The thoracic area of the spinal cord makes up the middle part of the back and is responsible for controlling function in the chest, abdominals, and middle to lower back. The nerves connecting to the spinal cord here play a crucial role when it comes to maintaining balance, breathing, and coughing.
Unfortunately, this means that thoracic spinal cord injuries in Creve Coeur can be uniquely debilitating and require specialized care. If you sustained harm because of another person’s misconduct, a dedicated spinal cord accident attorney could provide the assistance you need to pursue fair compensation.
Different parts of the thoracic spine are differentiated by the specific vertebra and the specific types of bodily functions that they govern. The thoracic spine consists of the T-1 through the T-12 vertebrae. Which thoracic vertebrae control what body parts are as follows:
Lower thoracic spine trauma may only cause harm of that nature or potentially result in some additional loss of muscle control in the abdominals. Upper thoracic spine injuries may cause additional paralysis in the chest and lower back muscles.
With rare exceptions, people in the area with thoracic spinal cord trauma do not have lasting loss of function in the arms, hands, or fingers.
One factor that makes civil recovery for thoracic spine damage unique is that losses associated with it vary significantly from person to person.
For example, someone who primarily works behind a desk may be able to work at their old job and suffer no lasting damage to their employment prospects. Although they still could and should seek restitution for medical expenses, physical pain, and personal damage, they would not need to recover for loss of earning capacity.
The same could not be said for a person who was in a local accident that hurt their thoracic spinal cord who performed manual labor for work prior to getting hurt. They may be unable to ever return to their old job or potentially hold any gainful employment whatsoever because of their losses. Guidance from a knowledgeable attorney is often crucial to identifying and accurately valuating all recoverable damages for a thoracic spine accident claim.
Even if you sustained an incomplete injury that gives you a chance at recovery, any kind of thoracic spinal cord injury in Creve Coeur can have debilitating consequences. Recovering all of your losses can be next to impossible without support from a legal professional with a history of successful results in similar cases. Call our office today to learn more about your legal options.
