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Accidents and Spinal Cord Injuries (Part A)

Almost every type of personal injury that involves impact or unnatural movement can result in a spinal cord injury. While your spinal cord is protected by the vertebra in your spine, severe injury to the area can still cause damage. Complications from spinal cord injuries can be permanent and life-altering.

The severity and long-term impact of a serious spinal cord injury can cost you tens of thousands of dollars in immediate surgery and medical costs, rehabilitation and long-term care. In addition, you will likely incur other expenses, such as having to install a wheel chair ramp at your home or purchasing special equipment for your car. A Chicago personal injury attorney can help you file an Illinois personal injury case to help you recover the funds necessary to deal with these unexpected costs.

Definition and Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries are diagnosed as damage or severance of the soft spinal cord tissue. Damage to the tissue crushes and destroys the axons, which are the tiny extensions of nerve cells that act as the transport system for messages up and down the spine.

Because your spine holds the bulk of the axons that run your central nervous system, and therefore all the other parts of your body, any spinal cord injury has the potential to effect other parts of your body both internally and externally. Depending on the damage to the axons, a spinal cord injury may be treated through rehabilitation or become a permanent disability.

Spinal cord tissue can be damaged when there is a sudden, traumatic blow to the spine that fractures or dislocates your vertebra. If the vertebra is fractured, tiny bone fragments can tear or even sever the spinal cord. Dislocation can also cause disc material or ligaments to bruise or tear the spinal cord. The most common incidents resulting in spinal cord injuries are car accidents (36%) and slip-and-fall accidents (21.2%).

Symptoms of Spinal Cord Injuries

Depending on the severity of the injury, there are many symptoms you may experience including:

• Paralysis
• Loss of range-of-movement
• Loss of sensation
• Difficulty breathing
• Loss of bowel function
• Chronic pain and/or burning sensations
• Sexual dysfunction or fertility issues
• Blood pressure complications
• Depression

The severity and symptoms of your spinal cord injury depend on both how damaged the soft tissue was and where the damage took place on your spine. Severe spinal cord injuries to the upper portion of the spine can result in complete paralysis with the need of breathing assistance.

Because of the wide range of complications and the difficulty of recovery from spinal cord injuries, many victims must file for permanent disability and depend on a personal injury settlement to provide for themselves and their family. Continue reading to learn more about rehabilitation options and how a Chicago personal injury attorney can help you with seeking compensation.

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The Law Offices of
Barry G. Doyle, P.C.
5215 Old Orchard Road
Suite 710
Skokie, IL 60077
Phone: 312.263.1080
Fax: 312.263.0153

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