Being involved in a car crash can lead to catastrophic injuries, including those involving the spinal cord. The effects of these injuries can be temporary or permanent, depending on the type, severity, and location of the damage.
Anyone who has a spinal cord injury will have to work closely with their doctor to determine what treatment plan is appropriate. Several factors will determine how the injury is handled.
Complete or incomplete
The severity of nerve damage determines if the injury is complete or incomplete. In a complete injury, the nerves are fully severed. This means that any abilities lost due to the injury likely won’t fully return.
In an incomplete injury, some of the nerves in the area are still intact. This means that there’s a chance that the abilities that were affected by the injury may return.
Location of the injury
Spinal cord injuries only affect the area of the body that’s below the injury. Because of this, injuries to the cervical spine, which is in the neck, will affect more of the body. While most people focus on the limbs and the way they’re affected when there’s a spinal cord injury, the effects on the internal organs must also be considered.
Some spinal cord injuries can lead to difficulty breathing or having normal bowel function. These effects on the internal injuries can sometimes lead to significant life impacts. For example, if breathing is affected, a ventilator may become necessary to breathe.
If you suffered a spinal cord injury in a motor vehicle crash, you may opt to pursue a compensation claim. This can help you to get the expenses related to the injury covered, but your time to file is limited.