Trauma from a Washington motorcycle accident can disrupt the fragile neurological system that controls your bodily activities. Any accident that injures your neck, back or spine can change your life in an instant and result in the need for life-long medical care and assistance.
Neck and Back Injuries
Many motorcycle accident victims who are in their fifties or older initially complain of neck or lower back pain. Only after being referred to a specialist, such as an orthopedic surgeon or neurologist is it determined that they have a serious spinal cord injury, disc herniation or disc bulge. This is because it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between a soft-tissue neck or back injury, which causes muscle spasms and pain to the neck, mid-back or low back, and a more serious spinal cord injury.
Pain symptoms from a cervical, thoracic or lumbar disc injury may include:
- Pain which is constant but can vary depending on activity, radiating down the extremities, feeling like hot water.
- Numbness or tingling to the hands, feet, fingers or toes.
Normally the victim feels a radiating pain into an arm or leg predominately on one side of the body, but it can also be both side of the body. Id you feel this kind of radiating pain you should seek the help of a doctor immediately.
Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis
Spinal cord injury suffered in a Washington motorcycle accident can lead to different degrees of permanent paralysis. The degree of paralysis often depends on the region of the spine that is injured:
- Quadriplegia: If the spinal cord is damaged in the area of the neck, all four limbs will be paralyzed.
- Paraplegia: If the spinal cord is damaged below the area of the neck, both legs and the abdomen will be paralyzed to some degree.
Anyone who suffers paralysis from a spinal cord injury will need significant life long medical care and assistance. This can put a huge strain and burden on the family of a rider seriously and permanently injured in Washington motorcycle accident.
If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury in Washington motorcycle accident, it's important to contact an experienced Washington motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as possible. When very serious injuries are involved it's important to make sure a prompt and complete accident investigation is completed. At Scott McDonald And Associates, attorney Max Meyers can help you make the fullest possible physical and financial recovery. From our offices in Kirkland, Washington, we represent motorcycle accident victims throughout Washington state.