Complications from a Spinal Cord Injury

An injury to any part of the body can lead to multiple problems for the injured accident victim. Not only is he expected to experience severely physical and emotional pain, the injuries may even lead to financial woes. If the affected and injured body part you happens to be the spinal cord, you may have to get help from a Los Angeles spinal cord injury lawyer because of its demanding legal implications.

A spinal cord injury may result to permanent disability or loss of movement and sensation, usually below the site of the injury, because the spine, along with the brain, helps in coordinating bodily movement. Common causes of this injury include:

• Acts of violence, usually due to gunshot or knife wounds
• Alcohol or drug abuse
• Car accidents, and other types of vehicular accidents, which is the leading cause of spinal cord injuries
• Diseases such as cancer, arthritis, and osteoporosis
• Falls
• Impact sports and recreational activities 

Aside from difficulty or eventual loss of movement, there are other complications that may go along with spinal cord injuries.

• Bladder control – There won’t be any direct problem to the kidneys with regard to storing urine. However, the brain may have difficulty in controlling the bladder, which also increases the risk of urinary tract infections, kidney infection, and kidney or bladder stones.

• Bowel control – Similar to the case of bladder control, only the brain won’t have control of the muscles that open and close the anus. Problems in bowel control may cause fecal incontinence.

• Circulatory control – Spinal shock will be experienced immediately after the spinal cord injury. But the injured may also experience low blood pressure and swelling of the extremities. Circulation changes may result to the development of blood clots or a life-threatening rise in blood pressure.
• Impaired skin sensation – Parts below the injured spine will possibly lose sensation, the skin included. Therefore, the skin cannot send a message to the brain if it experiences some injuries like extreme cold or heat. This also makes the skin susceptible to pressure sores.

• Respiratory system – The injured may experience difficulty in breathing and coughing, especially if the abdominal and chest muscles are affected. The neurological level of the injury determines the possible respiratory problem of the injured, for example, cervical and thoracic injury may result to pneumonia. 

Whether the injury is in the spinal cord or not, an Injury Attorney in Los Angeles from Mesriani Law Group can still help in recovering compensation for the injury. Call (310) 826-6300 now to get help.

Treatment and Damages for Spinal Cord Injury

Inside the spinal columns are soft tissues that make up the spinal cord. The spinal cord, along with the brain, is essential in coordinating movement through the signal it sends all over the body. However, despite having a hard bone as defense, the spinal cord can still get injured, but it would take a great deal of trauma to the vertebrae. The trauma will more likely cause fractures and compression, which may destroy the axons, or the extension of nerve cells, and eventually damage the spinal cord.

Falls, gunshot or knife wounds, diseases that lead to bone deterioration, defective products, and vehicular accidents are the most common causes of spinal cord injuries.

Almost 12,000 people are affected by this kind of injury every year in the country, car accidents being the leading cause of it. Based on the part of the spinal cord affected, there are two types of SCI.

• Quadriplegia - An injury to the cervical spine. A person with quadriplegia has complete paralysis on the upper and lower extremities. The head and neck are also affected, thus resulting to difficulty inbreathing.

• Paraplegia – An injury to the thoracic, lumbar, and/or sacral areas. Paraplegics still have movement in their arms and hands. Parts affected in this injury are the chest, abdomen, hips and legs. The bowel, bladder and sexual functions of a person are also disrupted.

The effects of SCI, and even the injury itself, aren’t always obvious. Anyone who got into an accident, especially those mentioned above, should suspect injury right away. If possible, do an imaging of the spine in a trauma center.

Acute SCI is usually treated with the steroid drug Methylprednisolone eight hours after the injury initiated, since it helps reduce damage to the nerve cells, and inflammation. Realignment with the use of rigid brace or axial traction may also be done as soon as possible to stabilize the spine and prevent further damage.

Rehabilitation programs are also essential to SCI victims in order to regain their normal movement. The recovery process focuses on different aspects: Physical, Occupational, Vocational, and Recreational therapy. The process should not only regain the injured person’s movement, but also help him accept the possibility of living with disability and adjust his lifestyle to it.

More information about the rehabilitation process can be found at Los Angeles spinal cord injury rehab facilities or trauma centers. The injured must also be ready to face the court and ask for damages from the person responsible for the injury, since this will help him financially support the costly rehabilitation.



The Mesriani Law Group has a wide range of legal resources as we work with the best lawyers and litigators in each state across the United States. We offer a unique attorney directory where you can find a lawyer's location and area of practices. For more information contact Mesriani Law Group at 310-826-6300 or visit the main office at 12400 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 810 Los Angeles CA 90025.