New Mexico Auto Accident That Resulted in the Need for a Cervical Spinal Fusion: What are Your Rights?
One of the most common injuries in a New Mexico auto accident is a back injury. This includes neck injuries, which are particularly at risk in a motor vehicle accident to serious injury from whiplash. When a neck injury is so severe, it may require surgical intervention. One common type of neck surgery is a cervical spinal fusion. This is named after the area of the spine (the neck being the cervical vertebrae). This is a very invasive and irreversible surgery which results in permanent disability, including restricted range of motion, scars, nerve injury, and muscle damage.
Victims of a car crash who underwent a cervical fusion surgery should call our Albuquerque auto accident lawyer to learn how we can help recover compensation for your medical bill, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other damages. Here at the Mark Caruso, we zealously and compassionately work with victims of serious New Mexico auto accidents. Call us by dialing (505) 308-1556 to learn what we can do for you in a FREE consultation.
What is a Cervical Fusion Surgery?
A cervical fusion surgery is an invasive surgery which is used to help treat disc disease, disc damage, fractures, spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spine), spondylolisthesis (forward shifting of a disc), herniated discs, discs impinging on nerves, and other serious neck injuries. This surgery may be performed anteriorly, through the front of your neck and usually through a natural fold of your skin, or posterior which would be on the back of your neck.
The surgery will make an incision and shift, move, or possibly cut tissue to expose the spine. The surgeon will visualize the damage joint at the vertebrae and begin by removing damaged bone, tissue, or discs. The surgery may use surgical cement, artificial discs, or bone grafts to reconstruct the disc in that space to avoid impingement on the spinal cord, nerves, or other vital structures. The surgeon will then use some hardware to keep the joint stable, which includes the use of screws, rods, plates, pins, or additional pieces of bone grafts. This will immobilize the joint and keep it from moving, and therefore keeping it from causing pain to surrounding structures.
Why do New Mexico Auto Accidents Result in the Need for Cervical Spinal Fusions?
A cervical spinal fusion is likely in auto accidents because of the sheer impact and force generated in a car crash. The spine, particularly the neck, is very vulnerable to any impact. Particularly in an auto accident, a whiplash motion of rocking the head violently forward and then backwards can easily damage or force discs to slip out of place.
This is a very serious type of injury that could be sustained from a motor vehicle crash. If you have been seriously injured in any type of auto accident in New Mexico, please call our Albuquerque auto accident lawyer to learn how we can help. We handle cases throughout New Mexico, including in Lordsburg, Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Santa Fe, Roswell, or anywhere else. Call the Mark Caruso by dialing (505) 308-1556 to learn how we can help. You can also contact us on our website through the easy to use and convenient Contact box located by clicking here.
