Spinal Cord Injuries Information By Injury Accident Attorney Cullotta 

Each year, 11,000 Americans suffer a spinal cord injury. Spinal cord injuries, like brain injuries, are often caused by serious car accidents and slip and fall accidents, and they typically result in paralysis.  

Living with a spinal cord injury or a traumatic brain injury is devastating enough. However, the astronomical financial costs of the required medical care can push victims and their families into serious economic crises.

Cullotta Law Offices 847-651-7191 are Leading Illinois Brain Injury & IL Spinal Injury Lawyers – THROUGHOUT Illinois. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.

Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

The effects of a spinal cord injury depend on the type of injury and the level of the injury. There are two types of injury: complete and incomplete.

• Complete: A complete injury means that there is no function below the level of the injury; no sensation and no voluntary movement. Both sides of the body are equally affected.
• Incomplete: An incomplete injury means that there is some functioning below the primary level of the injury.  

Neck/ Cervical Spinal Cord Injury 

• Accident Injury to C-1 and C-2 can result in a loss of many involuntary functions (e.g., inability to breathe) requiring breathing aids (e.g., ventilators or diaphragmatic pacemakers)
• Personal Injury above the C-4 level may require a ventilator for the person to breathe properly.
• Spinal Cord Injury to C-5 often has no control at the wrist or hand.
• An injury to the spinal cord between C6 and C7 vertebrae is called a C6-7 injury. These injuries generally allow wrist control, but no hand function.
• Injury to C-7 and T-1 means a person with SCI  can straighten their arms but still may have dexterity problems with the hand and fingers.
• Injuries at the thoracic level and below result in paraplegia, with the hands not affected.

Thoracic Back Injury (T1 – T12) 

• Spinal cord injuries below the T1 vertebra affect the legs and trunk below the injury
• Paraplegia — is paralysis of the legs
• Quadriplegia — is paralysis of the arms and legs

Lumbar Vertebrae (L1 – L5) Injury

• L1: starts at the ninth rib.
• L3 – L5: involve much of the motion in the back
• L4 – L5 and L5 – S1: are the most likely to herniate (a.k.a., herniated disc, bulging disk, compressed disk, herniated intervertebral disk, herniated nucleus pulposus, prolapsed disk, ruptured disk, slipped disk). The effects of this can cause pain and numbness that can radiate through the leg and extend down to the feet (sciatica).

Sacral Spine (S1 – S5) Injuries

• S1-S5: are the five bones that fit between the two hipbones connecting the spine to the pelvis.

Schedule a FREE Case Review Appointment

If you or a loved one suffer a spinal cord injury, it is important to discuss your case with an experienced Illinois Brain Injury attorney & IL spinal injury lawyer. Cullotta Law Office has a proven track record in serious injury from auto accidents or other serious accidents as a result of someone else’s wrongdoing.

Call 847-651-7191 or contact us online today to schedule your free consultation.