Living with a spinal cord injury can be extremely difficult and require adaptation. Injury victims and their families may also experience a range of emotions like anger, sadness, and grief for the injured victim’s lost abilities. Our Colorado Springs Spinal Cord Injury Attorney has the experience and expertise that’s needed to win this type of case.
Get Legal Help From An Experienced Colorado Springs Spinal Cord Injury Attorney After A Spinal Cord Injury Caused by Negligence
Spinal injuries are devastating. They often leave injury victims with life-changing consequences such as permanent disability. Many people are unable to walk, feel, or even breathe on their own after a spinal cord injury.
If you or a loved one was injured by another person’s negligent act and sustained a spinal cord injury, speak without Colorado Springs Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys today. We want to help you seek justice for all the pain and suffering you’ve had to endure.
What Is a Spinal Cord Injury?
The spinal cord is a delicate bundle of tissues and nerves inside of the spine and is responsible for all communications between the body and the brain. Such messages enable us to perceive pain, make movements, and experience all sensations.
Any injury to the spinal cord can compromise the effective communication between the brain and the body. Thus, spinal cord injuries (SCIs) often result in loss of mobility and sensory functions or disability. Such limitations can keep someone from being able to work, or carry out daily tasks. Injury to the spinal cord can occur from damage to the spinal cord itself of the surrounding tissues and bones.
A spinal cord injury is life-changing. That’s why you need an attorney who is specifically experienced and specializes in helping victims with SCIs.
What Are The Different Types of Spinal Cord Injury?
There are four main types of spinal cord injury: sacral, lumar, thoracic and cervical; the type of injury depends on the location of injury. The spinal cord sits inside and is protected by the backbones called vertebrae, which make up the spinal column. Generally speaking, the higher up on the spinal column the injury occurs, the more severe the outcome will be. So, a spiel cord injury near the head may cause more damage and debilitation than a spinal cord injury in the lower back.
Cervical Spinal Cord Injury
The vertebrae of the neck are called the cervical vertebra (C1-C7). Cervical spinal cord injuries often cause a loss of function in the arms and legs, resulting in tetraplegia or quadriplegia and spinal cord paralysis.
Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury
The twelve chest vertebrae are called the thoracic vertebra (T1-T12) and causes paraplegia.. T1 attaches to the top rib and usually affects the chest and the legs.
Lumbar Spinal Cord Injury and Sacral Spinal Cord Injury
Finally, Lumbar vertebra (L1-L5) are located in the lower back between the thoracic vertebra and the hip bone. Directly under that are the sacral vertebrae (S1-S5), which run from the pelvis to the end of the spinal column. Lumbar spinal cord injuries and sacral spinal cord injuries both result in lost function in the hips or legs.
Your Colorado Springs Spinal Cord Injury Attorney can help you obtain all of your medical records and documentation for your case. Having as much evidence as possible to show the nature and extent of your injuries is crucial to having a successful claim outcome.
Complete Vs. Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can be complete or incomplete. Complete spinal cord injuries are those where the injury victim has no function or sensation below the level of injury. On the other hand, incomplete injuries mean the injury victim still has some function below the primary injury level.
The general rule of thumb is that you are entitled to higher compensation for more severe or debilitating injuries. However, your Colorado Springs Spinal Cord Injury Attorney can assess your case details and your medical records to help you determine a fair claim value. No matter what, as a spinal cord injury victim who was injured by someone else’s negligence, you deserve to pursue the maximum financial recovery possible.
What Types of Accidents Cause Spinal Cord Injuries?
There are many different types of accidents that can result in spinal cord injuries. According to The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, common causes include:
- Vehicle accidents (which account for 38.29% of all spinal cord injury cases)
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Falls
- Violence
- Sports related injuries
No matter how you were injured, the damage probably had a huge impact on you and your family’s lives. For some, it could mean they can never walk again and have to use a wheelchair for the rest of their lives. For others, it may affect their independence because they cannot transport themselves. The medical expenses for treating a spinal cord injury are substantial, so you’ll also face piling, perhaps overwhelming medical bills.
This is why it’s vital to speak with a Colorado Springs Spinal Cord Injury Attorney. They can fight on your behalf to ensure you get the compensation you need and deserve.
Signs and Symptoms of Spinal Cord Injury
Symptoms of spinal cord injury can vary. It will depend on the location and severity of the spinal cord injury. Keep these spinal cord injury symptoms in mind after an accident. Sometimes, you may not realize that you are experiencing symptoms of a spinal cord injury right away. Symptoms include:
- Intense pain in the spinal cord, often caused by damage to the nerves
- Altered sensation and touch
- Changes in your ability to feel temperatures
- Inability to control your bladder and bowel movements
- Reduced or lost mobility
- Difficulty breathing
- Changes in sexual functioning
If you experience any of these symptoms after a catastrophic accident, it’s possible you have a spinal cord injury. Therefore, you need to seek medical attention ASAP. Even if the symptoms are mild, your injury could worsen without treatment.
With spinal cord injuries, time is of the essence. After you get the appropriate medical assessment and care, contact a Colorado Springs Spinal Cord Injury Attorney. They will help you navigate the legal process and devise the best course of action for your unique case.
How Do You Treat a Spinal Cord Injury?
There is no current medical treatment or technology that can reverse a spinal cord injury. Although there is ongoing research, the current treatment for spinal cord injury focuses primarily on preventing further injury and helping the injured person rehabilitate. People with spinal cord injuries may also require prosthetics, assistive devices, and ongoing medication therapy.
This is why emergency medical attention is crucial at the time of injury, to minimize potential effects of a spinal cord injury. If anyone has a head or neck injury after an accident, be sure to call an ambulance or get the injured person to an emergency room with urgency.
Treatment could involve immobilizing the spine or helping the patient maintain the ability to breathe independently. Medical intervention for spinal cord injuries may also aim to promote nerve cell regeneration and improve the function of the nerves. Sadly, people with spinal cord injuries are two to five more times likely to die prematurely than those without.
Contact a Colorado Springs Spinal Cord Injury Attorney Today
Spinal cord injuries often lead to paralysis and leave injury victims with life-long consequences. It can impact every aspect of their lives and also affect their loved ones. Being unable to carry out what used to be routine, daily tasks alone can greatly affect one’s quality of life.
If you or your loved one sustained a spinal cord injury in an accident due to someone else’s negligence, call our Colorado Springs Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys.
Your first case evaluation is free, so call us now to see how we can help you.
