People who are involved in motor vehicle crashes are at risk of a host of injuries. One of these is a spinal cord injury, which can have catastrophic effects on the person’s life. The extent of the effect of this type of injury depends on the severity and location of the damage.
Spinal cord injuries can occur anywhere on the spine, which extends from the base of the skull down to the tailbone. The spine is divided into four distinct sections, which are the cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral spine area.
Location of the spinal cord injury matters
The location of the damaged area on the spine affects how much of the person’s body is affected by the injury. The affected area is always below the injury, so higher injuries impact more of the body. A cervical spine injury can lead to paralysis of all four limbs, but a lumbar injury wouldn’t affect the arms.
Type of injury can affect the outcome
Spinal cord injuries are classified as either complete or incomplete. A complete injury means the spinal cord’s nerves are fully severed at the site of the injury. An incomplete injury still has some nerves connected at the injury site. Typically, incomplete injuries have a more comprehensive recovery than complete injuries.
The medical care a person needs after a spinal cord injury can be costly. Those victims may opt to pursue financial compensation if a negligent driver was the cause of the crash that led to the injury. This is time-sensitive, so it’s best to work with someone familiar with these matters.