Car crashes can cause many different types of injuries, including spinal cord injuries. These can be catastrophic. Severe damage to the spinal cord can lead to paralysis and other permanent effects.
There are a few different factors that impact how a person may recover from one of these injuries. Understanding a bit about them might help victims and their families.
Location of the injury
The location of the injury impacts what area of the body is affected by the injury. Everything below the area of the injury will have effects from it. For example, a neck injury can lead to paralysis of all limbs and the trunk area, but an injury to the lower back will likely impact only the legs.
Severity of damage
The severity of the damage is gauged by whether there nerve pathways are still connected. When a person can feel sensations or move the area below the injury, there are still nerve pathways intact, so the injury is known as an incomplete one. This type is associated with a better recovery than a complete injury.
A complete injury means the nerve pathways around the site of the injury are severed. This leaves no sensation or movement below the level of the injury.
Anyone who suffers a spinal cord injury in a crash needs immediate medical care. For a person who has a catastrophic injury, the need for care continues for the remainder of their life. This can be costly, so they may opt to pursue a claim for compensation from the party whose negligence led to the crash. Hawaii law sets time limits for this, so it’s wise to have legal guidance to comply with those time limits and other laws related to personal injury claims.