Indiana Personal Injury Lawyers | Truitt Law Offices Blog

When someone suffers a spinal cord injury it can be difficult to understand the type and severity of the damage. In fact, in the medical community there has been much confusion about the terminology that defines injury levels, classifications, and severity. If you or a loved one has received a diagnosis of spinal cord injury you may be overwhelmed by the terms that are used to explain the damage. Terms like ASIA Impairment Scale and Zone of Partial Preservation are essential for clinicians but can be confusing to most people.

The ASIA Spinal Cord Injury Classification approach is used by most major organizations dealing with spinal cord injury. One key result is that more consistent terminology is used to describe the injuries. Within the ASIA Impairment Scale are some terms that are more understandable for patients and family members. There are two key terms that help us understand how serious an injury is:

Complete - The traditional definition of Complete Spinal Cord Injury is that there
is no voluntary motor function or conscious sensory function below the injury site. Another definition is that the patient does not have sensory and motor function at the S4 / 5 level.

Incomplete - The ASIA impairment scale provides three different definitions of Incomplete:

• Sensory but not motor function is preserved below the injury site
• Motor function is preserved and more than half of the key muscles below the injury site are impaired
• Motor function is preserved and at least half of key muscles below the injury site are impaired

Understanding terms like Complete and Incomplete is helpful but having someone on your side who really understands the issues surrounding Spinal Cord Injury is essential. If you live in the Lafayette area and you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury contact an Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Attorney at Truitt Law Offices.

Aside from the initial pain, loss of sensation, and limited functionality caused by a spinal cord injury, several side effects can be caused by spinal cord injuries. Long-term medical issues can range in severity and be disruptive to your life, and the lives of your family and friends.

Spinal cord injuries resulting in decreased mobility or paralysis can, over a long period of time, result in deep vein thrombosis. This in turn can lead to blood clots, and ultimately to strokes. Additionally, the inability to move can lead to bedsores or ulcers on the buttocks, hips, and heels. Painful muscle spasms and disfiguration can also be caused by long periods of immobility. Depending on the damage done, physical therapy may be an effective tool against immobility.

Because your spinal cord houses the nerves for your entire body, every muscle, and gland in your body can be adversely affected by spinal cord injuries. Damage to nerves controlling the abdominal region can result in a loss of bladder and bowel control. Damage to nerves regulating breathing can result in decreased capacity to breathe. Damage to nerves responsible for sexual organs can result in sexual dysfunction. Over time, these things can lead to reliance on permanent medical intervention from respirators, to colostomy bags.

Spinal cord injuries cause immediate pain, and long-term issues that can make life difficult and frustrating. They can also result in oppressive medical expenses, both in the short-term, and for the life of the injured. Most spinal cord injuries are caused by traumatic accidents, often at no fault of the injured. These costs, both physical and monetary are terribly unfair for the victim to assume.

If you or a loved one live in Indiana and have suffered a spinal cord injury through no fault of your own, please contact the Truitt Law Offices for an initial consultation.

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.

An estimated 11,000 individuals suffer from a spinal cord injury every year. Automobile accidents account for over 40% of all spinal cord injuries, followed closely by falls, gunshots, and diving accidents. Sports related accidents account for a number of injuries each year as well. 53% of injuries occur in people aged 16 to 31, a group young enough to suffer the long term impacts of spinal cord injuries.

Spinal cord injuries can negatively impact your quality of life; almost certainly in the immediate aftermath, but often for years to come as well. Medical costs associated with the initial treatment and long term rehabilitation is never inexpensive, and the result of these costs can be devastating. In addition, symptoms that include loss of basic motor function or even breathing on your own can permanently impair your ability to enjoy their life.

An experienced lawyer, one with sufficient expertise and a proven record in dealing with spinal cord injuries, is incredibly important to have in your corner. Insurance companies, workers compensation, and liability companies do best when they remain unchallenged; but your quality of life depends on your ability to obtain a settlement that covers your continued medical expenses, and provides you with the peace of mind that you can provide for yourself and your family.

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

The symptoms of spinal cord injuries depend on the location and severity of the injury. An injury to your cervical or upper thoracic area may result in loss of functionality in arms, neck, head, and breathing muscles. Injuries to the lower thoracic, lumbar, or sacral area can result in loss of functionality in the abdomen, legs, genitals, bowel, and bladder. The severity of the symptoms will rely on how much damage has been done. For example, if your spine is only partially injured, your spine will still be able to transmit some messages to your brain, a function completely disrupted by complete injury will result in the message never being received.

Typical symptoms of all types of spinal injuries include:

• Pain
• Loss of sensation
• Limited or impaired movement
• Difficulty breathing, or painful breathing
• Decreased sexual functionality
• Decreases in bowel and bladder control

Again, the symptoms are reliant on the location and severity of the injury, but all spinal cord injuries will result in one or more of these symptoms to varying degrees.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms and believe you are suffering from spinal cord injury, no matter the severity, please contact your physician immediately for a physical examination to determine if treatment is necessary.

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

Severe spinal cord injury as the result of an accident can impact your life in ways both small and large. Initially, the injury can result in pain, and loss of motor functionality. In turn, your ability to work, your quality of life, and your capacity to perform basic tasks can be destroyed.

If you have sustained a spinal cord injury, an experienced doctor will be able to determine the type, location, and most effective method of treatment. Treatment can range from limiting mobility to back braces to surgery. After the initial period of inactivity, a range of long term treatment options may be necessary for complete recovery. These can include physical therapy, continued limitation of activities, and pain management through the use of prescriptions. In all, the medical expenses related to spinal cord injury can be oppressive and overwhelming.

If you have been involved in an accident that resulted in spinal cord injury, it is important to contact a lawyer with sufficient experience in dealing with these injuries to ensure you get the compensation you deserve. Eliminating the burden of medical bills, and providing you with comfort and security while you fully recover is a priceless benefit.

If you or a loved one live in Indiana and have suffered a severe spinal cord injury through no fault of your own, please contact the Truitt Law Offices for an initial consultation.

Your spinal cord is a delicate, double layered tube that extends from your first lumbar vertebra to the base of your brain. Your spinal cord has three layers, an outer layer consisting of nerve fibers that control your body's reaction to sensory stimuli like heat, pressure, and pain. The outer layer sends signals to your muscles and glands so they can react accordingly to each sensation. The middle layer contains the cerebrospinal fluid, and the inner layer forms sheets that project away from the cord between the pairs of nerve roots. Your spinal cord is the very center of your central nervous system, containing all nerve roots, and responsible for every sensory stimulation.

Traumatic events like automobile accidents, slip and falls, and acts of violence can damage your spinal cord with mild results such as temporary loss of feeling, or extremely serious and potentially deadly permanent paralysis. Secondary medical issues that can arise include atrophy, venous thrombosis, and even death. Only 50% of spinal cord injury sufferers regain complete function and feeling in their body. Compression caused by blunt force impact, contusions caused by head on impact, and lacerations from projectiles or incision are all possible causes of spinal cord injury.

A slippery stairwell at work, a faulty chair, another's reckless driving, any number of events can cause an accident that results in a spinal cord injury. The initial costs of hospitalization, and diagnosis, coupled with the long term costs of rehabilitation and recovery can be devastating. That's why it's imperative that you have an experienced spinal cord lawyer on your side.

If you or a loved one live in the state of Indiana and have suffered a traumatic accident resulting in a spinal cord injury, please contact the Truitt Law Offices for an initial consultation.