Spinal Cord Injuries: How Serious & How To Seek Legal Help

Damage to your spine is among one of the most serious injuries you can suffer. They can be life-threatening and will certainly affect your day-to-day life and career.

If the accident isn’t your fault, then taking a legal route with a lawyer specialising in the industry is a must in order to seek compensation. It’s believed that as many as 400,000 people in the USA have spinal injuries and a large percentage of them are down to vehicle accidents, acts of violence and slips and falls. 

Negligence is often a major factor, and the type of injury can lead to varying amounts of compensation. Firms like Newsome Melton are specialists in the industry and estimate that a partially paralyzed person could endure over $100,000 in costs in the first year of their injury. So it makes sense to try and get those expenses covered.

An attorney can help with this, but before doing so you should be fully aware of the extent of any injury.

When it comes to spinal injuries there are a number of different levels, all of which have varying degrees of paralysis and severity.

C1-C4 are among the most severe forms of injury, and will lead to paralysis in arms, hands, trunk and legs and likely mean that the patient can’t control their breathing and bowel movements.

That means round-the-clock care, which of course is not only life-changing in terms of injury, but also the cost required to be cared for effectively.

C5-C8 are still serious injuries but the ability to breathe and communicate without assistance is still possible. Physical movements are possible but limited and assistance and care around the clock is still required.

Thoracic nerve injuries also have a large impact on the lives of the patient, with T1-T5 injuries affecting muscles in the back, chest and abdominal region. In these instances it's often the case that a manual wheelchair is required to get around, while walking is still possible with a frame or braces.

You’ll also find lumbar nerve injuries which can result in the loss of function in legs and hips, while sacral nerve damage (S1-S5) can also do the same, although it is likely patients would be able to walk again.

Recovery periods can vary, in some cases injuries are permanent, while others can see people walk again unaided through rehabilitation sessions and muscle therapy.

Spinal injuries can be among the most stressful and upsetting injuries endured and even the smallest of help can make a big difference. Taking the right steps not only in recovery, but financially should be taken immediately to make that period as comfortable as possible.  

There are avenues for people, as well as charities who can help patients with recovery and offer support to families during what’s an incredibly tough period. 

You never know when lightning could strike, but by understanding the facts and that compensation could help ease the stress of recovery of spinal injuries, you can find the best care on concentrate on only one thing - getting better.