What Parts of the Spine Are Most Vulnerable to Injury?

Your spine is vulnerable to injuries of all kinds. Some of these injuries are relatively minor, while others are catastrophic, potentially leading to permanent disability or even death.

By understanding which parts of the spine are most vulnerable to injury, you can better recognize serious symptoms. If you or someone you love has suffered a spinal injury in Tennessee, reach out today. Our Nashville personal injury lawyers can help you pursue compensation for the injuries you sustained.

What are spinal injuries?

Spinal injuries are injuries that involve damage to the spinal cord or to the bones, discs, ligaments, and other structures of the spine. Symptoms and potential complications associated with spinal injuries may include:

• A loss of sensation in your hands, arms, or legs
• Being unable to control your bowels/bladder
• Difficulty breathing
• Weakness
• Numbness and/or tingling in your head, neck, or back
• Paralysis
• Difficulty speaking
• Severe pain in your head, neck, or back
• A loss of movement in your hands, arms, and/or legs
• Certain types of infections, such as UTIs
• Osteoporosis/bone weakness
• Chronic pain
• Heart/blood pressure issues
• Depression/anxiety
• Blood clots
• Exaggerated muscle reflexes

If you suffer from symptoms of a spinal injury due to someone else’s negligence, an experienced personal injury attorney can help you pursue compensation. Our legal team has helped many clients obtain settlements and verdicts. While past results do not guarantee similar outcomes, as every case is different, we are here to help.

What are the different parts of the spine?

The spine is divided into separate regions, including:

• The cervical region, which is connected to the base of your skull and encompasses the top seven of your vertebrae.
• The thoracic region, which is the middle section of your spine, forms your rib cage, and encompasses twelve different vertebrae.
• The lumbar region, which is the lower part of your spine and encompasses five different vertebrae, most of which are meant to handle your upper body’s weight, support your movement, and protect your spinal cord.
• The sacrum is a triangular bone that sits right below the lumbar and connects your spine to your pelvis.
• The coccyx, which is a set of vertebrae that are fused together and located at the very end of your spine, right below the sacrum.

What parts of the spine are most vulnerable to injury?

The cervical region

The cervical region encompasses the vertebrae closest to your neck. You rely on the cervical region to move your neck and head. But, due to the cervical region being so high up, along with the mobility it offers, it is vulnerable to a number of different injuries. Some of these injuries include:

• Whiplash, which occurs when your neck suddenly moves back and forth with force. If you are riding in a car and someone rear-ends you, the force of this collision could strain your spine.
• Herniated and/or torn discs, which often begin as a tear within the cervical region. If you slip and fall on a wet surface, the sudden impact of this fall could cause a tear in your spinal disc.
• Damage to the nerves within your cervical region. If you sustain a herniated disc, this can lead to nerve damage.
• Fractures or breaks within the bones that make up your neck. If you are hit by a truck, you could break your neck/sustain another type of fracture or break.
• Dislocations in your neck’s vertebrae due to damage to ligaments. If you are riding a motorcycle and a garbage truck backs into you, you could dislocate part of your neck.

The lumbar region

The lumbar region encompasses the lower back area of your spine and consists of five vertebrae that support your upper body’s weight. You can rotate, bend, and twist, largely due to the lumbar region. This region’s weight-bearing responsibility and overall mobility support make it vulnerable to injuries of many sorts, including:

• Strains and sprains often occur when your muscles and tissues are overstretched. If you are in a car accident and your body is violently pushed around, you could sprain the ligaments and strain the muscles in your lower back.
• Fractures that occur when the vertebrae comprising your lumbar region are broken. If you slip and fall on a wet floor and you land on your lower back, you could break or fracture a few bones.
• Spinal cord injuries. If you sustain a serious fracture in your lower back, this fracture could push bone fragments into the spinal canal or nerve structures, causing serious neurological injury.
• Nerve damage. If you are on a motorcycle and a car crashes into you, the bodily trauma from this injury could lead to nerve damage within your lumbar region.

How can a personal injury lawyer help you obtain damages for a spinal injury?

A personal injury lawyer can help you pursue compensation for a spinal injury by:

• Filing the necessary paperwork, such as drafting a letter asking for damages and dealing with any court-related documentation, among other things.
• Calculating the economic damages you may be entitled to, based on things like medical bills, lost wages, and costs of any long-term care you may require.
• Calculating the non-economic damages you may be entitled to, such as compensation for the pain, suffering, and mental anguish you have experienced and will continue to experience due to the injury.
• Gathering the evidence you need to support the damages you are asking for; this can encompass doctor testimony and medical bills, along with other forms of evidence.
• Negotiating with the at-fault party and their insurer, among other parties, so that you can obtain the damages you are seeking.
• Determining all parties liable for your injuries; this could include the at-fault party’s insurance, a manufacturer, and the government (subject to Tennessee’s governmental immunity laws), along with many other possibilities.
• Taking your case to trial, if negotiations fail to bring you the proper settlement, and presenting your case in front of a judge and jury.

Speak with a Nashville personal injury lawyer today

A spinal injury can prevent you from living the life you want, continuing the work you do, and maintaining the financial security and independence you rely on.

If you or someone you love has suffered a spinal injury, contact us today. At Rocky McElhaney Law Firm, our Nashville personal injury lawyers are ready to help you seek compensation for the spinal injury you sustained.