Spinal cord injuries from events like motorcycle crashes or slip-and-fall incidents may heal without future issues; however, it’s also possible that these injuries are permanent. Living life with a damaged spinal cord isn’t easy.
Challenges, such as changes in abilities and a dramatic uptick in medical appointments can be difficult. Spinal cord injury patients also have to be on the lookout for secondary conditions that might appear because of the damage to the spinal cord. Some of the more common include:
- Pressure sores: Open areas of the skin that are caused by friction or constant pressure. These are often the result of remaining in one position for a prolonged period. More serious cases require medical care.
- Urinary tract infections: Many spinal cord injury patients have to use urinary catheters to drain urine from the bladder. This can introduce bacteria into the urinary tract system. Antibiotics are necessary to treat these infections.
- Pain: While the pain itself is a difficult thing to deal with after this type of injury, there are complications that can come with it. Some individuals might suffer from autonomic dysreflexia if the pain is below the level of the injury. Autonomic dysreflexia is a medical emergency.
- Pneumonia: It’s possible that a person whose lungs are impacted by the spinal cord injury will suffer from pneumonia because they can’t breathe normally or cough to clear the lungs.
The treatments for complications that come with spinal cord injuries can be costly, especially when the person is already covering the cost of care for the injury itself. When the injury was the result of someone else’s negligence, seeking compensation can help to transfer those expenses to that party that’s liable for the negligent act.
