Spinal cord injuries are catastrophic injuries that cause lifetime consequences. People with spinal cord injuries often experience permanent functional changes and require ongoing medical support. They may also have significant reductions in their earning potential.
Individuals with spinal cord injuries and their close family members often have a lot of questions after the initial panic subsides. For example, they may need help translating medical documentation related to the injury. Many people find the language used to describe spinal cord injuries somewhat confusing.
Understanding how doctors classify spinal cord injuries can help people understand their prognosis and evaluate their need for compensation after a car crash or an aviation incident results in a spinal cord injury.
Complete versus incomplete injuries
One of the most important details about a spinal cord injury is the severity of the injury. Every spinal cord injury typically requires immediate stabilization and emergency medical care. However, the long-term support needs and prognosis of the patient depend on the severity of the injury.
Most people immediately think of complete spinal cord injuries. A complete injury severs the connection between the brain and the body below the site of the injury. Incomplete injuries involve damage, including pinching or tearing of the spinal cord, that does not fully separate the upper spinal cord from the lower spinal cord.
People with incomplete injuries can sometimes recover lost function and sensation with treatment. They also usually have slightly lower lifetime medical expenses than those with complete injuries.
Placement descriptions
When doctors describe a spinal cord injury, they often describe it using a letter and a number. The seemingly confusing terminology actually helps to identify the exact placement of the injury on the spine. The three main sections of the spine are the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine.
The number that follows the letter C, T or L indicates which exact vertebra is closest to the location of the injury. Typically, injuries that are higher on the spine, especially cervical spinal cord injuries, tend to have higher price tags and greater functional implications for the injured party.
Understanding the language surrounding a spinal cord injury is critical when seeking compensation. The location and severity of the injury can influence the amount of compensation that an injured party needs to request.