Understanding Spinal Cord Injuries

When a person is in a car accident, he or she can suffer from a range of injuries. These include cuts and bruises, fractures and broken bones and in some serious cases, spinal cord injuries.

A spinal cord injury can cause the victim to experience significant pain both physically and emotionally, expensive medical bills and affect their long-term earnings if they cannot work.

Symptoms and Types of Injury

There are some immediate symptoms of a spinal cord injury. These include weakness, paralysis, extreme pain or pressure in the person’s back neck or numbness. A chest or lower back injury can affect the person’s legs and torso. A neck injury may affect those same areas as well as their arms and breathing ability.

A person’s ability to control their arms and legs may depend on where the injury occurred and how severe it is. A complete spinal cord injury happens when the victim loses all senses below the injury. It is called incomplete when he or she has some movement or senses below the affected area.

In addition to the immediate injury, the accident victim can suffer from additional damage over time that develops from bleeding, inflammation and a buildup of fluid around the spinal column.

Treatment and Filing a Claim

An accident victim’s physician may suggest physical therapy, equipment and rehabilitation services. While it is important for healing, the treatment can be very lengthy and expensive. Also, the victim may not be able to work while receiving treatment.

An experienced attorney can provide guidance and advice about filing a claim for compensation.