How Do Spinal Cord Injuries Affect Long-Term Quality of Life?

The spinal cord is like a superhighway of neural connectivity that transfers messages from your brain to the rest of your body. It directs us to walk, move, and pick up things.

The spinal cord also carries an emotional component that impacts our mental health and well-being. Anyone with chronic back pain can attest to that. That is why spinal cord injuries can affect the long-term quality of life.

In addition to the risk of limited mobility and ongoing pain, there are also financial burdens to consider. A spinal cord injury can require ongoing care in the form of in-home assistance and physical therapy, not to mention the need for surgery. If the injury keeps the person out of work, that will also add to the strain.

If a spinal cord injury was caused by another person’s negligence, you are entitled to seek compensation for all your losses. That is when the support of an experienced Etna spinal cord injury lawyer will prove to be essential.

First, you need to understand the full scope of how a spinal cord injury can affect your long-term quality of life. The following post provides that overview.

Understanding the Physical Impact of Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries are classified by the location of the trauma along the vertebrae.

They’ll be localized in one of the following areas of the spine:

• Cervical: C1-C7
• Thoracic: T1-T12
• Lumbar L1-L5
• Sacrum
• Coccyx

Here are the common physical injuries associated with spinal cord damage:

Motor Dysfunction or Paralysis

The injury to the spinal cord can cause partial or total paralysis, which will either be tetraplegia, which is from the neck down, or paraplegia, which is from the chest down.

Sensory Loss

A person who suffers a spinal cord injury can experience a loss of sensation that affects the way they feel heat, cold, and touch. That in turn can increase the risk of undetected pressure ulcers.

Respiratory Complications

If the spinal cord is localized to the cervical region, it can paralyze the diaphragm and chest muscles. That can require ongoing assisted ventilation.

Bowel and Bladder Dysfunction

Damage to the spinal cord can cause loss of voluntary muscle control, leading to incontinence.

Cardiovascular and Circulation Issues

Spinal cord injuries can also lead to unstable blood pressure, deep vein thrombosis or blood clots, and a life-threatening, sudden rise in blood pressure called autonomic dysreflexia.

Spasticity and Muscle Atrophy

The muscles below the spinal cord injury site may become stiff, hyper-reflexive, or waste away due to lack of use.

Chronic Pain

There are many spinal cord injuries that manifest as intense stinging, burning, or tingling neuropathic pain.

The Psychological Toll and Mental Health Challenges

In addition to physical complications, spinal cord injuries can also carry a profound psychological impact, starting with depression and anxiety. If left untreated, those feelings can grow into full-blown post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is a deeper sense of emotional pain.

A person who’s suffered a spinal cord injury might also experience emotional distress from the loss of autonomy and the changes in body image. If they experience reduced social interaction, it can further compound the emotional distress.

Because of these mental health challenges, a person who is dealing with a spinal cord injury might develop a substance abuse disorder.

In extreme cases, they could also experience feelings of suicidal ideation.

All of these potential mental health challenges need to be factored into the pain and suffering damages that can be asked for as part of a final settlement.

How Mobility Limitations Change Daily Life and Independence

When the spinal cord is injured in a car accident, it disrupts the communication between the brain and the body. Whether that disruption is permanent or temporary depends on the severity of the injury.

That can affect a person’s daily life. Simple tasks like bathing, dressing, and brushing teeth can become more complex and require assistive tools or support from a caregiver.

There might be a need for mobility aids such as wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, or canes. This can make going up and down stairs a problem. If there are narrow doorways in the home, modifications might be needed.

Mobility issues can also involve driving restrictions, requiring ongoing special transportation.

There may also be a need for long-term medical management of secondary conditions, such as bladder management or pressure sore prevention.

Seeking Legal Support for Long-Term Care Needs

The long-term impact of a spinal cord injury extends far beyond immediate medical care.

There can be challenges to your ability to return to work. That upends any chance of career advancement and can lead to substantial income loss. When you add those financial pressures to ongoing medical needs, it is easy to be overwhelmed. That’s why pursuing full and fair compensation is critical to preserving your long-term quality of life.

If your spinal cord injury was caused by someone else’s negligence, you need to discuss what happened with a knowledgeable Etna spinal cord injury lawyer.

The attorneys at the Edwards Law Office, P.C. can provide you with the information you need to make the right decision about whether or not you should pursue a personal injury lawsuit. To prevail in this type of claim, you need strong evidence that clearly establishes liability.

In trucking accidents, the liability can extend to the trucking company that hired the driver.

If the injury occurred at a business, then the owner would be named in a premises liability lawsuit.

These are all the challenges that we can discuss in your first free consultation. If we agree to take on your claim, you will benefit from the combined decades of legal experience of our team. We have the right negotiation skills to stand up to an insurance company and can present strong and compelling narratives in the courtroom.

Reach out to our offices today to schedule your consultation and have your questions answered.