Spinal Cord Injuries Are Catastrophic, Can be Fatal

Car crashes are incredibly traumatic events. A serious collision can cause any number of obvious physical injuries, including broken bones, cuts, and bruises. Unfortunately victims can also suffer from less-obvious injuries, many of which can develop into severe medical problems. Spinal cord injuries often fall into this category.

The spinal cord is a bundle of nerve fibers that runs from the base of your brain down the entire length of your back. It is responsible for carrying impulses and commands to nearly every part of your body. Damage to this vital tissue can be devastating and is almost always irreversible.

Damage to the spinal cord can happen in several ways, but one of the most common mechanisms is trauma. Car crashes are responsible for nearly half of all spinal cord injuries every year. In high-energy collisions, the spinal cord can be severed completely. Even low speed accidents can cause injuries associated with whiplash. Often spinal injuries are exacerbated by improper care following the accident, such as failure to immobilize a crash victim with a possible head or neck injury.

Spinal injuries have many symptoms. Tingling, prickling, and numbness are common indicators of nerve damage and spinal cord injury. The worst spinal cord injuries include complete and irreversible paralysis, and many severe spinal cord injuries are fatal.

Hopefully you and your loved ones never have to deal with a spinal cord injury. If you do, contact us so we can help determine who is responsible and what can be done to help. Early intervention is crucial to ensure the best possible outcome.