Spinal Cord Injuries from Car Accidents: Basic Information from Your Car Accident Lawyer in Tampa, Dale Appell, P.A.

While some people may think of a spinal cord injury as all-encompassing with no chance for recovery, there are actually several degrees of spinal cord injuries caused by auto accidents. In fact, it is possible for some spinal cord injury victims to regain feeling and/or function in the affected areas of their body. It is very exciting to see a spinal cord injury victim who has learned how to walk or type again, but even when only partial recovery is possible, victims are typically left with hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, and so on. When the spinal cord injury has been caused by a negligent driver, it is clearly unfair for the injured person to be responsible for these expensive medical bills and other losses. An experienced car accident lawyer in Tampa, Florida like Dale Appell, P.A. can fight for your right to financial reimbursement so that you can pay off your existing bills and have money to pay for your future care and treatment as well.

All spinal cord injuries are catastrophic, but the location of the spinal cord injury will determine which parts of the body are affected. For example, the higher your spinal cord injury, the more paralysis and numbness you will experience in your upper torso. For instance, a spinal cord injury at neck or shoulder level may leave you unable to breathe without assistance, as well as cause paralysis and numbness in your arms. A spinal cord injury at waist level can paralyze both your legs and also require you to use a catheter to go to the bathroom.

The next consideration with a spinal cord injury is whether it is an incomplete spinal cord injury or a complete spinal cord injury. An incomplete spinal cord injury means that your spinal cord is still able to send some messages back and forth to your brain. In these cases, the damage to the spinal cord is limited, so there's a chance that, over time, you may be able to regain motor function and/or feeling in the areas of your body affected by your injury.

A complete spinal cord injury means you have lost most or all of your function and feeling in the affected areas. This does not necessarily suggest that your spinal cord has been totally severed, but it does indicate there is a vast amount of damage. This makes significant recovery virtually impossible.

Whether a person suffers a complete spinal cord injury from a motorcycle accident in Tampa or an incomplete spinal cord injury from a pedestrian accident in Clearwater, the symptoms of a spinal cord injury are basically the same; they just vary in their severity. Those symptoms include:

One of the first tasks of your car accident lawyer in Tampa will be to establish the severity of your spinal cord injury, your symptoms, and your need for long-term care. An experienced lawyer will know how to fight for a settlement that pays for all of your losses, from your medical bills to your lost wages to your lost ability to work. You also deserve compensation for your pain and suffering.

To receive a free assessment of your case from a car accident lawyer in Tampa, contact the Law Offices of Dale Appell, P.A. We represent spinal cord injury victims throughout the greater Tampa Bay area including Pasco, Clearwater, St Petersburg, Palm Harbor, Largo, New Port Richey, Lutz, Hudson, Odessa, Oldsmar, and beyond.