How Spinal Cord Injuries Can Affect You

When you live through a spinal cord injury you learn that there are many things you used to take for granted that have become either painful or no longer possible after. The things we do each day, such as rolling out of bed, kissing a family member, or driving to work, could be distant memories if a catastrophic accident takes those functions away in a split second.

Spinal cord injuries most commonly occur in motor vehicle accidents but can also result from falls and other jarring injuries to the back and neck. The bundle of nerves that runs down the middle of the body’s spinal column is responsible for many vital bodily functions, so the effects of a spinal cord injury can be devastating.

Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

Your body’s spinal cord runs down four spinal regions that are secured by 31 vertebrae. Those four regions are the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral spine. Spinal cord injuries are divided into two types:

• Incomplete spinal cord injuries. An injury partially severs the spinal cord, which allows the retention of some functions, which will vary depending on the degree of injury.
• Complete spinal cord injuries. An injury completely severs the spinal cord, which eliminates all function. Some function may be regained in time with treatment and physical therapy.

More than 60% of all spinal cord injuries are considered incomplete, and the paralysis or treatment will vary depending on the type and degree of injury. The most common types of complete spinal cord injuries are:

• Tetraplegia. These injuries are the result of the complete severing of nerves in the cervical spinal cord, which causes paralysis to all four limbs. Also sometimes referred to as quadriplegia, when the damage is higher up on the cervical spine, it is the most severe.
• Paraplegia. These injuries occur when the nerves are severed lower in the spinal column, resulting in the loss of movement and sensation in the body’s lower half, including the legs.

How a Spinal Cord Injury Can Affect You

In addition to the loss of motor function and movement, there are ways that a spinal cord injury can affect your body and mind as well as your future. Some other physical symptoms of a spinal cord injury include:

• Headaches
• Breathing difficulty, sometimes with a need to be on a respirator
• Loss of bowel and bladder function
• Chronic pain
• Frequent infections
• Loss of libido and sexual function
• Pneumonia (common with cervical spinal cord injuries)
• Bedsores
• Change in mood or personality

Spinal cord injuries can require extensive medical care, therapy, and lifestyle changes. Roughly 30% of people who suffer from a spinal cord injury are re-hospitalized one or more times following the injury, and respiratory failure is the most common cause of death following one of these injuries. Because the effects are so far-reaching, it is difficult to accurately estimate damages without the help of a highly-experienced spinal cord injury attorney.

Damages in a Spinal Cord Injury Case

Spinal cord injuries vary, but some can be so severe that they require lifetime medical care, including around the clock personal care. In these cases, damages would include medical costs, lost earning capacity, lifetime care costs, and pain and suffering. Statistics show that lifetime medical care costs for a 25-year-old who loses any type of motor function is over $1.5 million and a high Tetraplegia of the same age is over $4.7 million. However, every case is unique, and proving damages in a spinal cord injury case is just as challenging as proving liability for an accident. This is just one of the reasons why having skilled legal counsel in your corner is essential.

Speak with an Experienced Alabama Spinal Cord Injury Attorney

If you or someone you love has suffered from a spinal cord injury that was caused by the careless behavior or negligence of another party, you have the right to make a claim for your losses. After you seek immediate medical attention, contact an experienced Alabama spinal cord injury attorney to discuss your options.

Chip Nix, Attorney at Law, has the compassion and skill necessary to help you and your family through this tough time. Our legal team will investigate your case, explain your legal rights, and guide you through the process as we fight for the full and fair compensation you need and deserve. Contact us now at 334-203-6669 or online to schedule a free consultation.