5th September is World Spinal Cord Injury Day 2023, an international day to recognise and raise awareness of spinal injuries.
What is a spinal cord injury?
The spinal cord is an extension of the brain and is made up of nerves. The nerves carry messages from our brain to the rest of our body which in turn help us to move, feel pressure/sensation, and control functions like breathing, blood pressure, and bladder/bowel activity.
When the spinal cord is damaged, the communication between our brain and the rest of our body is disrupted, resulting in loss of movement and sensation from below the level of injury.
There are more than 50,000 people living with a spinal cord injury in the UK. Every four hours, a person becomes newly spinal cord injured. This can be through an accident, illness, health condition, or negligent medical treatment.
Those who suffer a spinal injury, by whatever means, are left with life-changing consequences, and the situation can feel catastrophic.
World Spinal Cord Injury Day 2023
This year’s theme for World Spinal Cord Injury Day is Access to SCI Services; A Life Less Complicated. The theme is focused on accessing spinal cord injury services, which is critical for anyone suffering from a spinal injury, and for their families.
Access to these services can be very complicated due to issues such as lack of resources, geographic location, financial constraints, or lack of knowledge about the services available.
The International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) is working towards improving access to services for people with spinal cord injuries. They are advocating for increased funding and support, promoting awareness, and working to remove barriers preventing people from accessing vital services.
Support
Finding and accessing support to help deal with a spinal cord injury is vital.
Here are some useful websites to consider if you’re looking for this support:
Spinal cord injuries and medical negligence – How we can help
Sadly, spinal cord injuries could arise due to mistakes by healthcare professionals. This could be due to substandard surgery, or delayed or missed diagnosis, for example.
At Nelsons, our Medical Negligence team in Derby, Leicester, and Nottingham prides itself on our friendly and professional service and we are always happy to discuss the circumstances of your potential claim either over the phone, via email, or at a meeting.
We offer:
- No win, no fee services
- Legal aid in some cases
- Help with rehabilitation for your injuries
The team is also highly regarded by independently researched publications, The Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners, and are members of the Spinal Injuries Association, Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel, and the AvMA (Action against Medical Accidents) Specialist Panel.
If you have any questions in relation to the subjects discussed in this article, then please get in touch with Danielle Young, Legal Director and Solicitor, or another member of the team on 0800 024 1976 or via our online form.
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