Most Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injury in Kansas City

Car accidents, falls, and workplace incidents are the most common causes of spinal cord injuries in Kansas City and throughout Missouri and Kansas. Motor vehicle crashes and falls account for many spinal cord injury claims. Still, the negligence of others, such as employers, property owners, trucking companies, or other third parties, can also result in spinal cord injury accidents.

Car Accidents Cause Many Spinal Cord Injuries

Car accidents are one of the leading causes of spinal cord trauma nationwide. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, motor vehicle crashes account for approximately 37.5% of new spinal cord injuries in the United States.

Missouri and Kansas continue to report thousands of serious crashes every year. Common causes include:

• Distracted driving, including looking at phones or GPS systems instead of the road
• Drunk driving, which can often lead to more severe collisions and trauma
• Truck driver error, which can lead to catastrophic spinal injuries due to the size of commercial vehicles
• Dangerous roads due to poor maintenance or missing signage

Who can be liable depends on the situation. Potentially responsible parties may include another driver, a trucking company, a vehicle manufacturer, or even a government agency responsible for unsafe road conditions.

Falls Are a Leading Cause of Spinal Cord Injuries

Falls are especially common among older adults and construction workers. In Kansas City, fall injuries often happen in:

• Apartment complexes due to broken stairs or icy walkways
• Retail stores because of wet floors and unmarked hazards
• Construction sites due to missing fall protection equipment
• Nursing homes because of inadequate supervision or unsafe conditions

Property owners may be liable if they fail to fix or warn about dangerous conditions.

Workplace Accidents Are a Common Cause of Spinal Cord Injuries in Kansas City

Construction sites, warehouses, and manufacturing facilities present serious spinal injury risks. Common causes of workplace spinal cord injuries include:

• Falls from heights due to unsecured scaffolding, ladders, or elevated platforms
• Falling objects because of unsecured materials or equipment dropped from above
• Machinery accidents due to contact with industrial equipment or moving parts
• Vehicle incidents involving forklifts, cranes, and other heavy equipment

Complete vs. Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries

Not all spinal cord injuries result in total paralysis. A complete injury means all motor and sensory function below the injury site is lost. An incomplete injury means some function remains, depending on how much the cord was damaged.

The location and severity of the injury directly affect long-term care needs, rehabilitation timelines, and the value of a legal claim.

How Do Kansas City Spinal Cord Injury Claims Work?

Where a victim files their Kansas City spinal cord injury claim will generally hinge on where the accident happened, but that is not always the case. When third parties are involved, such as businesses, equipment manufacturers, or others located outside the state where the accident occurred, the case may be filed elsewhere.

Several factors can vary depending on where the claim is filed:

• Filing deadlines and statutes of limitations
• Liability rules and how fault is determined
• Available damages and compensation types
• Applicable courthouse procedures

Kansas and Missouri laws are not identical, so having counsel familiar with both processes matters.

Serious injury cases in Missouri are commonly filed through the Jackson County Circuit Court. Kansas claims may be filed in the district courts of Johnson County or Wyandotte County.

Medical treatment records are also a major part of these claims. Many catastrophic injury victims in the Kansas City area receive care through University Health or The University of Kansas Health System. We are used to working with these medical facilities to obtain necessary documentation in spinal cord injury cases.

Speak With a Kansas City Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

Spinal cord injury claims often involve significant medical expenses, long-term rehabilitation, and disputes over who can be liable. Investigating the cause of the injury early can make a major difference in protecting a claim.

Our personal injury attorneys at Wendt Law Firm offer free consultations for spinal cord injury victims in Missouri and Kansas. If you or a loved one suffered a spinal cord injury in the Kansas City area, call (816) 531-4415 or connect with our team online.