Motor vehicle crashes and some other types of accidents can lead to significant damage to the spinal cord. These are some of the most serious and life-threatening injuries that victims can suffer. This is because damage to the spinal cord can affect every other area of the body.
Many spinal cord injuries have devastating effects. These can include loss of muscle control, sensation and function in affected parts of the body. Understanding a little bit about these injuries may be beneficial.
Affected areas of the body
The areas of the body that are affected are always below the location of the damage. Because of this, injuries to the upper spine can cause effects to larger areas of the body than injuries to the lower spine. Some people think that these injuries only affect the limbs, but they can also affect the internal organs.
Complete versus incomplete
Spinal cord injuries are divided into two categories, depending on the type of nerve damage that’s present. If there are nerves that are still connected, the injury is incomplete. If the nerves are fully severed, the injury is complete. Because the nerves play such an important role in spinal cord function, incomplete injuries may have a better recovery than complete injuries.
Spinal cord injuries can be costly to treat, especially if they lead to lifelong effects. Victims of these injuries may decide that they need to seek compensation, which has to be done in a specific time. It might be best to work with someone familiar with these matters so they can assist with getting everything ready for the legal case.