Spinal cord injuries are catastrophic injuries that are often associated with motor vehicle crashes. These injuries can be devastating to the victim because they often produce permanent effects. Paralysis is one of the more common symptoms that people think of when they hear of a spinal cord injury, but there are also other effects.
There are many factors that impact the outcome of this type of injury. The type of injury, the location of the damage and the availability of medical care are a few of those.
2 categories of injuries
Spinal cord injuries are categorized as either complete or incomplete, based on the nerve pathways at the site of the injury. If the nerves are fully severed, the injury is complete and the person doesn’t have any feeling or ability to move in the affected area of the body. If the nerves are still connected, the injury is incomplete and there may be some feeling and ability to move the impacted areas.
Location of the damage
The location of the damage to the spinal cord determines what areas of the body are affected. The effects are always found below the site of the damage, so an injury in the lower back won’t affect as much of the body as one that occurs in the neck.
Intensive medical care is often necessary after an injury to the spinal cord. This can be costly, but it can directly impact the outcome of the injury. People who suffered their injury because of someone’s negligence may opt to pursue a compensation claim. Time limits apply to these matters, so swift action is critical.