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“What is the spinal cord?”

The spinal cord is the long nerve that runs down the center of your backbone. Think of it as the main computer cable by which your brain communicates with your body, telling your muscles to move and your organs to work, receiving sensations in return. When the spinal cord is injured, this communication may be cut off, causing loss of feeling and function, sometimes permanently.

“What does injuring the spinal cord do?”

In every case, the problem is traumatic damage to the cells within the spinal cord, or to the nerve tracts which relay signals. Common types of spinal cord injury include contusion (bruising of the spinal cord), compression (pressure on the spinal cord), and laceration (severing nerve fibers).

Typical causes are vehicle crashes, sports injuries and mishaps such as diving into shallow water. Most of these accidents happen to younger men.

Severe spinal cord injuries often cause paralysis (loss of muscle control and movement) along with loss of sensation and function below the point of injury, often including autonomic activity such as breathing, bowel and bladder control, and sexual functions. Other problems such as pain, oversensitivity, muscle spasms, and sexual dysfunction may develop over time. Patients are also prone to develop secondary medical problems, such as bladder infections, lung infections, and bedsores.

“How long will it be before I know if my injury is temporary or permanent?”

Most people with spinal cord injuries regain some functions within six months, but the likelihood of spontaneous recovery diminishes after that. Rehabilitation can minimize long-term disability.

“What if it’s a minor spinal cord injury?”

Any injury to the spinal cord is cause for concern, and the effects of even modest damage can be serious:

• Inability to work: Many injuries may render you incapable of working and supporting your family, and may result in large medical bills.
• Long-term pain: Chronic neck or back pain can cause a serious detriment to your quality of life and require long-term treatment or medication.

“What is paralysis?"

Paralysis is the partial or complete loss of ability to move or to feel sensation.

"What are paraplegia and quadriplegia?"

Paraplegia is the loss of sensation and movement in the legs and part of the trunk, but not the arms and hands, usually resulting from an injury to the spinal cord below the seventh vertabra.

Quadriplegia (also called tetraplegia) is paralysis of all four limbs, resulting from injury to the brain, neck or upper spine. Trauma to the top four vertebra usually affects arm movement more so than injury to the fifth through seventh vertebra; however, all quadriplegics experience some kind of dysfunction in their fingers and thumbs.

“What is proper immediate treatment for spinal cord injury?”

Proper treatment starts at the accident scene, where the patient's neck and spine are immobilized. Additional immobilization at the hospital commonly includes the use of halo traction (a brace that encircles the head).

Diagnosis is based on a complete physical and neurologic examination with radiographic pictures of the head, chest, and abdomen to rule out underlying injuries. Spinal x-ray examinations, MRI scans and CT scores are usually done to evaluate the extent of the injury.

Steroids may be administered to decrease spinal cord edema. Surgery is commonly performed to fuse unstable spinal sections and remove bone fragments.

“Are there treatments? Will I ever walk again?"

While recent advances in emergency care and rehabilitation allow many more patients to survive, methods for reducing the extent of the injury and for restoring function are still limited. However, some of these injuries are becoming more treatable as new breakthroughs and discoveries occur in promising areas such as stem cell research. Still, every injury is different, and no one can be sure what results such treatments will yield.

“What is stem cell treatment?”

When healing, most of the body’s cells send out new nerve fibers to connect with other cells, but cells in the brain and spinal cord are slow to do this. Stem cell therapy involves administering special self-regenerating cells (“stem cells“), with the hope that these cells will then colonize the damaged area, assume the properties of their neighbors and reinstate at least some of the function that’s been compromised by injury or disease. Stem cells come from the patient or a donor, or they may be created by tricking ordinary non-regenerating cells into becoming stem cells. Stem cell therapy has become fairly standard for cancer treatments to regenerate bone marrow, but its application to the spinal cord is still experimental.

“Why Should I Hire a Lawyer?”

A spinal cord injury can easily change one’s life forever. If the injury was caused in some way by the negligence of others, you may be entitled to compensation for the overwhelming expense of treatment, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If the injury is long-term, think of the costs ahead for assisted care, expensive medications, physical therapy and more.

However, many states impose strict deadlines on the time in which you can bring your case, after which you may have no further opportunity. Even in states with longer deadlines, evidence disappears, witnesses move, memories fade and the ability to win your case may decline with time. Your future quality of life may depend on your willingness to act now.

“What sort of lawyer should I hire?”

You’ll want an attorney experienced in complicated injury litigation, and a record of winning cases at trial, not merely settling out of court. The firm should have special medical knowledge and expertise in spinal neurology, and the ability to obtain testimony by a relevant medical expert.

Medical defendants and insurers often have very large amounts of money at stake in spinal injury cases, so your law firm should have adequate resources to fight a prolonged battle, including the ability to advance costs in order to hire the very best experts for your case. The cost of litigation can range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“After filing a spinal cord injury lawsuit, how long will it take to resolve?”

Most cases can be filed and brought to trial within two to three years or less, and very worthy claims are often settled much sooner, without trial. The wait for trial often depends on where your case is filed, as most courts are crowded with lawsuits. And, of course, complex cases take more time than simple ones.


For a free, professional evaluation of your case, please contact the experts at The Markam Group.

Phone: (509) 747-0902
Email: info@markamgrp.com