Neck injuries caused by accidents can lead to paralysis and long-term rehab. A neck injury can damage tendons, muscles and the spinal cord. A spinal cord injury can cause limited mobility including paralysis, chronic pain and numbness in the extremities. Most spinal injuries happen along the top seven vertebrae of the neck. Many New Jersey residents who suffer neck injuries do damage to their vertebrae and are temporarily or permanently disabled. Damage to the spinal cord occurs typically in motor vehicle and slip-and-fall accidents.
A bridesmaid in Iowa was involved in a car crash when she narrowly avoided a deer and rolled her car into a ditch. She broke her neck and was paralyzed. The woman, who was also a cheerleader, was told that there was a possibility she would never be able to walk again. But with the help of innovative therapy, she was able to walk down the aisle at her sister’s wedding three months after the accident. Her therapy involved relocating from Iowa to a hospital in California, where an advanced form of therapy that replicates walking motions on the vertebrae allowed her to achieve her dream of walking again.
New Jersey residents who are injured in car accidents and suffer spinal cord or neck injuries may be able to seek compensation for damages and rehabilitation if the accident was the result of another driver’s negligence. Those who are permanently disabled could find a way to pay for expansive rehabilitation and long-term medical care. Many who face spinal cord injuries are in need of lengthy medical stays and outpatient care.
Getting back on one’s feet can be difficult or even impossible after a spinal cord injury, but there are options for helping to compensate for short and long-term care. Even a minor injury can have effects that won’t be seen for weeks or months after. A legal professional can help injury victims ensure their legal rights and options are protected.
Source: New York Daily News, “Bridesmaid paralyzed in car crash defies odds to walk down aisle for sister’s wedding,” Lee Moran, Oct. 30, 2013
