What to Understand About Spinal Cord Injuries from Motorcycle Accidents

If you ride a motorcycle, you can wear a helmet to protect against traumatic brain injuries, and you can wear leathers or other protective gear to guard against road burns. But there is virtually nothing you can do to protect yourself from spinal cord injuries. These devastating injuries remain a terrible threat that accompanies every ride.

There are some facts that are vital to understand if you or a loved one has suffered spinal cord injuries in a motorcycle accident. Knowing that these injuries are always a possibility, it can be helpful to read up to be prepared just in case.

At DeKeyzer Law, we know firsthand the way that spinal cord injuries can disrupt and destroy lives, and it’s truly a tragedy that we hope very few people ever have to experience.

Why Motorcycle Accidents So Frequently Lead to Spinal Cord Damage

The first part is obvious. A motorcyclist is at a greater risk of spinal cord injuries than those in other vehicles on the road because those vehicles are enclosed, and a bike is not. There is no steel cage to absorb the kinetic energy released by the impact. Any time a rider collides with another vehicle or hits a stationary object like a phone pole, the rider’s body takes the full brunt of the impact. But that’s not all.

During a collision, the rider’s momentum usually throws their body forward, ejecting them from the bike. This causes a two-stage impact. The rider first strikes another vehicle or object, then hits the ground at high speed. To make matters even worse, riders are often pinned between the bike or another vehicle and the ground. This often crushes or severely compresses vertebrae. 

A study reported by the National Institutes of Health revealed that motorcycle accidents were far more likely to cause injuries to the spinal cord in the thoracic region (in the middle of the back) than car crashes or bicycle accidents. The study also showed that these injuries were more likely to be “complete” than injuries caused by car and bicycle accidents. What does that mean? We’re about to explain.

Complete vs. Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries

The spinal cord is a conduit that carries information from the body’s nerves to the brain, where it can be processed. It also relays instructions from the brain to the body’s parts to control movement. Some movements are reactive, such as when you touch a hot surface and immediately pull away to avoid getting burned. Other movements are a deliberate choice, such as reaching out to pick up a glass of water.

Damage to the spinal cord interferes with these signals. An “incomplete” injury to the spinal cord is one where the damage does not completely sever all the nerves and break all the connections. Information can still pass from below the site of the injury back and forth to the brain. Someone experiencing an incomplete spinal cord injury can usually feel some sensations or control some parts of the body below the injury. Incomplete injuries can heal.

When a spinal cord injury is complete, on the other hand, all connections are broken due to severing or complete compression of the spinal nerves. There is no sensation or control below the place of injury. Someone suffering a complete injury to the thoracic spine is paraplegic. Medical science cannot repair this type of damage, and it is unlikely to heal on its own.

How the Body is Affected by a Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury

When a motorcyclist suffers a complete spinal cord injury in the thoracic spine, the impact is life-changing and usually permanent. If the damage occurs to the lower thoracic spine (in the T-9-T-12 region), then the accident victim usually has no control over or sensation in their legs, feet, butt, and lower abdomen. They are likely to have lost bowel and bladder control as well as sexual ability.

If the damage occurs higher on the spine, the impact is even more profound. Injuries in the T-1-T5 region affect the chest muscles, mid-back, and abdominal muscles, as well as all the parts affected by a lower injury. The intercostal muscles can also be affected, making breathing difficult without mechanical assistance. These injuries can also interfere with coordination between the heart and lungs.

It is Essential to Be Prepared

The drastic physical changes caused by a spinal cord injury require motorcycle accident victims and their families to be prepared mentally, emotionally, and financially. Losing the use of so much of the body with little hope of improvement takes a tremendous emotional toll. The accident victim faces a sudden loss of independence and the end of long-held hopes and dreams.

Spinal cord injuries generally lead to a loss of mobility and function, which are devastating on their own. But the secondary effects, such as respiratory issues, add a further layer of difficulty.

The accident victim is often unable to work afterward, or a return to work may require a complete career change with extensive training and substantial accommodations. Medical expenses for surgery, treatment, monitoring, and equipment are extensive and ongoing. It is often necessary to hire a caregiver, purchase special vehicles, and make extensive adaptations to the home. The cost of these measures—which are necessary just to regain some glimmer of functionality—is enormous.

When a motorcycle accident was caused by factors outside the control of the rider, such as the actions of a distracted driver or debris dropped on the road by a malfunctioning truck, then a personal injury lawyer can work to recover compensation to cover the added expenses and provide a sense of justice and closure so that the victim and the family can start to move forward after the injury.

DeKeyzer Law Knows How to Fight for Maximum Compensation for Motorcycle Accident Victims

It is heartbreaking to see the change in someone’s life caused by a spinal cord injury. At DeKeyzer Law, we don’t have a way to erase the damage or repair the injuries. But we can and do work hard to recover resources to help rebuild the life of the victim and their family.

If you or a loved one suffered spinal cord injuries in a motorcycle accident or any incident that could have been avoided if someone had merely behaved with appropriate responsibility, then we may be able to help you receive compensation for your future. Call us at 713-904-4004 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation to learn more.