People who are in car crashes or have other accidents can suffer from a spinal cord injury. While it’s possible that the injury may result in only a temporary impact, it’s also possible that it will be permanent.
Annually, spinal cord injuries cost this country around $9.7 billion. Around 17,000 spinal cord injuries occur each year in the United States. Understanding a little about these injuries is important.
Complete versus incomplete spinal injuries: What’s the difference?
Spinal cord injuries are classified as either complete or incomplete. A complete injury means that there aren’t any nerve pathways that are connected at the site of the damage. An incomplete injury involves nerve pathways that are still connected.
When a person has a complete injury, they don’t have feeling or movement below the area of the injury. There is at least a little movement or feeling below the injury if it’s incomplete. Naturally, victims with incomplete spinal cord injuries are more likely to have a better prognosis for future recovery.
Prompt medical care is important because it’s likely going to help reduce residual damage that occurs as the result of inflammation and the body’s reactions to the damage.
Anyone who’s suffered a spinal cord injury will need considerable medical care throughout the rest of their life. This can be costly, so they may opt to pursue a claim for compensation that can help them to cover those expenses. This can also help them to cover the loss of income that they’re experiencing because missed wages can be included in the claim. Getting started as quickly as possible is important because laws in New York limit how much time you have to get your case filed.