Coping with a Spinal Cord Injury in Virginia: Health Risks and Complications

The most common symptom of a spinal cord injury—or at least the most preoccupying—is paralysis. While some patients may experience temporary loss of movement or sensation, paralysis of the limbs is considered to be less critical than internal paralysis. A spinal cord injury can cause signals to get lost between your brain and your fingers—but also between your brain and your organs. Your body’s ability to self-regulate can be compromised if your spinal cord is damaged, making unassisted survival impossible.

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Some physical complications following SCI include:

• Loss of bladder control
• Sexual impotence or infertility
• Bowel dysfunction
• Blood pressure inconsistencies
• Bed sores
• Inability to regulate body temperature
• Chronic pain
• Inability to sweat without injury

Since they are immuno-compromised, SCI sufferers also have an increased chance of untimely death due to disease. Most common causes of death among SCI victims are pneumonia, septicemia, kidney failure and pulmonary embolism. Those suffering from neck injuries often need breathing assistance, and may require either short-term or lifelong respiratory support.

As experienced DC brain injury lawyers, we know that the severity of the injury depends on the extent of damage to the spinal cord, the location of the injury, and the treatment immediately following the accident. A person’s recovery in the first six months after the injury is often indicative of his recovery level for the rest of his lifetime.

Even patients with incomplete spinal cord injuries suffer complications. Loss of income and cost of care put an enormous financial strain on SCI sufferers. Only 11% of SCI patients are fully employed one year after their accidents, while 7% are forced to change living situations by moving into hospitals or assisted living facilities. While the cost of living for SCI patients continues to rise, their ability to pay for it drastically decreases. If you need help dealing with an increased cost of living as a result of a spinal cord injury, contact Shevlin Smith today at (703) 591-0067 for advice from a trusted Fairfax personal injury attorney.