It’s hard to appreciate our good health when we have it, but when a car accident occurs, a serious injury can change our lives forever. Back injuries are quite common after an accident occurs, but the symptoms do vary depending on the location of the injury. It’s important to receive medical attention immediately, as the injury can progressively get worse. Back injury attorneys will be able to help you with your case and ensure that you receive the compensation that you deserve for your injury.
Symptoms of a Back Injury
The symptoms of your back injury depend on the location where the injury takes place, but these are general symptoms to look out for:
- Numbness
- Pain
- Weakness or paralysis
- Loss of bladder and bowel control
- Increased muscle tone
These are symptoms that are apparent when a spinal cord injury, at any level, occurs. Your symptoms will vary depending on whether you have sustained a complete spinal injury or an incomplete spinal injury.
Treatment for Your Injury
A spinal cord injury is not something that you leave until the last minute to receive medical attention for—you need treatment immediately! Depending on your injury, you might even need surgery to:
- Realign your spinal bones;
- Remove any fluid or tissues that are pressing on the spinal cord;
- Remove fragments of bones, discs, or foreign objects; or
- Fuse spinal braces in place or broken spinal bones.
Even after surgery, many patients need occupational therapy, physical therapy, or some form of rehabilitation after an injury has healed.
Injury Prevention
Before an injury occurs, there are many ways to prevent an injury from happening in the first place. Here are a few tips to avoid major spinal cord injuries:
- If you are involved in a dangerous activity or sport, always wear the appropriate equipment to protect you from injury.
- Never dive into shallow water, as this is a major cause of spinal cord trauma.
- Football and sledding are extremely dangerous activities and cause many spinal cord injuries. Be aware of your surroundings before sledding down a hill, and always wear protective football equipment before a game.
- Wear a seatbelt to prevent spinal injury in the case of a serious car accident.
These are a few general tips to protect you from a spinal cord injury....It is important to follow the rules for every sport and activity you take place in, or it might cause you great discomfort, disability or possibly cost you your life.
Hiring Back Injury Attorneys
Back injury attorneys will ensure that you receive fair compensation after a serious spinal cord injury occurs. Spinal cord injuries can require surgery and rehabilitation that can last a lifetime—so you need to be prepared for the medical expenses. A Toronto personal injury lawyer will help you with your case, guiding you through your claims process step-by-step. Book a free consultation with a Toronto personal injury lawyer at Sokoloff today.
Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/spinal-cord-trauma/overview.html