Fighting for Motor Vehicle Accident Victims in Bexar County, San Antonio & Beyond
Few injuries change lives as dramatically as spinal cord trauma. When the spinal cord suffers damage—whether from a violent car crash on I-10 near Leon Springs, a rollover on Loop 1604 in Stone Oak, or a fall in Alamo Heights—the results can be catastrophic. Victims often face not only the loss of movement or sensation but also the emotional and financial strain that follows.
Spinal cord injuries occur when fractured or compressed vertebrae disrupt the cord’s ability to transmit signals. Even without a complete severing of the spine, dislocated or displaced bones can destroy axons, the nerve fibers that carry messages between the brain and the rest of the body.
Doctors classify these injuries into two main categories:
- Complete Spinal Cord Injuries – A complete injury occurs when the spinal cord loses its ability to send signals below the point of trauma. Victims suffer a total loss of motor function and sensation beneath the injury site. For example, a high-impact collision on Loop 410 or a fall in Leon Springs can cause cervical damage that leaves a person paralyzed in all four limbs. These cases often result in permanent paralysis such as paraplegia or quadriplegia. Victims typically require lifelong care, specialized medical equipment, and extensive rehabilitation programs.
- Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries – Incomplete injuries allow some nerve pathways to remain intact. Victims may still feel sensation, retain partial movement, or regain limited function depending on where the injury occurred and how much of the cord was affected. For instance, a motorcycle crash near Stone Oak Parkway or a workplace accident in Balcones Heights may leave a victim with one side of the body weaker than the other. While outcomes vary, many patients face chronic pain, reduced mobility, and the need for long-term physical therapy.
Both types of injuries create enormous financial and emotional burdens. Medical bills, in-home nursing, adaptive technology, and home modifications add up quickly. That’s why families turn to experienced San Antonio spinal cord injury attorneys who can pursue compensation to cover these costs and help victims regain stability.
Recovery rarely ends at the hospital. Most patients in San Antonio, Leon Valley, Balcones Heights, Shavano Park, Castle Hills, and the greater Bexar County region require extensive rehabilitation, adaptive medical equipment, and home modifications to live independently. Families often struggle to shoulder these costs alone. That’s why strong legal advocacy is critical—an experienced San Antonio spinal cord injury lawyer can fight for the compensation needed to secure medical care, replace lost income, and restore dignity.
Bulging & Herniated Discs
Discs sit between the vertebrae and act like cushions, protecting the spine from impact and allowing flexibility. Each disc has a tough outer shell and a soft inner core. When trauma or wear-and-tear weakens these structures, serious disc injuries often result.
- Bulging Discs: The outer layer weakens, causing the disc to extend beyond its normal space. Victims may feel stiffness, reduced range of motion, and radiating pain.
- Herniated Discs: A tear in the outer cartilage allows the inner material to leak out, often pressing on nearby nerves. This pressure can trigger intense pain, numbness, and tingling.
Common Symptoms
Patients often notice early warning signs in their arms, legs, hands, or feet—such as sharp pain, weakness, or loss of grip strength. Over time, the pain usually worsens, spreading into the neck or lower back. Many victims in San Antonio, Texas, also report muscle spasms and difficulty standing for long periods.
Treatment Options
Doctors usually start with conservative treatments:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce pain and swelling.
- Epidural steroid injections to relieve inflammation near the affected nerve.
- Physical therapy to improve mobility and strengthen supportive muscles.
When these methods fail, surgical procedures like discectomy or spinal fusion may be necessary, especially after severe car accidents on Loop 410 or 18-wheeler crashes on I-35 near Live Oak.
Vertebrae Fractures
A fractured vertebra almost always signals significant trauma. Unless the victim already suffers from a bone-weakening condition such as osteoporosis, the amount of force required to break a vertebra is immense. These injuries commonly result from rollover accidents on I-35, rear-end collisions along Bandera Road, or falls from ladders and scaffolding at construction sites in Alamo Heights, Stone Oak, or Leon Valley.
Doctors classify vertebral fractures by their pattern and whether the spinal cord or nearby nerves sustain damage. While many fractures occur in the mid-to-lower back, some appear at the vulnerable thoracolumbar junction, where the thoracic and lumbar spine meet.
Common Types of Vertebral Fractures
- Compression Fractures – The front portion of the vertebra collapses, while the back remains intact. These are especially common in high-impact car crashes and falls.
- Axial Burst Fractures – The vertebra loses height in both the front and back, creating instability and significant risk of spinal cord compression.
- Flexion-Distraction Injuries – The vertebra literally pulls apart, often in high-speed San Antonio highway collisions or violent workplace accidents.
- Fracture-Dislocations – A severe fracture that also dislocates the vertebra, usually tearing surrounding ligaments. These injuries often accompany spinal cord trauma and can cause paralysis.
Why Early Care Is Critical
Prompt evaluation and treatment are essential to reduce long-term harm. Imaging such as CT scans and MRIs help physicians determine the severity and whether nerves are compromised. Depending on the injury, treatment may include:
- Immobilization with braces to stabilize the spine.
- Physical therapy to rebuild mobility and strength once the fracture heals.
- Surgical procedures to correct instability, decompress the spinal cord, or fuse damaged vertebrae.
For accident victims in San Antonio, Stone Oak, Balcones Heights, or Helotes, early coordinated medical and legal intervention often determines whether they recover compensation for medical bills, rehabilitation, and lost wages—or face a lifetime of financial strain.
San Antonio Lawyers for Serious Neck & Back Injuries
Not every life-changing injury involves direct trauma to the spinal cord. Neck and back injuries often cause equally severe pain and can disrupt nearly every part of daily life. According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, chronic neck and back conditions affect more Americans than heart disease, cancer, or diabetes combined. These injuries account for 42% of chronic pain cases and nearly one in four workers’ compensation claims nationwide.
How Neck & Back Injuries Happen in San Antonio
Sometimes the cause is simple—lifting, twisting, or bending at the wrong moment. Other times, trauma produces catastrophic harm:
- Car accidents on Loop 410 or US-281 that jolt the spine.
- 18-wheeler wrecks on I-10 near Leon Springs where sudden impact crushes vertebrae.
- Slip-and-fall incidents in Leon Valley or Balcones Heights where a misstep leads to herniated discs or fractures.
- Workplace accidents across San Antonio and Bexar County, especially in construction and warehouse jobs that demand heavy lifting.
Even when the initial pain eases, lingering spinal damage can turn into chronic back pain, leaving victims with limited mobility, constant discomfort, and an inability to work.
Why Legal Help Matters
Whether you are coping with catastrophic spinal cord damage or a serious neck or back injury, you need more than medical treatment. You need strong legal advocacy to ensure insurance companies and negligent parties pay for the long-term care, rehabilitation, and financial support you deserve.
At Ried Pecina Trial Lawyers, we represent clients throughout San Antonio, Leon Valley, Leon Springs, Stone Oak, Alamo Heights, Helotes, Shavano Park, Castle Hills, Converse, Universal City, Live Oak, and all of Bexar County.
We fight for compensation that covers:
- Hospital bills and specialist care
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy
- Lost wages and diminished earning ability
- Adaptive equipment and home modifications
- Pain, suffering, and reduced quality of life
Consulta en Español
Abogados de lesiones personales en San Antonio. Nuestro equipo de Ried Pecina Trial Lawyers atiende a clientes hispanos en San Antonio, Leon Valley, Leon Springs, Alamo Heights, Stone Oak, Balcones Heights y todo el Condado de Bexar. Sabemos que una lesión de cuello, espalda o médula espinal puede cambiar la vida entera de una familia.
Ofrecemos atención legal en su idioma, explicamos cada paso del proceso, y luchamos para obtener la compensación que usted merece por gastos médicos, pérdida de ingresos, dolor y sufrimiento. Si usted o un ser querido sufrió un accidente de carro, camión o trabajo, nuestros abogados están listos para defender sus derechos.
Llámenos hoy al (210) 893-0000 para una consulta gratuita y confidencial en español.
