Car crashes and other serious accidents can lead to significant injuries, including those to the spinal cord. Dealing with an injury to this area can be complex and will likely require considerable medical care.
Understanding a bit about these injuries can help victims and their loved ones work through the process of healing and moving forward with life.
Complete and incomplete injury differences
There are two main types of spinal cord injuries (SCIs): complete and incomplete. This classification has to do with how much of the nerve pathways remain intact, which has a direct impact on the victim’s abilities in the affected area.
A complete SCI means the nerves are completely severed at the injury site. This leads to a full loss of motor and sensory functions below the injury site. An incomplete SCI means some nerves remain intact at the injury site. Victims with this type of SCI will still have some function below the level of the injury, but this might be somewhat decreased.
Higher injuries affect more of the body
The location of the damage on the spinal cord also plays a role in how it affects the victim’s life. Injuries that are higher on the spinal cord will affect a larger area of the body.
Cervical spine injuries can affect everything from the neck down, which may require the use of a ventilator and a complete loss of excretory and sexual systems.
Immediate medical care is critical after a spinal cord injury. The initial care and necessary rehabilitation can be costly, so victims may opt to pursue a compensation claim. This must be done quickly to ensure the statute of limitations is exceeded.
