Spinal Cord Injury

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In Britain each day two people are permanently paralysed from an accident which damages their spinal cord. Spinal cord injury can result in complete loss of movement and sensation affecting the legs (paraplegia) or the legs and arms (tetraplegia). Bladder, bowel and sexual function are often affected too. General mobility is usually severely hampered and a large number of people who sustain spinal cord injury become wheelchair users.

Like traumatic brain injuries, most spinal cord injuries result from accidents. These events cause trauma to the vertebral column which can effect the spinal cord's ability to send and receive messages from the brain to parts of the body that control motor, sensory, and autonomic functions. In some cases, the spinal cord may only be bruised or swollen, and the nerves may gradually continue to work again over a period of time.

Specific effects of an spinal cord injuries on the body usually depend on the location and severity of the injury. The nerves above an injury site often continue to function normally, while the nerves below it do not. Also, the closer the injury is to the brain, the greater the loss of feeling or function.

The most common causes of spinal cord injuries are motor vehicle accidents, followed by falls, acts of violence and sporting accidents. Medical malpractice, such as improper epidural injection, is also a cause of significant spinal cord injury.

Coming to terms with a spinal cord injury can be a long and difficult process. Having to cope also with making a personal injury claim, and all the ramifications of the legal system, can be a daunting prospect.