How Car and Truck Accidents Can Lead to Spinal Cord Injuries in Georgia

Auto accidents are unfortunately a common occurrence in Georgia. Even more unfortunate are the types of serious injuries you can suffer in these crashes. One of the more severe types of injuries is a spinal cord injury (SCI). Prevalent in both car and truck accidents, you can experience an SCI not only in a catastrophic crash, but even in a “small” accident like when a car behind you bumps into your vehicle. If you find yourself in one of these accidents, and you need medical care to help with a spinal cord injury, it is important to seek compensation for your injuries, pain, and suffering.

Types of car accidents that can lead to spine injuries

There are an array of different types of car accidents, and all of them have the potential to injure your spine. Those crashes include:

• Head-on. Head-on collisions are one of the most dangerous types of accidents. They often result in wrongful death, on top of spinal cord injuries. Even when we’re taking the necessary precaution of wearing a seatbelt, the end result of a head-on collision can still result in spinal cord injuries. Per Spine Universe, “Flexion/distraction fracture, an injury commonly seen in head-on collisions where the upper part of the body is thrown forward while the bottom remains in place—likely via a seatbelt—and tears the vertebra apart.”
• Rear end. A rear end is when one car strikes the other from behind. This can be anything from a gentle bump, to a full on collision. These sorts of accidents are usually less damage-dealing than head-on or side-impact collisions because the driver of the car is farther away from the impact that is coming from behind, while also tending to occur at low speeds. Unfortunately, rear-end collisions can sometimes cause whiplash, which, per the Mayo Clinic, “typically occurs when your head is forcefully and quickly thrown backward and then forward. This motion can injure bones in the spine, disks between the bones, ligaments, muscles, nerves and other tissues of the neck.”
• Side-impact. A side-impact collision happens when one car is struck by another at a 90-degree angle. Another term for these sorts of crashes is a T-Bone. Often in these sorts of accidents, severe injury is likely.
• Rollovers. Rollovers are second only to head-on collisions for the severity of the injuries sustained. These accidents typically happen when a vehicle traveling at high speeds encounters something like a curb or bump, and does what is known as “tripping,” where it then rolls over. These sorts of crashes can result in the driver or passengers being ejected from the vehicle, or the roof of the car collapsing in on the people inside.

Types of truck accidents that can lead to spinal cord injuries

While truck and car accidents have many similarities, there are a few other types of crashes one needs to be aware of involving truck accidents.

• Override. An override is a type of rear-end collision where a truck hits a car from behind with so much force that the car is forced under the front of the truck. This often results in fatalities or severe injuries for the people in the car. While this can sometimes occur because of driver error, it’s not uncommon for the trucking companies to be at fault because they have properly maintained their trucks. Should the brakes be faulty, then the manufacturer of the brakes for that truck could be held responsible.
• Rear-underride or side-underride. This occurs when a car behind a tractor trailer is forced under the truck in front of them. While less common than override accidents, underride/side-underrides can be just as dangerous.
• Jackknife. When a truck takes a turn too quickly or loses control of the cab, the trailer can continue travelling and swing to the side at a 90-degree angle. When the trailer comes to a stop, it often resembles an open jackknife. These accidents often come with more severe injuries such as SCIs and other catastrophic injuries.
• “Squeeze play” turn accident. Trucks require plenty of room to turn, and so when they do need to make a turn, they will often swing in the opposite direction slightly first in order to gain the correct angle. Cars, seeing the truck make that first slight turn, may think the truck is turning the other way, and mistakenly try to take the same turn that the truck driver is trying to take. This often results in the car becoming trapped between the truck and the curb. Sometimes, this forces the car beneath the truck, resulting in an underride accident.

As we can see, there are many different sorts of accidents for cars and trucks that can result in catastrophic injuries, including spinal cord injuries. No one wants to get into an automobile accident, but it is important to know what can happen if we do so that we can take the correct actions and prepare ourselves for what to do after.

If you experienced a spinal cord injury in a car or truck accident, you may be eligible for compensation for the damage to your vehicle, for your medical bills, and for your pain and suffering. You need an experienced and knowledgeable lawyer who will fight for you. Harris Lowry Manton LLP law firm offers a selection of attorneys who will work to secure the compensation you deserve. Our track record of success speaks for itself, including numerous high-dollar verdicts and settlements in auto and truck crashes. Call us in Atlanta at 404-998-8847 or in Savannah at 912-417-3774. You can also reach out via our contact page to set up an appointment.

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