How A Spinal Injury Can Affect Your Life In Florida
Some accidents are serious enough to lead to injuries, and there are some injuries that, whether they are permanent or not, can have a huge impact on your ability to lead a normal life. A spinal injury incurs the kind of damage that can change your life, but what are the possible consequences, and why does this happen?
Your Nerve Bundle
What keeps people alive is electrical signals sent to and from the brain, and the “circuitry” that these signals use to travel are your nerves. The nerves reach into every portion of your body, but they have one main “trunk” from which they branch out, and that is the spinal cord.
This means that the spinal cord contains numerous nerve bundles critical to everything from issuing orders to the feet to wiggle toes or allowing people to differentiate smells and flavors. So depending on where an injury occurs on the spinal cord, it can dramatically impact a person’s ability to navigate the world. A spinal cord injury at waist level, for example, could result in decreased mobility, while a serious spinal injury closer to the neck could leave someone paralyzed.
How It Happens
The spinal cord is composed of multiple parts. The spinal cord itself, the bones—or vertebrae—act as the structural reinforcement holding the cord up, the ligaments and muscles that allow the back to move, and discs that assist in the flexibility and movement of the spinal cord.
Spinal cord injuries typically occur due to an impact. Football athletes, for example, have suffered spinal cord injuries from, particularly severe tackles. Car accident victims may also suffer from a spinal cord injury depending on the angle of impact from the other vehicle. Injuries can also occur through crime-related causes, such as a knife or gun wound, where an object penetrates the skin and makes direct contact with the spinal cord.
The Effects
Because the spinal cord bundles so many different nerves maintaining different functions, there is a wide variety of possible side-effects resulting from a spinal cord injury. Depending on how serious the damage is, some of these side-effects may be temporary and eventually recovered from. Others, however, may be a permanent part of a person’s life if the injury is especially severe. Some side-effects include:
• Poor bowel control
• Poor bladder control
• Muscle control issues like uncontrolled spasming or poor muscle response
• Chronic pain
• Respiratory conditions
• Blood pressure condition
• Impaired sexual performance
And a host of other symptoms and disorders.
The Consequences
In the best-case scenario, a spinal cord injury can be recovered from, and it’s possible to resume a normal life. This does, however, require comprehensive medical treatment and sometimes even physiotherapy to effect a full recovery. The injury victim is unlikely to be able to do their job until recovery has progressed beyond a certain point.
In the worst-case scenario, the spinal injury may be permanent. If it brings with it a new disability, such as paralysis requiring the use of a wheelchair, this may make it impossible for some to return to their previous occupation. A construction worker in a wheelchair, for example, just isn’t feasible.
Getting Compensated
If a spinal cord injury is the result of someone else’s actions, then the victim of the injury is legally entitled to financial compensation from whoever caused that accident. If the parties responsible don’t accept their responsibility, they can be made to compensate by court mandate after a successful lawsuit.
If you’ve received a spinal cord injury from someone’s negligent actions, talk to an experienced personal injury lawyer. Get the legal guidance and representation you need to negotiate the compensation you are rightfully owed, or go to court to undertake a lawsuit.
