The spinal cord is connected to your brain, running down the middle of your back to the base of your spine. It is about the diameter of a finger, and it is protected by your column of vertebrae. There is a clear fluid called Cerebral Spinal Fluid which provides a cushion for the nerve tissues of the spinal cord, preventing them from getting damaged by routine daily contact with the inside of the vertebrae.
Your spinal cord is made up of millions of nerve fibers that send electrical impulses between your brain and the other parts of your body, including:
- Arms
- Legs
- Organs
Together, your brain and spinal cord make up the Central Nervous System. Nerves extend from the spinal cord, passing through holes in the vertebrae to relay information from the brain to the rest of the body and from the body back to the brain.
There are four groups of spinal nerves which carry information to the rest of your body. In descending order, they are:
- Cervical nerves – located in the neck, they supply movement and feeling to arms, neck and upper torso.
- Thoracic nerves – located in the upper back, they supply movement and feeling to the torso and abdomen.
- Lumbar nerves and sacral nerves – located in the lower back, they supply movement and feeling to the legs, bladder, bowel, and sexual organs.
When you suffer a spinal cord injury, trauma to the region results in a loss of function of nerves in the spinal cord. In serious spinal cord injuries, nerves below the injury become incapacitated, resulting in partial or total paralysis. These tragic injuries often require a lifetime of medical care.
Indiana spinal cord injury lawyer Richard Truitt has been helping spinal cord injury victims receive the compensation they deserve for more than 37 years. He has a deep understanding of the nature of these injuries, and he will provide you with aggressive representation to ensure the negligent party is held accountable. Mr. Truitt will not rest until you have received a fair settlement that helps you cope with this life altering injury.
Please contact our Indiana spinal cord injury lawyer today to schedule your free initial consultation with Mr. Truitt.
