A spinal cord injury (SCI) is responsible for damaging the spinal cord and is considered a form of catastrophic injury. The injury can cause temporary or permanent damage to the function of the spinal cord. It is regarded as a severe type of physical trauma that can have a significant and lasting impact on a person. As it is the case with the brain, the spinal cord is a vital part of your body as it controls basic, essential functions. It happens when a person’s head slams into another vehicle or object, or he is thrown onto the ground. In fact, the best truck accident lawyers have seen much more severe traumatic brain injuries from car accidents compare to truck crashes. An injury of the spinal cord can leave a person with lifelong disabilities to even complete loss of use of all their limbs and torso (quadriplegia). For example, for motorcyclists, a helmet can’t protect you from head trauma every time but without one, you are more likely to get a critical head injury or die in a California motorcycle accident seen by car accident attorneys.
Personal Injury Lawyer in California
There can several causes for spinal cord injuries, such as workplace accident, motorcycle accidents, and car accidents. Even minor accidents can leave people with severe injuries because bikers are much less protected and fully exposed, according to motorcycle accident lawyer Brad Nakase. You mustn’t treat spinal cord injuries like other personal injuries. Given that these injuries can have a life-long impact on a person, you need an expert spinal cord injuries lawyer. Hiring a personal injury lawyer helps ensure you or your loved one receives the fullest compensation and best medical treatment.
When it comes to receiving monetary compensation for spinal cord injuries in California, there is one personal injury lawyer that stands above the rest; Brad Nakase. He has been protecting the interest of his clients for over a decade now. He has the extensive experience necessary to handle some of the most challenging injury cases, such as spinal cord injuries. His aggressive and calculated approach helps you get the justice and compensation you deserve.
What is a Spinal Cord Injury?
The spinal cord of a human has the vertebrate (bone stacked on top of each other) of the spine. The vertebrate contains and protects a bunch of tissues and nerves. A spinal cord injury is a damage to the nerves at the end of the spinal canal or any part of the spinal cord. If there is damage to the nerves, the results can be permanent. The spine contains a column of nerves that runs from the lumbar region of the spine to the brain.
The spinal cord has immense importance because it has the responsibility to send messages from the brain to the entire body. As the messages are sent to the brain through the spinal cord, a person can perceive pain and move their limbs. If a spinal cord injury occurs, the impulses do not get to the brain. As a result, there is a loss of mobility and sensation (usually below the injury). There can be complete paralysis of a more substantial part of the body if the injury is closer to the neck. Most common causes of spinal cord injuries are traumas during an auto accident, a fall from a height, or a violent event. Auto accidents are considered the number one cause of these injuries.
Symptoms of a Spinal Cord Injury
Here are some common signs that can indicate you or your loved one has received a spinal cord injury:
- You can’t move your arms and legs or finding it extremely difficult to move them
- You are having problems walking
- The feelings of tingling or numbness in the extremities
- You are experiencing stiffness and pain in the neck area or the back
- There is loss of sensation, e.g., inability to feel cold, heat, and touch
- There is no control of bladder or bowels
- There are constant headaches
- There is unnatural positioning of your head
- You are having difficulty breathing
Classifying Spinal Cord Injuries
After a spinal cord injury, your ability to move and control your limbs depend on two crucial factors: (1) On which part of your spinal cord you’ve received the injury. (2) The severity of your spinal cord injury.
The severity of your spinal cord injury is classified as:
Complete: You have a complete injury if the damage to the spinal cord is severe enough to prevent signals from reaching the nerves. This means that there are no motor or sensory functions below the area that is affected, and it results in complete paralysis.
Incomplete: You have an incomplete injury if there is still some mobility and feeling. It means that your brain can send signals through your spinal nerves. Understand that an incomplete injury has varying degrees.
What Types of Spinal Cord Damages Are Common?
It is an alarming situation that the number of new SCI cases is rising each year. According to the 2018 report of the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCSC), about 17,500+ new cases of SCI are registered each year. As per their report, 247,000 to 358,000 people are living with SCI in the country.
Incomplete tetraplegia is one of the most commonly diagnosed spinal cord injuries. The incomplete form of paraplegia is quite common as well. It affects a person’s legs or lower body.
Some forms of paraplegia and tetraplegia are less common in which a person is completely paralyzed and has no feeling or function. Regardless of the severity of your injury, you can contact California spinal cord injury attorney Brad Nakase to help you in your case.
What to Do If You Suspect a Spinal Cord Injury?
If you suspect that you or your loved one has suffered from a spinal injury due to a fall, auto accident or any other violent event, here is what you need to do:
- Before wasting any time, contact 911 so that the help arrives soon.
- Make sure you do not move the person unless it is necessary
- Even if the person feels like getting up, make sure they remain calm and do not move
- Keep in mind that tilting the head back is not recommended at all
- Perform CPR if you notice that the person isn’t breathing
