Injuries to the spinal cord can significantly change how a person lives their life. These changes often come in the form of learning to live with paralysis. While all spinal cord injuries are tragedies in their own right, they seem much more tragic when they’re caused by negligence.
Prompt medical care can sometimes help to mitigate the damage to the spinal cord. There are several factors that determine what type of long-term consequences there will be for the victim.
What factors affect the outcome of a spinal cord injury?
There are three primary factors that can impact the foreseeable outcome of the injury:
- Location: Spinal cord injuries affect the area below the damage. This means that a lower back injury won’t affect as much of the victim’s body as a neck injury will.
- Type of injury: A complete injury means all the nerves in the spinal cord are severed at the point of injury, which makes it nearly impossible for a full recovery. Some nerve pathways remain connected in an incomplete injury, so a better recovery is often possible.
- Other injuries: If someone is in an accident that’s serious enough to damage their spinal cord, they may have other injuries, as well. The presence of multiple injuries can make it harder to recover.
Anyone who’s dealing with a spinal cord injury must ensure they get the proper medical care. These injuries are very serious and the care can be costly. If the accident was the result of another person’s negligence, you have every right to ask for compensation. Experienced legal guidance can help you get the money you need for the years ahead.
