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What are Spinal Cord Injuries?
The spinal cord is a collection of 31 pairs of nerves that travel from the base of your brain, down your back, and then go to your arms, legs, abdomen, and chest. These nerve pairs allow your brain to transmit signals to the muscles that allow you to move about, and to your organs as well (for instance, these nerves control how often you breathe and how fast your heart beats).
Spinal cord injuries are most often caused by trauma, although damage to the spinal cord can occur due to lack of blood supply, compression due to a tumor, or infection. The spinal cord is very susceptible to injury, and unlike other parts of the body, it does not have the ability to heal.
These types of injuries are considered to be either complete or incomplete. A complete spinal cord injury describes an injury where there is complete loss of muscle function and sensation below the level of the injury; a person suffering an incomplete spinal cord injury has some function remaining below the level of injury. In most instances, both sides of the body are affected equally.
Consequences
Any spinal cord injury is serious, and most are devastating. When the injury occurs in the lower back, the individual may lose the use of his or her legs, lose bowel and bladder function, and experience loss of normal sexual function.
If the injury is to the upper spine, or near the neck, the patient may experience difficulty breathing and may need to use a ventilator or breathing machine. Upper spinal cord injuries can also cause complete loss of muscle function in both the arms and the legs, making it impossible for the patient to do almost anything.
Know Your Rights
If you or someone you love has suffered a spinal cord injury in any type of accident, it is imperative that you speak with an experienced and dedicated Chicago personal injury lawyer sooner rather than later. The medical expenses will add up quickly, coupled with the loss of wages—you have a recipe for financial disaster.
This type of situation is all-encompassing and simply handling the medical tasks is more than most people can bear. That is why it is so important to reach out to a Chicago personal injury lawyer you can trust to fight for you and your family. At Shea Law Group, we have worked with hundreds of people in similar situations to yours, and we know what it takes to achieve a settlement that will allow you to focus on adapting to you new reality instead of worrying about the bills.
Before you accept any type of settlement, it is important to know your rights and your options. Give us a call at (877)-365-0040 to book your free, no-obligation consultation today. We will come to you wherever you are, home or hospital room, and we never charge a dime unless we win your case for you.
