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Spinal cord injury is a devastating and
often permanent injury that leaves its victims with varying
degrees of paralysis and loss of physical sensation. According
to the Mayo Clinic, car accidents are the number one cause
of spinal cord injury, accounting for about 50 percent of
new spinal cord injuries every year in Tampa, Orlando, Lakeland,
Pasco, Sarasota, St Petersburg, Clearwater, and nationwide.
When car accident lawyers represent victims
with spinal cord injuries, it is imperative that these lawyers
pursue compensation for the lifetime of expensive medical
care these patients will most certainly need. Sometimes, personal
injury attorneys also will demand compensation for lost
wages, lost ability to work, and pain and suffering—justified
demands for the lifelong torment that spinal cord injury sufferers
and their families are forced to endure because of a negligent
driver.
The first step to understanding spinal cord
injuries is learning about the spinal column. The spinal cord
is a 15-17 inch long column of nerves that runs from the base
of your brain to your waist. The main function of the spinal
cord is to carry signals back and forth between your brain
and body. The spinal cord is surrounded by a column of 33
round, bony structures called vertebrae. Spinal cord injuries
in car accidents are caused when vertebrae are broken or crushed,
causing the bones of the vertebrae to press upon the spinal
cord or even cut the cord itself. In the days following the
car accident, the spinal cord may be further damaged by swelling,
bleeding, and fluids that put pressure on the spinal cord.
When the nerves of the spinal cord are damaged
in a car accident, the following symptoms may occur:
- Loss of movement in the area below the spinal cord damage
- Loss of sensation, including not being able to feel cold,
heat, and touch
- Loss of control over the bowels or bladder
- Difficulty breathing, coughing, and clearing the lungs
- Infections, bedsores, muscle contractures, and blood
clots
Patients with spinal cord injuries require
a vast amount of medical care, physical therapy, nursing,
pharmaceuticals, equipment, and home modifications. As an
example, if a person sustains a high-level spinal cord injury
at the age of 25, he or she can expect a lifetime of medical
costs to total more than $3 million.
If you or someone you care about has suffered
a spinal cord injury in a Tampa, Clearwater, St Petersburg,
Pasco, Sarasota, Lakeland, Orlando, or other central Florida
automobile accident, please contact the car accident lawyers
at Kennedy Law Group for a free initial consultation about
your case.
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