According to the World Health Organization, between 250,000 and 500,000 people suffer a spinal cord injury (SCI) every year globally. In the United States, auto accidents are the leading cause of SCI in people under 65, but falls cause the most injuries in people over the age of 65. These injuries cause pain and misery for thousands of American people every year, and can cause lifelong side effects and problems. If you've injured your spinal cord in a fall, find out what sort of treatment to expect, and learn more about what you need to do to claim compensation.
How a fall injures your body
Doctors recognize several types of spinal cord injury. For example, flexion injuries occur when you suffer a sudden movement of your head, while compression injuries happen when force to the spinal column transmits through your head (like a diving injury).
Hyperextension spinal cord injuries often result from a fall. If the fall forcibly extends your neck backward, the movement will stretch your spinal cord. As you fall, the discs open up and your ligaments stretch, which can cause further damage to the spinal cord.
When you fall, you may injure different vertebrae, which can cause problems in different parts of your body.
- Cervical (neck) injuries often affect the legs, arms and middle of the body. Injuries high in the neck can cause breathing problems.
- Thoracic (chest level) injuries can also affect your legs. People with thoracic injuries sometimes experience problems with blood pressure and abnormal sweating.
- Lumbar sacral (lower back) injuries can affect your legs. These injuries also lead to problems with the bowels and bladder.
A complete SCI causes total loss of function below the injury. Around half of all SCI are complete. If you suffer an incomplete SCI, you will keep some function below the main injury. For example, you may have more movement in one arm or leg, or on one side of your body.
Symptoms and diagnosis
A fall is often painful, but you may not immediately realize that you have suffered a spinal cord injury. Possible signs and symptoms of these injuries include:
- Tingling or loss of sensation in fingers, feet or toes
- Difficulty walking
- Urinary or bowel incontinence
- Impaired breathing
- Unusual lumps on your head or spine
You should never take chances with a spinal cord injury, and you should always seek immediate medical attention if you fall over. In some cases, a doctor may rule out SCI with a basic clinical evaluation, but you will probably need other tests. These tests may include an X-ray, CT scan or MRI scan of the spine. Your doctor may tell you to wear a collar for a couple of weeks until he or she makes a complete diagnosis.
Treatment and complications
The treatment options you face will vary according to the injury you have incurred. Indeed, treatment begins as soon as paramedics arrive, and may continue for months or even years after the injury. You may initially need intensive care treatment, to help stabilize your injury. Doctors can then consider other options.
Many people with SCI need surgery. This can help realign your vertebrae, remove fluid or tissues pressing on the spinal cord, and remove any bone fragments. After surgery, you'll need complete bed rest and you may need a lot of time off work. Rehabilitation therapy can help you cope with the longer-term side effects of a spinal cord injury.
Tetraplegic injuries (predominantly to the neck) commonly lead to other serious health issues. More than half of people with these injuries develop pressure ulcers, while 60.3 percent of these patients develop pneumonia. Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism may also occur.
Taking legal action
Spinal cord injuries can lead to hefty medical bills, lost wages and significant suffering. In some cases, you can take legal action against the person responsible for your fall.
If you fall over, you need to prove that somebody was negligent. Proving negligence isn't always easy, and a law court will consider a lot of different issues. For example, oil left on a floor in a shop is not necessarily negligent if the spill is very new, and the store owner was not aware of the problem. While you may believe that somebody's negligence caused your fall, you'll probably need an experienced slip and fall attorney to help you prove your case.
A trained attorney can help you prove negligence. He or she can also help you prepare the other evidence you will need to support your case, including medical reports and expert witness statements. Your attorney will also help you get the right amount of compensation. That aside, you should act quickly because you have a limited period after the fall to file a lawsuit. This period is known as the statute of limitations.
A simple fall can cause significant injury and many people in these situations have to permanently cope with spinal cord injuries. If you suffer a fall, make sure you take legal advice to help recover the money you have to spend on medical bills.
For more information you can contact a local law office or visit http://www.putnamlieb.com.
