Sustaining Spinal Cord Injuries in a Car Accident
If somebody is involved in a severe car accident, there are major injuries that he or she might sustain. Some of the most common injuries that are seen in a motor vehicle collision include bone fractures, organ damage, lacerations, and even traumatic brain injuries. In some cases, these injuries can have permanent complications. This is the case for individuals who suffer a spinal cord injury. Every year, thousands of people experience an injury to their spine, and many of them have to live with lifelong consequences. Some of the statistics related to spinal cord injuries that have been recently published by the University of Alabama at Birmingham include:
- About 17,000 people every year sustain a serious spinal cord injury.
- As of 2016, close to 300,000 people are living in the United States with a spinal cord injury.
- The average age at which people suffer a spinal cord injury is around 40 years old.
Spinal cord injuries can impact anyone, and they should always be taken seriously. In many cases, people suffer an injury of the spine in a traumatic accident.
Mechanisms of Spinal Cord Injuries
The spinal cord is one of the most important parts of the body. By connecting the brain to the rest of the limbs, organs, and tissues, the spine provides nerves through which the body can send and receive signals. Unfortunately, the spine is also prone to serious damage. Some of the common mechanisms include:
- Rollover car accidents
- Situations where an individual is ejected from a motor vehicle
- Motorcycle accidents
- Slip and fall injuries where people strike their head or neck on the ground
- Contact sports, including football, soccer, and lacrosse
- Blunt or penetrating injuries of the spine
- Falls from a great height
There are numerous complications that someone could suffer from a spinal cord injury. Some of these can lead to permanent complications. One example is called anterior cord syndrome.
Serious Complications: Anterior Cord Syndrome
Anterior Cord Syndrome is a severe spinal cord injury that can occur in traumatic accidents. This results from the disruption of the anterior spinal artery, which supplies blood to the front portion of the spinal cord. Some of the symptoms of this serious complication include:
- The loss of motor function at and below the level of the disruption.
- The loss of pain and temperature sensation at and below the level of the disruption.
- Pressure and vibratory sensation are preserved.
Some individuals could also have a loss of bowel and bladder function. This type of spinal cord damage requires a comprehensive treatment approach to try and preserve what is left of the spinal cord.
Treatment of a Spinal Cord Injury
When someone suffers from an injury of the spinal cord, there could be lifelong consequences depending on the severity of the injury and the location of the lesion. The treatment of a spinal cord injury is multi-disciplined and requires a large team. Some of the treatment tenets include:
- Ensuring that the individual is enrolled in physical and occupational therapy to try and recover lost function and prevent further damage.
- Meeting with a medical specialist regularly to treat the complications that could arise, such as pressure ulcers.
- Handling chronic pain as quickly as possible.
- Ensuring that not only the individual but also the family has the social support that is necessary.
In addition to medical care, it is also helpful for families to meet with an experienced injury attorney.
Watch YouTube Video: Spinal Cord Injury: Reasons. This animated video explains some of the most common reasons for a spinal cord injury.
Contacting a Personal Injury Attorney
If an individual suffers an injury of the spine, there could be complications that last for the rest of his or her life. Some of these include paralysis, ulcers, and even chronic pain. Under these circumstances, it is understandable for families to ask for help. A car accident injury lawyer can provide assistance by:
- Recreating the mechanism of the accident to ensure that nothing has been missed or overlooked.
- Helping families pursue damages related to the injuries that they sustained in the accident.
- Assisting families in making tough or confusing decisions about the legal process.
- Moving the case to trial if this is needed.
Do not hesitate to ask for help during a difficult situation. A trained car accident injury lawyer in Sacramento can help. You and your family could be deserving of a financial reward.
Sacramento Auto Accident Attorneys
I’m Ed Smith, an auto accident attorney in Sacramento. Anterior Cord Syndrome is a severe complication that stems from a serious injury or illness that impacts the spine. If you or a family member has developed severe complications after a motor vehicle accident, contact me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly legal advice.
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Anterior Cord Syndrome Following an Auto Accident: Autoaccident.com
Image Attribution: The photo at the start of this article is seen in its original form on Pixabay. The image has been reproduced here with permission/Anterior Cord Syndrome Following an Auto Accident.
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