Indiana Personal Injury Lawyers | Truitt Law Offices Blog

Jobsite spinal cord injuries can be broken down into three primary types:

• Contusions – The most common type of spinal cord injuries, contusions are bruises on the spinal cord and result in temporary debilitation of the various motor functions. The most common causes of contusions are falls, slips, and any number of industrial accidents that can cause blunt force impact to the spine.
• Compression – Almost as common as contusions, compression can occur when a blunt impact causes the spine to twist or turn beyond its normal range of flexibility, or when a blunt force impact causes the spinal discs to compress. For example, a fall onto the sacral spine can create an impact that crushes the vertebrae. As with contusions, any number of industrial accidents can cause spinal cord compression.
• Lacerations – Lacerations are cuts or tears in the spinal cord. Lacerations are caused when something sharp severs through one or more layers of the spinal; cord. People who work on or around sharp tools, on construction sites, or close to sheet metal, glass, or other sharp objects are susceptible to spinal cord lacerations on the job.

The long term impact of spinal cord injuries is dependent on the location and severity of the injury. Temporary loss of motor function, treatable with limited motion or back braces is common for contusions and some compression injuries. Laceration and more severe compression injuries may require longer periods of inactivity, surgery, and long term physical therapy. Because these injuries are often sustained at work, your company's workers compensation should cover your expenses.

But what do you do if your company denies your claim, or if the amount allotted is insufficient for your medical and personal expenses? In these cases, having an experienced spinal cord lawyer on your side is the most important decision you can make.

If you or a loved one live in Indiana and have suffered a spinal cord injury at work, please contact the Truitt Law Offices for an initial consultation.