Many injuries are possible when a person is involved in a car crash or suffers a nasty fall. One of these injuries is damage to the spinal cord. Around 17,000 new spinal cord injuries happen in this country each year.
These injuries come largely from motor vehicle crashes in younger people and from falls among those over 65-years-old. Overall, males account for the majority of these injuries. Around 80% of spinal cord injuries in those who are 16 to 30 happen to males.
Types of spinal cord injuries
There are two primary ways that spinal cord injuries are classified – complete and incomplete. A complete injury does not leave any function or sensation below the level of the injury. An incomplete injury still has some sensation or function below the injury.
Spinal shock is sometimes possible. This makes the effects of the spinal cord injury more intense at first because of the inflammation and the body’s reaction to the damage. As time progresses, the effects of the injury should begin to decrease, and the person should have a better recovery. Getting medical care soon after the injury can also help.
People who suffer a spinal cord injury in a car wreck or fall resulting from someone’s negligence should receive medical care. These injuries can cause significant impacts on how the person lives their life. It’s possible to seek compensation for these catastrophic injuries by filing a personal injury lawsuit. Working with someone who’s familiar with these cases can help you to learn your options.
