Sustaining any injury in today's world comes with a host of complications that extend far beyond the mere physical effects of the bodily harm itself. For a working individual, depending on the nature and severity of the wounds it may be temporarily or even permanently impossible to return to a job in one's chosen field. This can introduce a lasting impediment to your ability to earn income and the resulting financial hardship may be extreme. Furthermore, the costs of even basic medical care are astronomically expensive in the current health care market, so life-saving or ongoing treatments for serious injury can financially cripple a family.

Spinal cord injuries (SCI) are among the most difficult to bear because the effects are often irreversible and exceptionally far-reaching. The spine protects the connections that link the brain and the nerve endings, and any injury disrupts the flow of electrical signals between the two can produce disastrous results.

Possible Effects of Spinal Cord Injuries

The effect of a spinal cord injury depends largely upon the severity of the injury and the vertical placement on the spine. Generally the communications below the point of the wound will be compromised, so the severity of SCIs increases as the injury's location moves higher up. Some of the possible effects of these injuries include:

• Partial paralysis (paraplegia)
• Total paralysis (quadriplegia)
• Loss of sensation
• Loss of muscular control
• Inability to breathe independently
• Incontinence

While some of these effects can be nominally remediated through treatment and therapy, the improvement is likely to be minor at best.

Common Causes of SCI

One commonly misunderstood element of injuries to the spine is the frequency with which they occur. Though the vertebrae provide substantial protection for the spinal cord under normal circumstances, this defense mechanism does not handle extreme impact, compression, extension, or torsion nearly so well. As a consequence of this range of threats, spinal cord injuries can occur as a result of a variety of different incidents or accidents. Some of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries include:

• Automobile accidents
• Violent assaults
• Slips, trips, and falls
• Sport-related injuries

What to Do When You Have Suffered an Injury to the 

Most SCIs can be attributed to negligence on the part of another individual or entity. For example, a drunk driver or the manufacturer of a defective tire could each be deemed responsible for an automobile accident. To provide for your family and for your long-term medical care, it is highly advisable that you speak with an experienced Houston spinal cord injury attorney.