Spinal cord injuries are often the subject of Social Security Disability claims. An injury can leave someone permanently paralyzed or with a significant loss of mobility and range of motion. It may be impossible for them to ever work again, and they may even need ongoing medical care or assistance.
All spinal cord injuries are unique, but it is very important to look at the location of that injury. This can have a significant impact on exactly what symptoms someone will see and how it affects their life moving forward.
The 4 main areas
To start with, here are the four main areas where damage and injuries can occur:
- Sacral injuries: These are low injuries between the tailbone and the pelvis.
- Lumbar injuries: These injuries happen from the L1 to the L5 vertebrae. They are lower back injuries.
- Thoracic injuries: Thoracic injuries are about at the level of a person’s chest, from the T1 to the T12.
- Cervical injuries: Cervical injuries occur from the C1 to the C8 vertebrae, in a person’s neck.
With a spinal cord injury, the loss of motion, feeling and sensation occurs below the injury location. So an injury to the C5 vertebrae in the neck could have a much different impact than an injury to the S1 near a person’s tailbone. For instance, a neck-level injury may mean they can no longer use their hands or arms, while a lower back injury will not.
When these serious spinal cord injuries occur, they can lead to lifelong disabilities. If you are in this situation, it is important to know what legal steps to take as you seek proper SSDI benefits.