Although many people think of them as being one in the same, a spinal cord injury is different from a back injury. The spinal cord is made up of a bundle of nerves that runs from the brain down the back, sending impulses between the body and the brain that control your body’s movements. It resides inside the vertebrae, which afford it some protection from injury. Should those vertebrae that encase the spinal cord become injured, then that is known as a back injury. Both spinal cord injury and back injury can be debilitating and cause serious impairments. If you have sustained an injury to the spinal cord due to the actions or negligence of someone else, give Russell and Hill a call to weigh your legal options.
Damage or trauma to the spinal cord leads to an impairment in sensation or function. The spinal cord does not have to be severed completely for the damage that results to cause complete disability. Paraplegia results when the spinal cord in the cervical region of the spine is damaged. If the spinal cord is damaged in the sacral or lumbar regions, then the functionality of the bowels, hips, genitals and legs can be affected. Both complete and incomplete injuries are possible; with an incomplete injury, the region of the spine associated with the injury retains partial function.
It is sometimes the case that an accident victim will sustain an injury to the back without it affecting the spinal cord. This means that just the vertebra around the spinal cord receives damage, leaving the cord unharmed. When this happens, the typical treatment involves surgery to stabilize the broken part of the back to prevent the accident victim from becoming paralyzed.
Both back injuries and spinal cord injuries can be quite serious, even though they are not the same. Either injury usually requires major life adjustments for the accident victim and their families. As an injured party, you likely need extensive medical care, including potential surgeries, lots of rehabilitation and physical therapy, and ongoing medical care that can be necessary for years. In addition, you will need to miss work or may be unable to work again, causing an upset in your household finances. You will also experience some intangible losses, including pain and suffering and mental anguish due to your injury. All of these losses are recoverable from the at-fault party when you have aggressive legal representation on your side.
Insurance companies provide tooth-and-nail defense against claims of spinal cord injury. They pull out all stops, bring out the big guns in their legal department, and work around the clock to pay you less than you deserve. Contact our Bremerton personal injury lawyers right away following your accident to review your case details and decide on the best way forward with your claim. Schedule your no-cost, no-obligation consultation now—our compassionate, experienced legal team is standing by.
