Spinal Cord Injury Attorney
If you are a bike or motorcycle enthusiast, you know full well how little protection there is between you and the road and other vehicles. Even if you wear a helmet and protective clothing, the chances of suffering a serious injury if you are in an accident are pretty high. There are thousands of bicycle, motorcycle, ATV, and scooter accidents each year in the United States, and with gas prices sometimes going sky high, the number of cyclists on the road is expected to increase.
If you are choosing a bike as your favorite mode of transportation, you must be careful and take precautions to minimize your chance of being in an bike accident because if you are in a collision with a car, a pedestrian, or a tree, you may suffer a catastrophic injury such as a spinal cord injury, a traumatic brain injury or a loss of one or more of your limbs.
One of the most common serious personal injuries hospitals across the country see in cyclists is a spinal cord injury. The spinal cord is a long, thin bundle of nerves that runs from your neck to your tailbone and is protected by the vertebral column. The main function of the spinal cord is the transmission of messages from the brain to the rest of the body. If the spinal cord is damaged, the result can be paralysis, either the lower limbs or from the chest all the way down.
Location of Injury to Spinal Cord
Spinal cord injury high on the spinal cord produces more widespread paralysis. For example, an injury at the level of the neck can cause paralysis of the arms and legs and make it impossible to breathe without the aid of a respirator. An injury at the level of the lower back may affect the legs and the lower body only.
Signs and Symptoms
After a suspected spinal cord injury, the signs and symptoms to look for include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Pain or stinging sensation which is caused by damage to nerve fibers
- Loss of movement
- Loss of sensation
- Loss of bladder and bowel control
Sustaining a spinal cord injury is a life-changing event that is both frightening and confusing for the victim and the victim's family. You will be left to live life a whole new way and you may not know, at first, how to even function like this.
Spinal Cord Injury Treatment
There is no way to reverse spinal cord injury, but advances in recent years have improved the recovery and rehabilitation time of people with this injury. Researchers have discovered new treatments and medications that promote nerve cell regeneration or improve function of the remaining nerves after a spinal cord injury. These treatments focus on allowing people with spinal cord injuries to return to a productive life within the limits of their disability.
If you have suffered a spinal cord injury as the result of a bike accident, motorcycle accident, or defective bike, please contact an experienced products liability attorney in your area today.
