One of the most debilitating and life devastating injuries are spinal cord injuries. Any blow to the neck or spine can cause damage to the vertebrae, which depending on the placement of the injury, can result in anything from difficulty breathing to paralysis.
Motor vehicle accidents are one of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries. Victims of car accidents often receive damage to the neck and back or have their upper bodies trapped and pressed. This may cause injury to the vertebrae, injury to ligaments or discs of the spinal column, tears in the spinal cord, or even a severed spinal cord. Victims of these injuries may have physical symptoms such as the loss of movement, sensations such as heat, cold, and touch, and bladder control. Others may even face psychological changes in sexual health or fall into depression. It is important for an accident attorney to obtain all of these details to ensure those who have been injured will receive the appropriate compensation.
The most severe spinal cord injury symptom is paralysis. Quadriplegia (or tetraplegia) is the paralysis or arms, hands, trunk, legs, and pelvic organs while paraplegia is the paralysis of parts of all of the trunk, legs and pelvic organs. To determine if a spinal cord injury is present, doctors must run diagnostic tests such as CT scans, x-rays, and MRIs. Thus when there is any chance of spinal cord injury, victims generally must not be moved until emergency medical persons arrive at the scene of the injury. In case of car accidents, 911 should be dialed immediately and victims must not be moved until help arrives. If possible, the head and neck of the injured person should be gently braced, to keep it in place.
To help prevent spinal cord injuries, drivers and passengers of vehicles must remember to wear a seatbelt at all times. Despite this precaution however, it is still possible for car crash victims to receive spinal cord injuries.
If you have been in a car accident, whether you have been diagnosed with a spinal cord injury or not, call The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC.
The Michigan Law Firm has auto accident attorneys ready to help victims of car accidents find out which benefits they may be entitled to under Michigan law and obtain those benefits. Living with severe injuries, such as spinal cord injuries, can make life very difficult. Our experienced team eases the stress of dealing with medical bills, insurance companies, and police investigations. This allows our clients to recover with dignity.
Call us today at 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation.
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