – can also lead to SCI. Because the side of a vehicle is not as equipped to absorb the impact of a collision, the passengers or driver on the side that has been struck are at risk of enduring significant injuries. This risk increases if the vehicle does not have side airbags.

What truck accidents can lead to spinal cord injuries?

Truck accidents may be more likely to cause an SCI. Because truck accidents involve vehicles that are larger in size and heavier in weight, the impact of the crash is more forceful. The greater the force of the impact is, the more likely the driver or passenger is to suffer a devastating injury.

One of the trucking accidents that can lead to spinal cord injuries is a jackknife accident. This type of accident happens when a truck driver brakes hard and quickly, and the tractor-trailer folds itself into a 90-degree angle. When the trailer swings out to the side of the rig, it is in danger of striking other vehicles abruptly. Motor vehicle drivers who are struck from jackknife accidents are at risk of suffering from serious injuries, including spinal cord injuries.

Rollover accidents can also lead to SCIs. This dangerous accident has the potential to crush other motor vehicles while it rolls. Drivers or passengers inside the vehicle can either be ejected from their car or crushed inside the vehicle. The force and compression from the rollover accident can lead to spinal cord injuries for drivers and passengers.

Of all the different types of truck accidents, perhaps the most devastating is the underride accident. In an underride collision, a vehicle slides under the front, side, or rear of the truck. These accidents are often fatal, but when drivers and passengers survive, the risk of SCI is great. Underride crashes can crush a vehicle and the people within it.

If you have been injured in a collision with another car, truck, motorcycle, common carrier, or a stationary object, Plaxen Adler Muncy, P.A. wants to help. For more than 35 years, we have been the premier personal injury law firm serving clients throughout Maryland. We handle complex, catastrophic injury claims, including those involving spinal cord injuries. To reserve a free consultation, please call at 410-730-7737 or complete our contact form.