Toronto Spinal Cord Injury Law Firm

Toronto and York Region Lawyer for Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries may result from trauma sustained in falls from height car accidents, motorcycle accidents, and slip and fall accidents.  Spinal cord injury is classified as "complete" when the nerve damage obstructs every signal coming from the brain to body parts below the injury; it is considered "incomplete" when only some of the signals are obstructed. In an incomplete injury, the amount and type of message that can pass between the brain and parts of the body will depend on the severity of the nerve damage 

The level of injury is determined by which vertebrae of the spinal cord has been injured. The closer the injury is to the brain, the greater the loss of function and feeling will be.

A person is said to have paraplegia when he or she has lost feeling and is not able to move the lower extremities. Someone with tetraplegia, (formally called quadriplegia) has lost movement and feeling in both the upper and lower extremities.

Ontario Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

Some symptoms that an accident victim may be suffering from Spinal Cord Injury at the scene of the mishap include:

• Sudden loss of consciousness

• Back pain or pressure buildup in back, head, or neck
• Severe weakness, clumsiness, or loss of movement in any body part
• No feeling or tingling sensation in hands, fingers, feet, or toes
• Loss of bladder and/or bowel control
• Inability to establish equilibrium
• Difficulty breathing
• Strangely positioned torso or neck

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Spinal Disc Injuries

The spinal discs are the cushions or shock absorbers in between the vertebrae of the spinal  column. Spinal discs are filled with fluid. A herniated disc occurrs when a disc  is damaged, and it may either bulge or break open.  This can result in disc material spilling out onto a nerve root. If the inner disc material pushes on a  nerve, it causes pain that travels through the body.  The pain from a herniated  disc injury can be severe and debilitating.  

The location  and path of the radiating pain depends on what level of the spine in which the  disc herniation occurs. When someone sustains a herniated disc injury, the pain  is not typically in the disc area itself. The disc herniation impinges upon a nerve in the  spine that causes radicular pain. This radicular pain may be described  as a pain that shoots through the body, usually to one area.

Herniated discs may be difficult to diagnose, because the  disc is not well visualized on an x-ray. As such, herniated discs are rarely  diagnosed in the emergency room after an auto accident, as most hospitals will  routinely order only an x-ray to rule out fractures.  If your doctor suspects a  herniated disc, he or she will typically order a CT scan or (MRI).

Free Consultation With Toronto Spine Injury Lawyer

If you or a loved one has sustained a spinal cord injury as a result of an accident, speak with an experienced Toronto injury lawyer to learn about your rights.  We offer free consultations to all prospective clients.  If you are unable to come to our office, we can meet with you at a more convenient location, including at your home or hospital.  To start your free consultation, call us at 416-900-1070 or toll free at 1-866-234-6093 or complete our online contact form here. 

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