Spinal Cord Injuries

A diagnosis of a spinal cord injury can be devastating, both personally and professionally. The sudden presence of disability can be frightening, frustrating and confusing to those affected and their families. There is an immediate concern as to how a spinal cord injury will affect the victim’s everyday activities, jobs, relationships, and their long-term happiness.

Most traumas to the spinal cord cause permanent disability or loss of movement (paralysis) and sensation below the site of the injury. Paralysis can involve all four extremities, a condition called quadriplegia or tetraplegia, or only the lower body, a condition called paraplegia. Spinal cord injuries are a very real danger to those who work and play on the water. Recreational boaters who operate unsafe or poorly maintained equipment run a great risk of personal injury, as do those who depend on the water for their livelihood.

The costs associated with spinal cord injury treatment and rehabilitation can be astronomical, and, in some cases, financially devastating. If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your profound physical and emotional agony. If you have any doubts, put them to rest by contacting an experienced and understanding admiralty law attorney today.

Severed Spine

Spinal cord injuries are classified as either complete or incomplete. An incomplete injury means that the ability of the spinal cord to convey messages to or from the brain is not completely lost. People with incomplete injuries retain some motor or sensory function below the injury. A complete injury like a severed spine is indicated by a total lack of sensory and motor function below the level of injury. People who survive a spinal cord injury will most likely have medical complications such as chronic pain and bladder and bowel dysfunction, along with an increased susceptibility to respiratory and heart problems.

Recovery from such a catastrophic event is difficult, as the victim will need all of his/her strength, will and desire to learn to cope with the drastic changes that will encompass their everyday life. The encouragement and support of loved ones can only help, as can an understanding of what exactly went wrong during the time before and immediately after the injury. If you feel that the injury may be the result of another’s negligence, now is the time to act.

Severed Spinal Cord

A completely severed spinal cord causes paralysis and loss of sensation below the severed section of the spine. Patients with the cord partially severed may have some function below the injury. In either instance, the injury is completely life-changing in terms of the limitations it places on the afflicted individual, and the emotional toll of dealing with the immediate and long-term impacts of a severed spinal cord can be as demanding as the physical rehabilitation process.

In all cases, a severed spinal cord requires immediate and advanced medical care, as knowing the location of the injury and the extent of the damage can go a long way in helping medical professionals make a complete and accurate diagnosis, as well as develop a prompt plan of treatment. Unfortunately, major boating accidents have led to instances of severed spinal cord injuries, and perhaps the most tragic issue of all is the fact that many of the injuries could have been avoided had proper safety equipment and practices been implemented.