Accidents occur every day, and, while many accidents do not result in death or serious injury, some accidents dramatically affect victims for the rest of their lifetimes. Spinal cord injuries may occur due to a variety of accidents such as automobile wrecks, construction site accidents, slip and fall accidents and other types of accidents.

The spinal cord has multiple nerves that serve as the messenger system for the body delivering commands from the brain to different parts of the body. The spinal cord travels through the spinal column, which is divided into four sections. These four sections are the neck, the midsection of the spine, the lower back and the tailbone. Injury to any area of the spinal cord can cause serious effects to the rest of the body.

Spinal cord injuries can be the result from traumatic injury, disease or aging. However, every spinal cord injury is different. Typically in spinal cord injuries the backbone pinches the spinal cord. This causes it to become bruised and/or swollen. In severe spinal cord injuries the spinal cord can be torn. Generally all the nerves above the level of the spinal cord injury continue to function. However, from the point of the spinal cord injury and below, the nerves cannot send messages between the brain and parts of the body.

Typical causes of a spinal cord injury include automobile crashes, violence, slip and falls and sports injuries. Depending upon the location and severity of the spinal cord injury, the spinal cord injury victim may become permanently paralyzed. Approximately forty percent of victims suffering from spinal cord injuries resulting in paraplegia are able to return to their jobs. However, only thirty percent of victims of spinal cord injuries resulting in quadriplegia will eventually return to their occupations.

In addition to the pain and suffering of a spinal cord injury, victims suffer from financial problems stemming from loss of income and vast medical expenses due to a spinal cord injury.

The area of injury for a person with a spinal cord injury begins on the lowest point on the spinal cord where the injury occurred, below which there is a decrease or absence of feeling and/or movement. The higher the spinal cord injury is on the spine, the closer it is to the brain and the more effect the spinal cord injury has on movement and feeling in the body.

Typically, quadriplegia results from spinal cord injuries that are at a higher level of the spinal column. This type of spinal cord injury typically results in loss of feeling and/or movement in the head, neck, shoulder, arms and/or upper chest. However, the legs and lower functions can also be affected.

A person who has lost feeling and/or movement in the lower parts of the body due to spinal cord injury is typically diagnosed with paraplegia. The body parts that are most often affected are the chest, stomach, hips, legs and feet.

An experienced personal injury lawyer knowledgeable in spinal cord injuries will be an essential contact. This experienced professional will be able to review your case and discover who is liable for the events which caused the spinal cord injury. The personal injury lawyer specializing in spinal cord injury will assist you to recover damages to which the spinal cord injury victim is entitled.

If you, or a loved one, have been involved in any accident resulting in a spinal cord injury in Kansas or Missouri, please do not hesitate to contact our office for a free consultation and case evaluation.