Paralysis – Spinal Cord Injuries – Paraplegia – Quadriplegia
Spinal cord injuries can produce permanent loss of feeling and function anywhere in the body, depending on where in the spinal cord the injury happened. Medical malpractice can be a serious issue for any patient and family confronted with an unexpected injury to the nerves in the spinal cord.
The most common cause of spinal cord injuries is trauma from an accident on the job or in a motor vehicle.
Malpractice in medical care can be a cause of a spinal cord injury typically in one of several situations:
- A collection of blood in the space just behind the sac containing the spinal cord, that gradually expands and puts pressure on the cord and the nerves coming out of it. This is called an epidural hematoma or spinal hematoma.
- An abscess near the spine from an infection. This causes pressure and an injury similar to what happens with a mass of blood.
- Loss of blood supply to a section of the spinal cord, such as when a patient’s blood pressure is allowed to go too low during surgery.
- Direct injury to the cord or the nerves coming out of it, due to a “misadventure” during surgery.
If the injury is in the lower back, a typical outcome could be paraplegia, either complete or partial. Paraplegia means loss of feeling and function in the legs and lower parts of the body. It also can cause pain or intense stinging, loss of bladder or bowel control, muscle spasms, changes in sexual function and fertility and shortened lifespan.
If the neck is involved, quadriplegia, also known as tetraplegia, can result. This injury can result in full or partial loss of feeling and function in all four limbs. It can also bring severe pain, loss of bladder or bowel control, spasms, changes in sexual function and fertility and shortened lifespan.
Because these injuries have such a profound effect on daily living, they merit a thorough malpractice investigation if there is any suspicion of sub-standard care.
Consult with an Experienced Malpractice Attorney
If you believe you or a family member has been seriously injured from medical malpractice, medical error, or neglect by a doctor, hospital, nurse, clinic, nursing home or other health care provider, you may want to click here to contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney for a free evaluation of your case. You can also email us at info@patrickmalonelaw.com or call us at 202-742-1500 or 888-625-6635 toll-free. We will respond within 24 hours. There is no charge for our initial consultation.
