If you have suffered a spinal cord injury due to medical or clinical negligence, the 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 for a spinal cord injury, please contact Kay Kelly, Head of Clinical Negligence or one of her team on 0800 954 9936.
Making a Spinal Cord Injury Claim
If your spinal cord is damaged as a result of an accident, injury or infection, the result can be partial or complete paralysis. This can have a devastating effect on the life of the person affected, not to mention their family.
If you suspect that medical or clinical negligence was responsible for your injury or infection, whether in the form of a delayed diagnosis or a sub-standard surgery, you may be able to claim spinal cord injury compensation.
Financial compensation can make a huge difference, helping the victims of spinal injuries improve their quality of life and regain their independence.
Spinal Injuries
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;
- 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 damage 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 spinal cord injury results in damage to the nerves at the base of the spine, results may include 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.
Contact Lanyon Bowdler
For a free consultation with an experienced spinal cord injury claims solicitor, complete our enquiry form or call 0800 954 9936.