Many traumatic injuries caused by car crashes respond well to treatment. With appropriate medical intervention, people can expect to make a full recovery from common injuries. Broken bones, lacerations and soft tissue injuries typically respond well to proper medical care. People may need medical treatment and time away from work, but they can heal completely with the right support.
Unfortunately, not all car crash injuries are easy to treat and fully curable. Some injuries are catastrophic and cause permanent medical consequences. Spinal cord injuries are some of the most severe injuries possible in a car crash scenario.
People with spinal cord injuries lose their physical sensations and motor control below the site of the injury. Do medical professionals have the resources and technology necessary to cure spinal cord injuries?
Some patients may recover lost function
The severity of a spinal cord injury and also its placement on the spine can affect whether the injured person is likely to improve with treatment. Incomplete spinal cord injuries do not sever the spinal cord. The trauma pinches, tears or otherwise damages the spinal cord.
With proper treatment, physical therapy and rest, people with incomplete spinal cord injuries sometimes make a partial recovery. They can regain some lost function and sensation. However, the extent of the patient’s recovery depends on a variety of different factors. Not everyone with incomplete spinal cord injuries improves with treatment, as each case is unique.
Those with complete spinal cord injuries typically experience a permanent loss of sensation and motor function below the injury site. However, there is hope on the horizon. Medical researchers have been able to use implants combined with physical therapy and electronic technology to help multiple people with complete spinal cord injuries regain the ability to walk.
The treatment does not eliminate the loss of sensation but can theoretically help the injured person regain some of their lost motor function. Brand-new treatments are often difficult to access, as insurance does not cover them. Even without cutting-edge experimental care, the medical support necessary after a spinal cord injury can prove to be prohibitively expensive.
Those who sustained spinal cord injuries in car crashes may need help pursuing compensation so that they can afford treatment. Pursuing compensation can potentially help those with catastrophic collision injuries afford care and support themselves after a wreck.