Tampa
Personal Injury Attorney Explains Spinal Cord Structures
and Injuries
As
a personal injury attorney in
Tampa for decades, the law firm of Clark and Martino,
P.A. has experience in representing clients with spinal
cord injuries. In addition to requiring a lot of expensive
medical care, spinal cord injuries are often permanent
and affect every area of the patient’s life.
The
spinal cord is the largest nerve in your body, traveling
from your brain, going down the middle of your back,
and ending at your waist. At about 18 inches long, your
spinal cord carries messages to and from your brain
to the rest of your body. Since it plays an important
role in function and survival, your spinal cord is protected
by bones called vertebrae. The vertebral column surrounding
your spinal cord is made up of the following bone segments:
-
7 cervical vertebrae, referred to as C1-C7
-
12 thoracic vertebrae, referred to as T1-T12
-
5 lumbar vertebrae, referred to as L1-L5
-
5 sacral vertebrae, fused together at the bottom of
the spine
Underneath
the vertebrae are spinal nerves which exit at different
levels. These spinal nerves include:
- Cervical
nerves: located in the neck; provide feeling and movement
to the neck, arms, and upper trunk
- Thoracic
nerves: located in the upper back; serve the trunk
and abdomen
-
Lumbar nerves and sacral nerves: located in the lower
back; supply feeling and movement to the legs, bowel,
bladder, etc.
The
majority of spinal cord injuries are caused by trauma
to the vertebral column. A common example of spinal
cord trauma is when one or more vertebrae are fractured,
dislocated, crushed, or compressed, which pinches or
severs the spinal cord. More damage takes place when
swelling or fluid builds up around the spinal cord.
If
you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a spinal
cord injury, you may be entitled to compensation. First,
it is important to contact a Tampa
personal injury attorney as soon as possible following
your injury. Call Clark and Martino, P.A., at 1-888-868-5615
to find out more about scheduling a free consultation
to discuss your personal injury case.
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