The Essentials of Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) can cause devastating consequences. It often cost lives or entail expensive life-long treatments.

When the spinal cord is injured, the most common effect is the loss of sensation or movement below the level of injury. The body can no longer make intricate responses to sensations as well as an awareness of the outer and inner environments.

SCI is different from other body injuries. A broken bone will eventually restore. A new skin may regenerate in case of a burn injury. In a spinal cord injury, the effects are devastating and permanent.

Causes of SCI

SCI is often caused by vehicular accidents, falls and recreational or sports activity.

SCI can also be caused by compression of the cord by a tumor, infection, or inflammation. Some patients have spinal stenosis or a smaller than normal spinal canal and are at a higher risk of injury to the spinal cord.

Devastating Effects of Spinal Cord Injuries

SCI occurs when a traumatic incident results in damage to cells within the spinal cord or separates the nerve tracts that transmit signals up and down the spinal cord.

According to the, National Spinal Cord Injury Association Resource Center, there are between 250,000 to 400,000 Americans living with a spinal cord injury. About 13,000 additional people are injured each year.

An increasing number of individuals with SCI are dying of unrelated causes such as cancer or cardiovascular disease. Mortality rates are considerably higher during the first year after injury than during subsequent years.

Two of the many consequences of this kind of injury are paraplegia and quadriplegia.

Paraplegia is referred to damage to the motor or sensory function of the lower extremities. On the other hand, quadriplegia is the symptom of having to suffer paralysis of all four limbs.

The extent of damage will depend on the following circumstances:

• Position of the injury


• Quality of medical attention right after the injury


• severity of the injury to the spinal cord

Since 1988, 45% of all bodily injuries have been complete and 55% incomplete.

Complete injuries are those that result in total loss of sensation and function below the injury level. However, it does not necessarily mean the cord has been severed.

On the other hand, incomplete injuries result in partial loss.

Each of the above categories can happen in paraplegia and quadriplegia.

Generally, slightly more than 1/2 of all injuries result in quadriplegia. However, the proportion of quadriplegics rise markedly after age 45, consisting 2/3 of all injuries after age 60 and 87% of all injuries after age 75.

Claims on Spinal Cord Injury

As SCI can result in extensively different levels of paralysis, the correct evaluation and presentation of your case depends largely on engaging the services experts such as a spinal cord injury lawyer and a doctor.

Obtaining professional help can spell a lot of difference in facing this kind of injury. It can help you establish your claim, determine if the offending party can be sued and if so, the extent and amount of compensation.

If you are properly represented by a lawyer, you may be entitled to the maximum benefits allowed by law. This can include compensation for loss wages, past and present medical treatment and rehabilitation, damages and payment for the injury itself.

Our personal injury lawyers and well versed about the issues involving spinal cord injury claims. For immediate attention on your case, log on to our website and fill out our free case evaluation form.