Our spine is an amazing structure. It supports the weight of our upper body and protects the vital spinal cord. It is a column of 26 bones (or vertebrae), with cartilage in between. There are three regions of the spine: cervical, thoracic, and lumbar. Between each vertebra is a thin layer of cartilage called intervertebral discs. They have a fibrous, strong outer shell wit soft pulp inside (the nucleus). Our vertebrae align just right, with their canals forming an empty “tube” space to house the spinal cord and protect it from external damage and infection. Spinal nerves extend from the spinal cord to connect with other regions of the body.

As you can imagine, this is a somewhat delicate system, existing in a delicate balance. So when someone experiences trauma to any area of their back, the spinal system is threatened. Spinal cord injuries can involve damage to the vertebrae, the disks, the cartilage, or the cord itself. We regularly see back injuries with work related injuries and auto accidents. Damage to the spine can be slow and gradual, such as seen with repetitive motion conditions. Or it can occur quickly, as seen with blunt force trauma. A sudden, serious blow to any part of your spine can fracture or even crush a vertebrae, or compress them, crushing and tearing the protective cartilage between the vertebrae bones.

The spinal cord is a primary part of the central nervous system, and so when damaged, symptoms and problems can show up all over the body. Spinal trauma affects nerve fibers that then affect all the corresponding muscles and nerves around the location of the injury.

Damage to the spine can affect movement of your limbs, can affect brain function, and even your ability to breathe. Unfortunately, many personal injury cases involve spinal injuries and the treatment and recovery process can take months or even years. In more severe cases, irreparable damage is done. Car accidents, truck accidents, and motor vehicle are the first and leading cause of spinal cord injuries. The Mayo Clinic reports that motor vehicle accidents account for 35 percent of new spinal cord injuries each year.

Slips and falls cause a good percentage of back injuries as well, especially in people over age 65. Falling on your back can cause serious damage to bone and cartilage. Approximately one quarter of spinal injuries were caused by a fall of some sort.

Note that the severity and location of the spinal damage will determine the treatment and rehabilitation involved. Treatment can be ongoing, and costly, which is why it is important to pursue every possible source of compensation if you are injured in any type of accident, in a vehicle or on the job through personal injury attorney. In a future article, we will talk more about the treatment of spinal and nervous system injuries, and the aspects of rehabilitation. Severe spinal injuries falls under the catastrophic injury umbrella, and this is the specialty of our law firm. We welcome all inquiries about this topic.