Coping with a Spinal Injury After a Car Accident on Staten Island

Your spine is divided into three distinct areas—all of which can be injured in a car accident—and each has its own functions. If you’ve suffered a spinal injury after a Staten Island car accident, you know how painful and debilitating it can be.

While missing work, skipping out on time with your family, and limited mobility are extremely stressful (especially if you’re watching medical bills pile up or you don’t know how you’re going to make it another month with no money coming in), your recovery is the most important thing.

You may want to talk to an attorney about your injury, particularly if it occurred during a car accident on Staten Island roads, because you might be entitled to compensation from the at-fault party.

Parts of the Spine and their Most Common Injuries

When doctors diagnose a spinal injury after a car accident, they refer to the spine in sections.

• The cervical spine is what holds your head above your shoulders. When a person suffers from whiplash after an accident, the injuries are in the cervical spine. It doesn’t take a lot of force to injure the cervical spine because the bones are fragile and delicate.
• The thoracic spine, which runs through your upper back, connects to your ribs. Injuries here are generally the most serious of all; they can result in permanent nerve damage. Generally, these types of injuries are caused by high-velocity impacts—just like you’d experience in a car crash.
• The lumbar spine refers to the five largest vertebrae in your back, as well as the strong muscles that provide stability to your entire spine. Injuries to the lumbar spine can be incredibly painful, and they can inhibit your mobility. Many people with lumbar spine injuries are unable to walk until they begin to heal.

What to Do after a Spinal Injury

Please seek continuing medical care if you’ve suffered a spinal injury. Because these types of injuries can cause a lifetime of pain, it’s important that you work with experts who can help you get better.

In most cases, it’s best to call a lawyer as you recover. An attorney will be able to determine who’s really to blame for the car accident, and he or she can fight to get you justice.

If you’re entitled to financial compensation, your lawyer will make sure to negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company; if the insurance company doesn’t want to be fair, your attorney can fight in court on your behalf.

Call Kuharski, Levitz & Giovinazzo when you’re ready at 718-448-1600.