Spinal cord injuries are often devastating as they take a large physical, emotional, and financial toll on those who’ve suffered them. Part of the suffering involved with a spinal cord injury may include being left with partial or full paralysis. Injuries to the spinal column may leave the victim with a lifelong disability, which means that life as they previously knew it has been forever changed.
When asked which part of the spine is most likely to be injured, doctors and surgeons will have differing opinions, but many agree that the part of the spine in the neck area is most likely to be severely injured in an accident. According to Dr. Luke Macyszyn of UCLA Health, “From a mechanical standpoint, the part of the spine in the neck is most susceptible to injury. The thoracic spine is supported by the ribcage and has much bigger and stronger bones encasing the spinal cord. However, the thoracic spinal cord is more susceptible to vascular injury (stroke) due to its relatively poor blood supply.”
It’s safe to say that regardless of where your spine is injured, you may be in for a very difficult and long healing process. If your spine injury was due to someone’s negligence or reckless behavior, an experienced, knowledgeable personal injury attorney can fight for you and help you receive the compensation you need and deserve.
Spinal Cord Injury Defined
A spinal cord injury is any damage to the spinal cord, which is the bundle of nerves housed within the spinal column. The spinal cord’s role is to carry messages from the brain to the body; injury to the spinal cord may result in full or partial loss of motor control and sensation. As mentioned earlier, spinal cord injuries may leave people paralyzed in the lower parts of the body (paraplegic) or in all four extremities (quadriplegic).
The spinal cord is responsible for breathing, body temperature, bladder, and sexual function, so accident victims may suffer a variety of permanent and serious health problems when the spine is affected. Along with the physical challenges of a spinal cord injury often come emotional and psychological problems because those who have suffered the spinal cord injury have so much difficulty with what has happened to them. The financial toll of a spinal cord is usually massive, also.
There are five types of spinal cord injuries: compression, contusion, laceration, Central Cord Syndrome, and a complete severing of the spinal cord.
Spinal cord injuries often result from:
- Slips, trips, falls
- Car crashes
- Surgical errors
- Defective products
- Violence/assault
- Sports accidents
Some of the costs associated with spinal cord injuries are:
- Medical bills including diagnostic testing, surgery, rehabilitation, assistive devices, physical therapy, hospitalization, personal care assistance, and medications
- Lost wages (both future and present)
- Transportation
If you or someone you love has suffered a spinal cord injury in or around Las Vegas, Nevada, please contact Adam Smith Law at 702-929-2289 or email us to schedule a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.
Adam Smith Law