Spinal Cord Injury
One of the most life-changing and devastating injuries an accident victim can suffer is a spinal cord injury. These injuries can affect every aspect of life and compromise an accident victim’s entire future. In the blink of an eye, an individual could lose the ability to walk, sit, or even breath on their own.
Spinal cord injury victims often require extensive care and rehabilitation. Family members may have to put their own lives on hold while they become caregivers to accommodate their loved one’s new injury and impairment. Even when spinal cord injuries are not permanent, they can result in a lifetime of pain, suffering, and trauma.
It is estimated that nearly 18,000 people suffer from a spinal cord injury every year. Some of these accident victims suffer permanent paralysis. Understanding spinal cord injuries is the key to a better future, and obtaining the money you need to put your life back together again.
Signs and Symptoms of a Spinal Cord Injury
There are numerous signs and symptoms of a spinal cord injury. Injured victims who suffer an injury to the neck or cervical region of the spine may experience a loss of movement in their arms, trunk, and lower extremities. Injured victims who suffer an injury to the lumbar region of the spine or lower back may retain full movement in their arms, but lack movement or feeling in their legs.
Some of the most common signs of a spinal cord injury include:
- Loss of sensation
- Loss of movement
- Loss of bowel or bladder control
- Pain or stinging in nerves
- Difficulty breathing or coughing
- Weakness
- Difficulty with balance
- Numbness or tingling
Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
There are numerous causes of spinal cord injuries. However, some activities increase the risk of suffering a spinal cord injury. Some of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries include:
- Motor vehicle accidents. Nearly 50 percent of all spinal cord injuries are caused by motor vehicle accidents.
- Falls. Falling off of high places or children and elderly victims who fall can suffer serious injuries to their spinal cords. Falls account for 31 percent of all spinal cord injuries.
- Violence or assault. Thirteen percent of all spinal cord injuries are caused by acts of violence like gunshot wounds, assaults, and trauma.
- Sports and recreation. Ten percent of all spinal cord injuries are caused by sports and recreational activities. In particular, high-contact sports like football can increase the risk of suffering a serious spinal cord injury.
- Alcohol use. The use of alcohol can significantly increase your risk of suffering a spinal cord injury. Drunk and intoxicated people get into car accidents or fall from high places and suffer harm. In fact, 25 percent of all spinal cord injury accidents were caused by alcohol use.
Contact Our Providence Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Today
If you or someone you love has suffered a spinal cord injury after an accident, it is important to know where you can turn for help. At Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell, Ltd, our Providence spinal cord injury lawyers know that spinal cord injuries often require a lifetime of care. This will require extensive compensation for their medical expenses, rehabilitation, and long-term care. Call us today at (401) 273-8330 or fill out our confidential contact form for a free initial consultation and review of your case. We know the long and arduous fight spinal cord injury survivors face, and we are here to fight alongside you every step of the way. Call today.
