Serious personal injuries can take many forms. The most notable and types are traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, burn injury, bone fractures, paralysis, amputation, back injury, and neck injury. Each one of these injuries requires specialized treatment efforts and may require long-term care.

Spinal Cord Injury

Victims suffering from Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) experience a traumatic blow to the bundle of nerves that carries messages to and from the brain. Damage to these nerves can cause loss of feeling, paralysis, and other severe injuries. Because the brain and spinal cord make up the Central Nervous System, any damage to the spinal cord can negatively affect the entire CNS. SCI victims may deal with quadriplegia, paraplegia, loss of motor functions, progressive loss of limb or trunk functions, loss of control of body temperature, loss of breathing functions, and other life-threatening effects.

Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) occurs when the normally protected brain is forced to impact the skull, causing usually irreversible brain damage. The extent of impact may cause the brain to swell, bruise, tear, or bleed, can cause brain cells to die, and can result in skull fracturing as well. TBI can lead to memory loss, paralysis, loss of body functions, cardiac problems, breathing problems, perceptual and cognitive dysfunction, speech problems, physical deficits, loss of coordination, communication difficulties, and psychological problems.

Burn Injury

Burn injuries are one of the most expensive injuries to treat and can cause serious psychological problems due to the accompanying disfigurement that often results. Depending on the degree of the burn injury, patients may suffer severe skin deformities and even central nervous system malfunctions if the burn depth is significant. Burn victims may require grafting procedures, ongoing therapies, and psychological counseling.

Bone Fractures

When a bone breaks, it is called a fracture. Bone fractures can have devastating consequences, especially after falls from great heights or direct impact (as in a car accident). Bone fractures may puncture the skin or stay below the skin and can include severe pain, swelling, bleeding, loss of mobility, and loss of feeling. If not treated immediately, some fractures can be life-threatening by impeding circulation. Broken bones in the head, neck and back are especially dangerous and can have long-term effects.

Paralysis

Paralysis may be caused by a spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, or other central nervous system injury. The spinal cord coordinates movement throughout the body, and the brain is the control center for carrying out those movements. When either is damaged, a victim's ability to have control over body movements, or recognize feeling, may be compromised. Victims of accidents who are told they are paralyzed can face insurmountable odds. Only a fraction of paralysis patients will fully regain use. There is no cure for many paralysis cases, although with long-term therapy and a combination of promising treatments such as decompression surgery, nerve cell transplantation, nerve regeneration, and complex drug therapies, patients may experience progress over time.

Amputation

Amputation is one of the most difficult accident effects to deal with. Patients with life-threatening injuries must face amputation in order to save their lives. While they may eventually experience full recovery, the psychological effects and physical limitation of amputation can be devastating and challenging to overcome. Amputees often experience depression, view the amputation as a sort of "death", and may be forced to live a dependent lifestyle.

Back Injury

Traumatic injury to the back can severely injury the tissues, discs, and delicate spinal cord. From a mild slipped disc to a severe spinal injury, muscle weakness, leg pain, disturbance of bladder or bowel function, and loss of feeling can occur. Although some back injuries are minor and require simple adjustments, more severe injuries can cause chronic pain, require surgery, and have crippling effects. See Spinal Cord Injury

Neck Injury

Neck injuries are very common in car accident scenarios, slip and fall cases, and construction accidents. Upon impact, the delicate neck muscles may be forced into a harmful position and victims can suffer whiplash (or neck sprain), tearing vital ligaments. Neck injuries can result in severe pain, headache, numbness, or tingling. More severe injury to the neck can result due to damage to the spinal cord, which runs up the neck to the skull. Serious neck injuries including dislocation of the spine, ruptured discs, or damaged nerves can affect a victim's range of movement and ability to walk. See Spinal Cord Injury

If a loved one is dealing with a serious brain or spinal injury, you may be able to seek compensation from the person responsible for the accident. Contact the skilled spinal cord injury lawyers in Philadelphia, PA at Pomerantz Perlberger & Lewis for your personal injury consultation.