If you are a victim of medical or clinical negligence our highly experienced team of solicitors at Lanyon Bowdler can assist you in the event you wish to complain or seek compensation. For legal advice on making a clinical or medical negligence claim please contact Paula Nash, Head of Clinical Negligence or one of her team on 0800 954 9936.
If the spinal cord is damaged as a result of an accident, injury or infection then this may result in partial or complete paralysis. This can have a devastating effect on the day-to-day life of the person affected. This damage can occur as a result of medical negligence - for example if there has been a delay in diagnosis and treatment, or sub-standard surgery.
It may be possible to make a claim for compensation which could make a huge difference to achieving a good quality of life and independence.
The spine is divided into sections: cervical (neck), thoracic, lumbar and sacral, with different nerves attached at each level. Damage to the cervical spine will affect the use of the hand and arm, damage at the thoracic level will result in chest and abdominal problems and damage to the lumbar and sacral nerves will result in bladder and bowel symptoms. If the damage is severe then all muscle power below the level of injury is lost. If this is at the cervical level both arms and legs will be affected – this is known as quadriplegia.
Once the spinal cord has been damaged, it cannot repair itself and any resulting paralysis will therefore be permanent. However if the cord has only been partially compressed by the injury, but can be successfully released by surgery there may be some recovery of function.
Cauda Equina
If the nerves at the base of the spine are damaged then this can cause numbness, loss of sensation and pain in the legs, buttocks and pelvis together with incontinence. Urgent treatment is needed to avoid permanent damage. A medical negligence claim may therefore be possible where there has been a delay in diagnosing and treating this problem.
For a free consultation call 0800 954 9936