Posted on Friday, October 26th, 2018 at 5:56 pm
One of the most traumatic injuries a person may suffer because of a motor vehicle accident, slip & fall accident, or other personal injury accident is a spinal cord injury. Spinal cord injuries can result in complete or partial paralysis. Therefore, victims of SCI may face years of rehabilitative therapies. Even with therapy, they may still be unable to return to work or perform normal daily activities.
When the spinal cord injury is caused by another person, you might be entitled to compensation to help pay for rehabilitation after an SCI. Our Sacramento spinal cord injury attorneys can help you file a claim to seek money to help you pay for the expenses related to a spinal cord injury.
What is Included in Rehabilitation Therapy After a Spinal Cord Injury?
The spinal cord carries messages to and from the brain to all areas of the body. However, your spinal cord does not need to be severed for you to suffer a complete spinal cord injury. A blunt impact to the spinal cord can cause severe damage and secondary conditions that may result in paralysis.
With a complete SCI, you lose all sensation and movement in the areas of the body controlled by the spinal cord below the site of injury. Therefore, the higher the injury on the spinal cord, the more chance that you might suffer complete paralysis of all limbs and your torso.
The types of therapy included in spinal cord injury rehab depend on the person, the person’s needs and abilities, and the severity of the spinal cord injury. Most spinal cord rehabilitation plans have four main goals:
- Improving your physical function, including strength and mobility;
- Teaching you how to use various equipment and other adaptive technologies to perform daily tasks;
- Helping you to develop skills and strategies to perform daily tasks with your new level of mobility and sensory level; and,
- Working with you to develop coping skills to overcome the psychological and emotional barriers that could prevent you from adjusting to your new way of performing tasks.
Working with a Spinal Cord Rehabilitation Team
There are many companies and medical facilities that offer rehabilitation services for spinal cord injury victims. Many of the facilities have a team of professionals that work with SCI victims to reach their goals. Some of the health care professionals that might work on your rehabilitation team include:
- Physical therapists help you improve and retain your strength, mobility, and movement.
- Occupational therapists work with you to redevelop your fine motor skills. An occupational therapist can also help you learn new ways of performing tasks.
- Speech therapists might be necessary if the spinal cord injury impacted your verbal skills.
- Mental health professionals help you deal with the emotional and psychological issues that often accompany an SCI. Many SCI victims experience periods of depression, anger, fear, and frustration. Therefore, counselors, therapists, psychologists, and neuropsychologists work with you to address the cognitive and emotional effects of a spinal cord injury.
Depending on your needs and goals, you may work with other health care professionals during SCI rehabilitation therapy. The important thing to remember is to choose a facility that specializes in rehabilitation services for spinal cord injury victims. Likewise, you also want a facility that makes you feel comfortable and confident about your SCI rehabilitation.
Schedule a Free Appointment with a Sacramento Spinal Cord Injury Attorney
If you suffered a spinal cord injury because of another person’s negligence, we want to help. Call The Tiemann Law Firm at (916) 999-9000 or visit our website to request your free case review with one of our Sacramento spinal cord injury attorneys.
