Northern California Pedestrian Spinal Injury Lawyers
Northern California Pedestrian Spinal Cord Injury Accidents
A pedestrian, by definition, is a person who travels on foot. A person who is traveling on foot does not have the exterior protection of a car or truck to help prevent serious injury in the case of a traffic collision, which is why pedestrian accidents in Northern California are so dangerous. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 59,000 U.S. pedestrians were injured in 2009 traffic accidents; an average of one pedestrian every nine minutes.
There is a wide range of possible injuries a pedestrian accident victim can suffer, oftentimes correlating with the speed and force of the impact. Although there are instances of less serious injuries, such as cuts and bruises, the risk of a pedestrian being seriously injured in a Northern California car accident is very high. One of the most damaging and life-altering of these is a spinal cord injury.
Spinal Cord Injury
The spinal cord is a collection of nerve tissue extending from the base of the brain through the spinal canal of the spinal column to the waist. The spinal cord is an integral part of the central nervous system as it carries nerve impulses to and from the brain to the other parts of the body. Although protected by surrounding bones, the vertebrae of the spinal column, an injury may still occur, and may severely affect normal bodily function.
A spinal cord injury is usually the result of a sudden, traumatic hit to the spine that fractures or dislocates the vertebrae and/or discs of the spinal column. These broken or dislocated pieces of bone can bruise or tear into the spinal cord tissue, destroying the axons, or extensions of nerve cells, and thus damaging the signaling system between the brain and the body; without the function of that system, a person will lose the ability to control certain bodily movements and/or functions. The severity of this loss is determined by what type of spinal cord injury is suffered.
Spinal Cord Injury Classification
Spinal cord injuries are identified as either "complete" or "incomplete."
- An incomplete injury means that the spinal cord's ability to convey messages to and from the brain is not completely destroyed. A person with an incomplete spinal cord injury will still maintain some level of sensory and motor function below the level of injury.
- A complete spinal cord injury results in the total loss of sensory and motor function beneath the level of injury.
The Ramifications of a Spinal Cord Injury
The victims of pedestrian spinal cord injury accidents, and their families, have a long, complicated, expensive and emotionally burdensome process ahead of them. Immediate emergency care, and aggressive treatment and rehabilitation can minimize nervous system damage and even restore limited abilities. However, there will be permanent consequences, especially if the victim can no longer work and needs constant medical care.
The Benefit of Hiring a Northern California Pedestrian Accident Attorney
If you or someone you love has a spinal cord injury as the result of a driver's negligence in a pedestrian accident, that driver can be held responsible for your immediate and future medical costs as well as any emotional suffering. With the help of the compassionate Northern California spinal cord injury accident attorneys at Estey Bomberger, you and your family can financially and emotionally survive such a difficult time. We will work with you through the claims process and give you honest, knowledgeable, and professional legal guidance. Please call us anytime for a free telephone consultation at (800) 890-6722.