Car Accident Reference and Atlanta Firm Directory

Spinal cord injury

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Contents
  1. Level and completeness
  2. Treatment and ongoing needs
  3. Writing about a claim
  4. Related entries
  5. References

Spinal cord injury involves damage to the cord or associated nerves and can disrupt communication between the brain and the body. NINDS distinguishes the cord itself from the bones that surround it. A spinal fracture and a spinal cord injury are related possibilities, not interchangeable diagnoses.[1]

Level and completeness

The effects depend in part on the location and severity of the injury. NINDS describes complete and incomplete injuries: some injuries eliminate function below the affected level, while others leave some sensory or motor function. A statement that someone has a "back injury" does not provide that clinical information.[1]

Treatment and ongoing needs

NINDS describes emergency treatment, efforts to prevent further injury and rehabilitation. Spinal cord injury can affect movement and other body functions, with needs extending beyond the initial hospital stay. The appropriate treatment and assistance depend on the person's condition; a general description cannot supply an individual prognosis.[1]

Writing about a claim

A useful description identifies the diagnosed injury and the functional limitations that clinicians document. It should not infer paralysis from a vehicle photograph or equate all spine pain with cord damage. Future care and assistance require an individual medical assessment, not an assumption based on the collision type or an anecdote about another patient.[1]

References

  1. abcd Spinal cord injury. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/spinal-cord-injury. official. Checked . Source record