As a trucking accident and personal injury attorney, injured people often meet with me to assess their injuries and their likelihood of receiving compensation for them. What I often see is that spinal injuries are different than any other type of accident injury, as the spine connects to every other part of the body. Moreover, spinal injuries resulting from trucking injuries are often the worst type, as trucks, tractor trailers, 18-wheelers are incredibly heavy. That weight or mass results in a far greater impact and, sadly, more significant injuries. One thing is critical to state up front—you will need to have experienced personal injury counsel help you attain any settlement from a trucking company. Barrett Law has the experience to help you through this process. Contact us now at (800) 707-9577.
The Spine
While you may think of the spine as your “backbone” or as a rigid bone that keeps you upright, it is not really a single bone. To the contrary, it is stack of angular vertebrae separated by soft discs, surrounded by supporting tissue such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Running within the spine is the spinal cord, out of which radiates all of the nerves of the nervous system.
Common Types of Spinal Injuries
When a large truck hits an automobile, the force of impact can be spectacular. It is not a surprise then that the resulting spinal injuries may also be extreme, ranging from whiplash to paralysis. When you are in an accident the vertebrae can be crushed, the vertebrae stack can be shifted, the discs can be crushed, or the supporting tissues can be torn or strained. In addition, the nerves in and around the spine can be injured. Damage to nerves can range quite a bit, from a completely severed spinal cord, to a partially severed spinal cord, to a pinched nerve. A pinched nerve occurs when either a vertebrae or soft tissue puts pressure on a nerve.
Types of Spinal Injury Treatment
You will need extensive testing to determine the extent of a spinal injury. Luckily, with the advent of CT and MRI scans, doctors are increasingly accurate with their diagnoses. For crushed vertebra and severed nerves, surgery and a long period of rehabilitation will likely be in proscribed. Discs can be removed. In less serious cases, soft tissue injuries such as bulging discs and pinched nerves are often able to be treated with just physical therapy. While these treatments are undertaken, you will likely be prescribed painkillers and anti-inflammatories.
What Should You Do If You Were Injured in a Truck Accident?
If you were injured as the result of impact with a large truck, contact an experienced personal injury attorney so that you can focus on yourself and on your healing process. You may be offered a quick settlement after an accident in exchange for your agreement not to pursue a legal challenge. Do not accept these “low-ball” offers, as tempting as they may be at the time.
Instead, contact an experienced personal injury attorney immediately. Let experienced personal injury counsel take care of preserving medical records, dealing with aggressive opposing counsel, attaining expert diagnoses, and dealing with the trucking company’s insurance company. These are important tasks that an only a highly experienced personal injury attorney can handle for you.
Call Barrett Law now, an experienced Mississippi personal injury law firm, to represent you if you have suffered an injury as a result of a collision with a tractor trailer or 18-wheeler.
The seasoned Mississippi Trucking Accident Attorney at Barrett Law has the experience to take on defense attorneys and insurance companies that are focused on denying your compensation for your injuries. Contact us now at (800) 707-9577.
