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Claim compensation following a spinal cord injury
Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is damage to the spinal cord that results in a loss of function such as mobility or feeling.
Frequent causes of damage are trauma (car accident, gunshot, falls, etc.) or disease (polio, spina bifida, Friedreich's
Ataxia, etc.). The spinal cord does not have to be severed in order for a loss of functioning to occur. In fact, in most
people with SCI, the spinal cord is intact, but the damage to it results in loss of functioning.
Spinal cord injury occurs when a traumatic event results in damage to cells within the spinal cord or severs the nerve
tracts that relay signals up and down the spinal cord. The most common types of SCI include contusion (bruising of the
spinal cord) and compression (caused by pressure on the spinal cord). Other types of injuries include lacerations
(severing or tearing of some nerve fibers, such as damage caused by a gun shot wound), and central cord syndrome (specific
damage to the corticospinal tracts of the cervical region of the spinal cord).
Severe SCI often causes paralysis (loss of control over voluntary movement and muscles of the body) and loss of sensation
and reflex function below the point of injury, including autonomic activity such as breathing and other activities such as
bowel and bladder control. Other symptoms such as pain or sensitivity to stimuli, muscle spasms, and sexual dysfunction may
develop over time. SCI patients are also prone to develop secondary medical problems, such as bladder infections, lung
infections, and bed sores.
Is there any treatment?
While recent advances in emergency care and rehabilitation allow many SCI patients to survive, methods for reducing the extent of injury and for restoring function are still limited. Immediate treatment for acute SCI includes techniques to relieve cord compression, prompt (within 8 hours of the injury) drug therapy with corticosteroids such as methylprednisolone to minimize cell damage, and stabilization of the vertebrae of the spine to prevent further injury.
What is the prognosis?
The types of disability associated with SCI vary greatly depending on the severity of the injury, the segment of the spinal cord at which the injury occurs, and which nerve fibers are damaged. Most people with SCI regain some functions between a week and 6 months after injury, but the likelihood of spontaneous recovery diminishes after 6 months. Rehabilitation strategies can minimize long-term disability.
If the accident that you have had was not your fault and you have a suffered spinal injury, you should consider making a claim. Everyone is entitled to choose their own solicitor to act for them. If your insurance company puts you in touch with their recommended solicitor, you do not have to use them. You are free to instruct YouClaim to help you claim. With YouClaim there's no risk - our service is completely free and you'll get 100% of your compensation, guaranteed .
Give us a call on 0800 10 757 95 or complete our online form and we will call you back to discuss your claim