Every day people are injured in car accidents across California and many of these accident victims will sustain permanent injuries.  A serious car accident can lead to a range of injuries, including spinal cord damage.  This type of injury is typically life changing.

The majority of spinal cord injury cases will result in permanent disability, known as paralysis.  This loss of movement can impact the entire body or just lower body, depending on the location of the injury.  When the entire body is impacted, it is known as quadriplegia and when only the lower body is paralyzed, it is referred to as paraplegia.

Recognize the Warning Signs of a Spinal Cord Injury
Many times the symptoms of a spinal cord injury surface immediately, such as unconsciousness, extreme pain or paralysis in part of the body.  However, sometimes the warning signs take a while to appear.  Some of the spinal cord injury symptoms you will need to watch out for after a serious car accident or other event include:

  • Pain or stinging in the spinal cord
  • Inability to move
  • Loss of sensation to hot and cold
  • Loss of bladder control
  • Spasms
  • Breathing difficulty
  • Changes in sexual function

When the spinal cord is damaged or broken, it can affect the nerve fibers that carry messages to and from the brain.  A spinal cord break can also impact the muscles and nerves below the site of the injury.

Outlook for Spinal Cord Injury Victims
A spinal cord injury generally requires ongoing care.  There are many complications that the doctors will work on avoiding, such as bed sores, blood clots and deconditioning.  Physical therapy and medication is often recommended.

The recovery time for a spinal cord injury can take up to six months to begin.  If you are still impaired after 1 to 2 years, it is generally believed that it will be permanent.

If you have sustained a spinal cord injury in a Southern California car accident caused by a negligent driver, you may be able to hold that person liable for your injuries.  Contact an Orange County injury lawyer at Steinberg today at 1-800-350-8888 for more information about your legal rights.  We represent clients in Orange County, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, San Diego and throughout California.

Peter Steinberg
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Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney Since 1982