Spinal cord injuries may have a lasting impact on your life after you’re involved in an automobile crash. There are two main kinds: Complete and incomplete. Depending on the type you have, you could be dealing with chronic pain, paralysis, muscle weakness or total immobility below the point of the injury.
Spinal cord injuries have the potential to impact most areas of your life because of the way the nerves in your spine travel downward. For example, if you suffer a spinal cord injury at the waist, you may lose control of your bladder or lose the ability to walk. If you suffer an injury at the neck, you may have trouble breathing on your own or no feeling in your arms or legs.
Will you regain the function of your limbs following a spinal cord injury?
It depends on the severity of the injury, or whether it is “complete” or “incomplete.” Incomplete injuries don’t completely severe the spinal cord, so there is a better chance that you will be able to recover at least some sensation or movement. Complete injuries mean that the nerves are totally severed, and that will block the signals from the brain to all points below the injury, which makes it less likely that you’ll be able to recover.
There is a potential to recover from a spinal cord injury, but you do need to seek medical help as soon as possible. Inflammation and swelling can make an injury worse than it was initially, so quickly reducing those symptoms may help improve the chances of saving some functionality below the site of the damage.
Naturally, the long-term costs of a spinal cord injury are also severe — and you may need help for the rest of your life. Understanding your right to compensation when your injury was the result of another person’s mistake is key to a better future.