A spinal cord injury that results in full or partial paralysis of the victim can be one of the most traumatic and painful injuries that a person can endure. As a truly catastrophic injury, it is also one of the most difficult types of cases that an attorney can work on, requiring the services of experienced and dedicated lawyers in this highly complex area of personal injury.

About 12,000- 15,000 people suffer a spinal cord injury every year in the United States, with approximately 10,000 of them suffering death or paralysis from their injuries.

Spinal cord injuries from a broken back result from bone fragments pinching your spinal cord. Most spinal injuries are fractures of the spine itself, which affects the gray nerve matter inside the spine. There are actually very few instances of the spinal cord being completely severed.

The extent of the injury depends on what part of the spine is affected and how severe the damage to the spinal cord.

Most spinal cord injuries result from automobile accidents, among the worst possible effects of a car wreck. They can also result from a gunshot wound, a fall, or a sports injury.

The effects of a severe spinal cord injury are devastating to the victim and the family. Spinal cord injuries resulting from an accident can lead to paralysis, and may also cause a loss of breathing ability. Other effects may include sexual dysfunction or non- function, bowel and bladder problems, and an inability to control your muscles, as well as muscle atrophy, stiffness, and degeneration. These injuries can also cause a reduced ability to regulate blood pressure and heart rate, osteoporosis, and ongoing pain.

The symptoms of a spinal injury will usually correspond to the area of the spine that is affected, according to the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA), since different parts of the spinal cord affect different areas of the body.

The ASIA classifies a spinal cord injury as “complete” or “incomplete”, although many neurologists say that those classifications are not necessarily fixed. This is not an easy diagnosis, and is a function of the amount of voluntary movement that a patient can exhibit within a particular part of the body. The more movement, the more “incomplete” the injury.

Treating spinal injuries is on the cutting edge of medical research, from research in the immediate treatment of the injury (like with the “freeze treatment” of Buffalo Bills player Kevin Everett), to research into muscle regeneration, new drugs, and other exotic treatments.

So there is hope for future treatment. On the other hand, if you or a loved one has suffered a spinal injury, your main concern is your survival and your quality of life now. We are a law firm experienced in helping people through these traumatic times. Contact Gilbert, Ollanik & Komyatte, P.C.