Albuquerque Car Accidents Can Cause Very Serious, Permanent, and Painful Back Injuries Requiring Years of Treatment and Surgery
The spine is one of the most important structures in the human body. It encases the spinal cord in a boney case to protect it from injury. The spine also gives our body strength and stability, and the large muscles around the spine are used in almost every single motion we make. The spine is also the delivery system for the nerves which branch out of our spine and to the various parts of our body, including our extremities. Many vital arteries or veins also hug the spine and weave in and out of it, which the spine affords the extra protection.
But the spine is vulnerable to certain traumatic impacts. One of these is a motor vehicle accident. The large the impact, such as with a tractor trailer accident, the larger and more dangerous the injury. If you or a loved one have been injured in an Albuquerque car accident causing serious back injuries, contact the experienced Albuquerque car accident attorneys at the Mark Caruso for a FREE consultation by dialing (505) 407-0458. We have the legal experience and the medical knowledge to help advocate for your position and ensure you obtain the maximum compensation you may be entitled to for your injuries.
Our spine is comprised of 33 different bones, known as vertebra or the plural vertebrae. Of these, only the top 24 vertebrae are movable because the bottom are fused. The first set of vertebrae are called the cervical vertebrae, and there are seven of them. These generally form your neck from the base of your head to the start of your shoulders.
The second set of vertebrae are called thoracic vertebrae and are your mid-back. These vertebrae hold the rib cage, protect the heart and lungs, and make up the largest section of vertebrae in your body. There are twelve thoracic vertebrae.
The third set of vertebrae are called lumbar vertebrae, and these form your lower back. This portion of your spine is meant to bear the weight of the body and they are much larger in size. There are five lumbar vertebrae.
The fourth set of vertebrae is called the sacrum and these five sacral vertebrae are fused together, meaning they do not move. The last set of vertebrae is called the coccyx region, and there are four fused bones here which make up your tailbone.
All vertebrae are surrounded by large muscle groups which help protect them from damage. All vertebrae also contain a varying amount of your spinal cord, which is a crucial anatomic structure originating in your brain and traveling through your spinal cord; this is called the central nervous system. Each vertebra in your spine is separated by a disc, which essentially provides a cushion between each vertebra and prevents them from grinding each other down.
Albuquerque Car Accidents Causing Injuries to the Back
Any car accident, no matter the speed, can cause serious injury to a victim’s back. These injuries can be caused even at low speeds, such as an 8 MPH car accident in a parking lot. Of course, the faster the speed and the greater the impact, the more likely there will be very serious back injuries.
Rear end car accidents generally cause some of the worst back injuries because the body and the spine is placed in a vulnerable position. The forward motion and the quick snap-back, known as a whiplash motion, can easily cause the discs between your vertebra to rupture, herniate, or slip out of place. This can place pressure and pain on the nerve coming out of your spinal cord. In very serious instances, this violent motion can even severe the spinal cord causing paraplegia or quadriplegia.
Back injuries sometimes do not always manifest themselves right away. After a car accident, the back can take several days, weeks, or even months to get sore, swell, and cause the pain. This does not mean that the defendant is not liable for your injuries, only that it may be harder to prove. This happens because the injuries to the discs and muscles surrounding the back may be slightly damaged initially, but not heal properly and cause further complications. Other times the injuries simply do not begin to cause symptoms until weeks later.
Back Injuries Caused by Albuquerque Car Accidents may be Eligible for Compensation
If you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, call the experienced New Mexico car accident attorneys at the Mark Caruso today by dialing (505) 407-0458 You can also contact us on our website through the easy to use and convenient Contact box located by clicking here.
