Spinal cord injuries are one of the most dangerous types of injury that an accident victim can experience. One of the reasons that spinal cord injuries are so debilitating is because the spinal column houses the nerve pathways that facilitate communication with the brain. Consequently, a serious spinal cord injury can result in total or partial paralysis and completely change your life permanently. A spinal cord injury can also result in one or more of your vertebrae being severed or broken.
There are many different circumstances in which spinal cord injuries can occur. If you have sustained a spinal cord injury in a serious accident, you may be able to assert a personal injury claim.
Spinal Cord Injuries Have Multiple Causes
Spinal cord injuries often occur when accident victims least expect them. Some of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries include:
● Motor vehicle accidents (including motorcycle accidents)
● Boating accidents
When motor vehicle drivers, motorcyclists, and boat operators operate their vehicles or watercraft in a reckless or careless manner, or while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they can cause serious accidents. A serious crash can eject an occupant from the motor vehicle or boat and cause the occupant to strike the ground or another hard surface. This can result in serious damage to the spinal column or individual vertebrae.
Symptoms of a Spinal Cord Injury
After any accident that involves a significant blow to the back, you should immediately seek a physician for a checkup to ensure that you didn’t suffer any damage to the spinal cord. Some spinal cord injuries are not immediately apparent and can take some time to develop. Some spinal cord injuries are not caused by direct damage to the spinal cord but instead develop over time because of damage to the spinal structure or surrounding tissue that can slowly put pressure on the spinal cord or cause shearing as a person’s condition degrades. It is imperative that someone that has suffered a blow to the back keep an eye out for the following symptoms of a spinal cord injury.
● Abnormally positioned or twisted back or neck
● Impaired breathing after injury
● Extreme back pain or pressure in your neck, head or back
● Weakness, in coordination or paralysis in any part of your body
● Strange numbness, tingling or loss of sensation in your hands, fingers, feet or toes
● Bladder or bowel control issues
● Trouble maintaining balance or walking
If you have been injured due to no fault of your own, call Mark W. Malzahn at 763-421-2160.