Types of spinal injury
The spinal cord runs inside the protective bones of the spine and carries the signals between the brain and the rest of the body. When it is damaged, the effects depend on where the injury sits and how severe it is. This matters for your recovery and for your claim, because the severity of the injury directly shapes what compensation needs to cover.
Spinal injuries are usually described as complete, where signals can no longer pass below the injured point, or incomplete, where some function remains. Injuries are also grouped by the area of the spine affected: the cervical spine at the neck, the thoracic spine in the middle of the back, and the lumbar and sacral spine lower down. As a general rule, the higher up the spine the injury occurs, the more of the body it affects.
Paraplegia claims
Paraplegia is the loss of movement and sensation in the lower body, usually caused by damage to the thoracic, lumbar or sacral spine. A spinal cord injury claim of this severity commonly needs to account for personal care, adaptations to the home, mobility and specialist equipment, lost earnings, and long-term support.
We know that these injuries affect the whole family, not only the injured person. Where you are reading this on behalf of someone you love, we are here to guide you through what a claim involves and what it can achieve.
Tetraplegia (quadriplegia) claims
Tetraplegia, also called quadriplegia, affects all four limbs and arises from injury to the cervical spine. It is often the most severe outcome of a spinal cord injury and can affect breathing and other essential functions. Claims for tetraplegia typically involve the highest levels of lifelong care, round-the-clock support, and the most significant future costs.
The more severe the injury, the more carefully the claim has to be built, because the aim is to secure enough to support the injured person for the rest of their life. This is specialist work, and it is exactly the kind of serious spinal injury claim our team handles.
Cauda equina syndrome claims
Cauda equina syndrome is caused by compression of the bundle of nerves at the base of the spinal cord. It is a medical emergency, and any delay in diagnosing or treating it can cause permanent and avoidable harm. Warning signs can include severe lower back pain, numbness around the saddle area, and loss of bladder or bowel control, and they need urgent medical attention.
Unlike a traumatic spine injury, these cases often arise from a delayed diagnosis or a failure to act quickly enough, which can raise questions of medical negligence rather than an accident. Whether your injury followed an accident or the care you received, we can advise you on whether you have grounds to make a claim.
