Many people think that a slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accident is a minor event that shouldn’t result in severe injuries. The truth is that it’s possible to suffer a severe injury. The type of injury you end up with depends on how you fall and where you land.
One injury that’s possible is a spinal cord injury. This can lead to lifelong challenges and the need for extensive medical care. Here are two things that can influence what happens next:
Location of the injury
The location of the damage to the spinal cord determines what area of the body is affected by the injury. The effects of the damage are consistently below the level of the injury. This means that an injury to the neck will affect a more significant portion of the body than one to the lower back.
The severity of the injury
Not everyone who suffers a spinal cord injury has lifelong injuries. Paralysis is possible when there is severe damage, but this isn’t always the case. Spinal shock, which is the body’s response to damage to the spinal cord, can cause the effects of the injury to be more serious in the first few days after the incident. Once the swelling begins to abate, the effects might be less serious than initially experienced.
Making sure you have medical care after a spinal cord injury is critical. Proper care can help you to have the best recovery possible. If the spinal cord injury resulted from someone’s negligence, seeking compensation can help you recover the financial damages you’re dealing with. Be sure to do this quickly because New Mexico has time limits for filing the case.