Why Motorcycle Crashes Cause Severe Spinal Injuries
If you’re reading this after a motorcycle accident left you or a loved one with spinal damage, you need to know this: these injuries are as serious as they feel, they often result in permanent damage, and you deserve far more compensation than the insurance company will initially offer.
Understanding why motorcycle accidents cause such devastating spinal injuries helps you recognize what you’re truly entitled to and why you need an experienced attorney protecting your rights now, not later.
If you suffered an injury in a motorcycle accident, our Montana motorcycle accident lawyers will fight for you and for your future. Call Doubek, Pyfer & Storrar, PLLP at 406-442-7830 today.
Why Are Motorcycle Spinal Injuries So Catastrophic?
When a motorcycle crashes, your body keeps moving at full speed until something stops it. Usually, that’s the pavement, another car, or a pole, and your spine can’t handle that kind of force.
Your spine is made of 33 small bones stacked on top of each other with cushioning discs in between. It works fine for everyday life, but it breaks down under the violent forces of a crash. Motorcycle accidents compress, twist, and bend your spine in ways it was never meant to move.
Car drivers stay inside a metal cage during a crash. Motorcycle riders get thrown off their bikes. When you’re ejected, your body flips and tumbles, twisting your spine. Then you hit the ground and often slide or roll, hitting objects along the way. Each time you make contact with something, your spine takes more damage.
Why Motorcycles Offer No Spinal Protection
Cars surround occupants with crumple zones, reinforced pillars, and restraint systems that distribute crash forces to stronger parts of the body. Motorcycles have none of this. Your spine is completely exposed to impact forces.
Seat belts and airbags keep car occupants’ spines relatively aligned during crashes, limiting the range of motion that causes injury. Motorcycle riders have no such restraints. When you’re thrown from a bike, your spine can bend, twist, and compress in extreme ways. A helmet protects your head but does nothing for your neck and back.
The riding position on a motorcycle also matters. You’re sitting upright with your spine vertical, which makes it more vulnerable to compression injuries during frontal impacts or when you land after being thrown.
Common Types of Spinal Injuries From Motorcycle Crashes
Spinal injuries from motorcycle accidents fall into several categories, each with life-changing consequences:
- Compression fractures
- Burst fractures
- Flexion-distraction injuries
- Fracture-dislocations
- Herniated and bulging discs
Even partial spinal cord damage can cause permanent paralysis, loss of sensation, and loss of bodily functions below the injury site. Complete spinal cord injuries result in total loss of movement and feeling below the damaged area.
The Long-Term Reality of Spinal Injuries
Severe spinal injuries from motorcycle crashes don’t just heal and disappear. They create permanent changes that affect every aspect of your life. Spinal cord injuries can cause paraplegia or quadriplegia, meaning you’ll need a wheelchair and extensive modifications to your home. You’ll require ongoing medical care, physical therapy, and potentially 24-hour assistance with daily activities.
Even “less severe” spinal injuries like compression fractures or herniated discs can cause chronic pain that never fully resolves. You might need multiple surgeries over your lifetime. Many people with spinal injuries can’t return to their previous jobs, especially if that work involved physical labor. The financial impact includes lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and medical bills that easily reach into the millions for serious spinal cord damage.
The emotional and psychological toll runs deep. Losing your independence and physical abilities creates depression, anxiety, and fundamental changes to your identity and relationships. These non-economic damages are real and should be included in your compensation.
Contact Our Montana Personal Injury Lawyers Today
If you’ve suffered a spinal injury in a motorcycle crash, you need a law firm on your side from the start. These injuries are complex, and you deserve compensation that covers all your damages, not just what the insurance company initially offers. Your claim should include past and future medical expenses, lost income, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and any necessary medical equipment or home modifications.
Whatever you do, don’t accept a quick settlement before you understand the full extent of your injuries and how they’ll affect your future. Our Montana personal injury lawyers will discuss your case with you in a free consultation, so you can explore your legal options BEFORE you sign any settlement.
Spinal injuries often reveal their complete impact only after months of treatment and rehabilitation. Once you settle, you can’t go back for more money even if your condition worsens.
Call Doubek, Pyfer & Storrar, PLLP today at 406-442-7830 or fill out our confidential contact form to discuss your case and explore your legal options.
