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Injury

A spinal cord injury (SCI) occurs when the spinal cord is damaged to the extent that a loss of function results. Common losses of function associated with SCI include mobility and feeling. In the majority of cases, a spinal injury is caused by an impact that fractures or displaces your vertebrae. It is less common for the SCI to result in a completely severed spinal cord. Rather, the damage to the spinal cord is typically caused by bone fragments tearing spinal cord tissue or pressing on spinal nerves. It is possible to break your neck or back without sustaining a spinal cord injury. Legal action for a spinal cord injury claim is possible if a negligent third party caused the accident. If the incident that caused your injury was not your fault you should seek advice from a specialist personal injury solicitor without delay. A spinal cord injury claim can result in very substantial damages being paid dependent on the extent of the injury and the long term consequences: -

Accidents are the most common cause of damage to the spine often resulting in a spinal cord injury claim for compensation with motor vehicle collisions heading the list :-

• car accidents
• falls from height
• disease
• sporting accidents
• gunshot wounds

The spinal cord is approximately 18 inches in length. It starts at the base of the brain and extends down the middle of the back, ending near the waist. Rings of bones called vertebra surround our spinal cord to protect it. These are your "back bones." Our spinal cords contains "upper motor neurons," which enable the brain to communicate with the nerves located along the spinal column. We also have spinal nerves that branch out from our spinal cord towards other parts of our body. These are called "lower motor neurons." Lower motor neurons send messages back and forth from our body to our brain, controlling such things as muscle movement and skin sensations.

The effects of a spinal cord injury will depend on the type of injury sustained as well as the level of the injury (where in the spinal column the injury is located). The general rule of thumb is that the higher up the spinal cord the injury is sustained, the more severe the effects will be.

As for the type of injury, an SCI can be either complete or incomplete. With a complete SCI, the victim loses all function below the level of the injury. There is no sensation or feeling in that area, and the victim is incapable of the voluntary movement of body parts located below the level of the injury.

If the SCI is incomplete, the victim retains some function below the level of the injury. Those with incomplete spinal injuries sometimes have greater levels of functioning in one limb or on one side of the body. An individual with an incomplete SCI may also have feeling in the body parts that they are unable to move.

The neck and lower back are the areas where most spinal injuries occur. An injury to the lower back, made up of the thoracic and lumbar areas, can affect the victim's ability to move their legs, cause sexual dysfunction and result in an inability to control their bowels and bladder. Injuries to the neck (cervical) can affect breathing as well as your ability to move your arms and legs. Most cervical injuries result in quadriplegia, meaning that the victim has no use of their arms and legs.

Certain individuals are more at risk for spinal cord injuries than others. By a remarkably large percentage, men are more likely to suffer a SCI than women. Young adults between the ages of 16 to 30 and seniors age 60 and older are the two most at-risk age groups. Athletes and others who are actively involved in sports are also more likely to suffer a SCI than the average person. Last are people who are predisposed to spinal cord injuries because of another medical condition, such as osteoporosis.

The majority of spinal cord injuries are the result of an unexpected accident. Although it is impossible to prevent all spinal cord injuries, there are things we can do to decrease the risk of suffering an SCI. Below are the most common causes of spinal cord injuries and tips for keeping yourself safe and avoiding injury.

Spinal cord injuries can also be incurred while participating in sporting events or recreational activities. Here are some very obvious, but much ignored tips for minimizing the risk of injury while playing sports and enjoying other types of outdoor recreation :-

• before diving into water be sure that it is sufficiently deep
• wear safety gear when playing sports, skating or riding a bike
• do not tackle with the top of your head.
• wear a helmet when :-

  • playing football and hockey
  • roller skating
  • riding a bicycle or skateboard
  • horseback riding
  • riding a motorcycle

If you would like free advice on spinal cord injury claims for compensation from one of our personal injury solicitors just complete the contact form and we will immediately put you in touch with a specialist. If after talking to that lawyer you decide to proceed no further you will not be charged for our advice and there is no obligation to take matters further.