What is Spinal Cord Injury?
Updated January 24, 2026
Damage to the spinal cord that results in temporary or permanent changes in strength, sensation, and body functions below the site of injury.
Understanding Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries can be complete (total loss of function below injury) or incomplete (some function preserved). They can cause paralysis (paraplegia or quadriplegia), loss of bladder/bowel control, chronic pain, and respiratory problems. These catastrophic injuries often result in multi-million dollar verdicts.
Examples
- 1Complete T10 injury causing paraplegia from car accident
- 2Incomplete cervical injury with partial quadriplegia
- 3Lifetime care costs exceeding $5 million
Related Terms
Whiplash
A neck injury caused by a sudden back-and-forth movement of the head, commonly occurring in rear-end car accidents.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
A disruption in normal brain function caused by a bump, blow, jolt to the head, or penetrating head injury, ranging from mild concussions to severe permanent damage.
Concussion
A mild traumatic brain injury caused by a blow or jolt to the head that temporarily affects brain function, causing symptoms like headache, confusion, and memory problems.
Soft Tissue Injury
Damage to muscles, ligaments, tendons, or other connective tissues, often caused by trauma, overuse, or sudden movements like those in car accidents.
Herniated Disc
A spinal injury where the soft inner material of a spinal disc pushes through the tough outer layer, potentially pressing on nearby nerves and causing pain, numbness, or weakness.
For Personal Injury cases
The record behind a term like this one is built by the client, not the file.
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