 Spinal cord injuries often result from a sudden, traumatic blow to the spine that causes fractured or dislocated vertebrae, leading to permanent paralysis. These injuries often occur during car crashes, diving accidents, gunshot accidents, premises liability incidents, sports accidents, or other catastrophic events. Living with a spinal cord injury can be difficult because you are dealing not only with the medical injury itself, but also with the frustration of immobility, as well as the uncertainty of whether you will be able to regain any of your lost motor functions or sensation. If you or a loved one has suffered from a spinal cord injury, read the following information provided by a Virginia spinal cord injury lawyer.
What Is a Spinal Cord Injury?
A spinal cord injury is an injury that results in a fracture or dislocation of your vertebrae. The majority of spinal cord injuries do not completely sever your spinal cord – rather, they either tear or put pressure on the nerves that carry signals from your brain to the rest of your body. In a complete spinal cord injury, the cord cannot relay messages to any part of the body below the injury and, as a result, the victim is paralyzed below that point. In an incomplete spinal cord injury, you may have some movement and sensation below the point of injury.
Symptoms of Spinal Cord Injuries
The symptoms of your spinal cord injury depend on both the location of the injury and the severity of your injury. Higher spinal cord injuries cause more paralysis because the body is affected below the point of injury. Paralysis that affects the lower half of the body, including both legs, is known as paraplegia. Paralysis from the neck down, including both arms and both legs, is known as quadriplegia or tetraplegia. Whether you have suffered from a complete or incomplete spinal cord injury determines whether you have suffered an entire or partial loss of motor function in the affected areas.
Symptoms of a spinal cord injury may include the following:
- Loss of sensation
- Pain or an intense tingling sensation
- Loss of movement
- Inability to control bowel or bladder functions
- Difficulty breathing or coughing
- Uncontrollable spasm or increased reflex functions
If you have experienced any of the above symptoms, you should consult a medical professional about your condition. Additionally, if you begin to lose consciousness, experience numbness in your extremities (hands, feet, toes, and fingers), suffer from impaired breathing, or feel extreme pressure in your neck, head, or back, you should immediately seek the aid of a doctor.
Preventing Spinal Cord Injuries
Some spinal cord injuries are unavoidable. Taking certain safety precautions, however, can help you reduce your risk of suffering a spinal cord injury. These precautions include:
- Driving safely – vehicle accidents are one of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries
- Wearing seat belts when you are either a driver or a passenger in a motor vehicle
- Preventing falls by using non-slip mats, safety gates, grab bars, and stepladders
- Using the appropriate protective gear when engaging in sports
- Never diving headfirst into a shallow or unknown body of water
- Using caution when storing and using firearms
Following a Spinal Cord Injury
Maintaining your health following a catastrophic accident can be an expensive endeavor. You may be able to qualify for economic and medical assistance programs in your community. Additionally, if your accident was the result of someone else’s negligence, you may be able to recover medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering damages from the one who was negligent. If you would like to pursue an action against the person responsible for your injuries, it is important that you contact a Virginia, Maryland, or Washington DC spinal cord injury attorney to assist you. You should seek legal advice promptly because your right to obtain monetary relief may be lost if you wait too long. If you have any questions about the effects of a spinal cord injury, or any potential actions you may be able to take, the personal injury attorneys at Koonz, McKenney, Johnson, DePaolis & Lightfoot, L.L.P. are available to assist you during this difficult time. |
