Louisiana Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

Spinal cord injury (SCI) affects men and women from all walks of life. Over 10,000 individuals are affected across the country each year. Any damage to the spinal cord causing loss of function and/or mobility is defined as SCI. Both trauma and disease can cause SCI. Currently, auto accidents are the leading cause of SCI, though other causes do exist. Victims of spinal cord injuries can get help from the Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers in Gonzales, LA to get maximum settlement for their injuries.

SCI may be complete, in which no movement or sensation remains below the level of the injury to the spine, or incomplete, in which some movement or sensation or both remains. Experienced Louisiana Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers know and understand the extent of injuries caused in such accidents.

The medical profession defines SCI with reference to the area (vertebrae) of the spine affected. Injury at the fifth cervical (neck) is a C-5 injury; at the first thoracic (upper back) it is a T-1.

Generally, neck injuries will lead to quadriplegia (paralysis of all limbs) and injuries lower than the neck will cause paralysis of the lower limbs only (paraplegia). Regardless of the location, the severity of the injury can cause variations on the degree of dysfunction and loss of sensation.

Another aspect of SCI is swelling of the spinal cord, which usually happens shortly after the injury and may last for weeks or months. This swelling can cause severe, SCI-like symptoms, but these will usually subside with the swelling. The permanent injuries may only be apparent at this point. Currently, there is no way to repair the nerves affected by SCI, and therefore no “cure,” but stem cell research is promising.