Personal injury accidents can happen in many different ways. From a slip on a wet floor to a serious accident on a highway, a Cincinnati resident may suffer significant trauma while engaged in many common activities. For some victims of personal injury accidents, injuries are minor and temporary. However, some victims endure life-long pain and trauma from the injuries they sustain in accidents.
One of the most significant forms of bodily injury that an individual may sustain is a spinal cord injury. The spinal cord is a critical component of the body’s nervous system. It is a bundle of nerves that runs from the brain and down the back of the human body. The spinal cord carries messages from the brain to the appendages through a system of nerves that branch out from the cord.
Although the spinal cord is protected by the spinal column, a set of bones that surround it, it can be damaged when force is inflicted upon it. For example, when an individual is involved in a motor vehicle accident, they may suffer trauma to their cervical spine through the event of whiplash. More serious injuries to the spinal column may involve the partial or complete severing of the spinal cord nerve bundle.
When the spinal cord is damaged, the rest of the body can be affected. If the spinal column is severed, all nervous system function below the site of the injury may cease. This can result in paralysis for a victim as well as the loss of bodily function and control.
This post does not provide any medical or legal advice. Individuals who have sustained spinal cord injuries in personal injury accidents should consult legal professionals to better understand their options for pursuing their losses. For some, the recovery of accident-relate damages may help them move closer to normalcy after suffering serious and overwhelming losses.