Motor vehicle crashes are sometimes minor enough that the victims don’t have any serious injuries. Other crashes are so serious that they lead to catastrophic injuries, such as spinal cord injuries (SCI).
SCIs are very dynamic injuries because they lead to many different effects on the victim’s life. The way a specific SCI impacts one person could be significantly different than how a similar injury would affect another person.
Is the injury complete or incomplete?
Spinal cord injuries are categorized by how much damage is done to the nerves in the area. If all the nerves are severed, the injury is complete. If there are still nerves attached, the injury is incomplete. In most cases, an incomplete injury will have a better chance of recovery than a complete injury.
Where is the injury on the spinal cord?
The location of the damage determines what parts of the body are affected by the injury. The affected areas will always be lower than the injury. Because of this, injuries on the lower back impact less of the body than ones on the upper spine.
How can you cope with the effects of a SCI?
The effects of a spinal cord injury depend largely on the location of the injury and the way that it’s impacting the body. Some people suffer from paraplegia, which affects the legs and part of the trunk. Others may have tetraplegia, which affects the arms, legs and trunks. Proper medical care, therapy and medications may help you to manage the injury. Because this is such a major life change, you may need to speak to a counselor or therapist to help with the adjustment.
If you’re injured because of another driver’s negligence, you may decide that you’re going to seek compensation for the financial damages you’re dealing with. This can include things like medical bills, medications, therapy appointments, vehicle modifications, home modifications and anything else related to the injury. The lawsuit must be filed within a limited time, so it may be best for you to work with someone familiar with these types of cases.