People who’ve been involved in a car wreck expect that they’re going to have some soreness in the few days following the crash. One thing that they may not think about is how something seemingly minor can actually be the result of a catastrophic injury.
One thing that victims have to beware of is back pain after a car crash. You may think that back pain is normal because of the impact, but it could signal a spinal cord injury.
Spinal cord injuries have many effects
Spinal cord injuries don’t always cause instant paralysis. Some injuries, known as incomplete injuries, don’t involve a complete severing of the nerves. This enables the person to retain some ability to move the affected limbs. They’ll also have some sensation in the area of the body below the injury.
People who have a complete injury don’t have the ability to move the area of the body below the injury, and they don’t have sensations in those areas. This is because the nerves in the area of the injury are completely severed.
There are many symptoms besides back pain that can signal a person suffered a spinal cord injury. The more common ones include:
- Loss of bowel or bladder control
- Trouble breathing
- Weakness or decreased sensation in the limbs
Anyone who has symptoms of a spinal cord injury needs prompt medical care or they risk the injury becoming worse. You may opt to pursue a claim for compensation if the crash was due to a negligent party. Time limits apply to these cases, so be sure to get yours filed quickly.