A spinal cord injury (“SCI”) can have a sudden and overwhelming impact on a person’s life. Fortunately, many people who have suffered an SCI continue to lead productive and rewarding lives. Individuals who have suffered an SCI should become actively involved in their rehabilitation and work closely with their healthcare professionals including doctors and therapists.
The spinal cord extends from your neck to your lower back and travels through the stacked vertebrae in your back. The nerves, which branch out from the spinal cord through the vertebrae in your back transmit messages between your brain and muscles. SCI is damage to the spinal cord that results in a loss of feeling or mobility. Damage to the spinal cord is often caused by trauma which may be the result of a car accident or fall. A person who has sustained an SCI may suffer a loss of function even when the spinal cord has not been severed. A person can also break their neck or back and not suffer an SCI when the vertebrae are damaged but the spinal cord is not.
There are two types of SCI: complete and incomplete. Where there is a complete injury, there will be no function below the level of the injury, including no sensation or voluntary movement and both sides of the body are equally affected. With an incomplete injury there is some functioning below the level of injury. An individual who has suffered an incomplete injury may have some feeling in parts of the body that cannot be moved, be able to move one limb and not the other or have more functioning on one side of their body as compared to the other side.
People who have suffered a spinal cord injury often require a significant level of care for the rest of their lives, which may include 24 hour care. A person who has suffered a spinal cord injury as a result of negligence may be entitled to damages for pain and suffering, loss of income, future care needs and out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of the accident.
At Goodman Halioua LLP we understand the significance and the life-altering impact of a spinal cord injury. We are in contact with many leading healthcare professionals including rehabilitation experts who can treat and provide an accurate prognosis of the full extent and long-term implications of your spinal cord injury. We will make certain that the insurer is held to pay for your long-term needs so that you can receive the treatment and care necessary for maximum recovery and so that you can return to your ordinary activities of daily living.
Regardless of whether your spinal cord injury is the result of a motor vehicle accident or other form of negligence, the Toronto personal injury lawyers at Goodman Halioua LLP are equipped and specialized to handle your case. We will ensure maximum financial compensation is obtained from the insurance company.
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