A spinal cord injury can result in loss of muscle to a larger extent than can be attributed to lack of movement and mobility. A new study points to one of the lesser known, but longer term consequences of a spinal cord injury after an auto accident.
A spinal cord injury is a serious personal injury that is caused when there is an injury to the spine during an auto accident, or motorcycle accident or pedestrian accident. Spinal cord injuries may also be caused in slip and fall accidents. The degree and severity of the spinal cord injury can depend on the location of the vertebrae where the injury occurs. Spinal cord injuries can result in loss of movement and mobility making it impossible for the person to stand, walk and otherwise use his or her limbs. These personal injuries significantly alter a person’s life and his ability to earn a living and live a normal life after the personal injury.
A new study finds that there are long term consequences of a spinal injury that we may not be aware of. The study recently found that a spinal cord injury can cause significant muscle wastage in patients. Some degree of muscle wastage in patients who have suffered a spinal cord injury is to be expected because of the lack of movement and exercise that can cause muscles to wither away. According to the study, however, the kind of muscle wastage that a person with these injuries suffers cannot simply be explained away by lack of movement. In fact, the researchers believe that it has more to do with the ability of the adrenal glands to receive nerve signals.
The researchers say that it is important to understand more about muscle wastage in this particularly fragile group of patients. They also believe that muscle wastage is probably one of the reasons why thin patients who suffer from spinal cord injury have a much higher mortality rate.
A person who has suffered a spinal injury may be at risk of paraplegia or quadriplegia. A person with paraplegia may have limited ability or no ability to move the lower parts of the body, while a person with quadriplegia may have his legs, arms and trunk all impacted with limited ability to move. Not surprisingly, a spinal cord injury is not only one of the most devastating injuries, but also one of the most expensive to live with. Apart from immediate medical expenses, patients and families may be looking at long term medical expenses, hospitalization, surgeries, and medications. A person with paraplegia, for instance, may require wheelchairs and a specialized apparatus that helps him or her get in and out of bed. A quadriplegic may require round-the-clock nursing assistants and care. All of these services require financial investments that must be factored into any claim for damages after a spinal cord injury.
The Atlanta car accident attorneys at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to the representation of persons who have suffered car accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across the state of Georgia. If your loved one has suffered injuries in a car accident, talk to an attorney at our firm and discuss your legal options for a claim for damages. You may qualify for compensation that includes medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering and other forms of compensation. Talk to an attorney at our firm and discuss your case. Initial consultations are free.