The sacral spine is located in the area between the tailbone and lumbar spine. California residents who sustain sacral spine injuries due to the negligence of someone else may have legal recourse.
The sacrum is made up of five bones that form a triangular shape and are numbered from S-1 to S-5. Each of the numbers corresponds to the nerves that are present in that region of the spinal cord.
The nerves in the sacral region regulate the pelvic organs. These include the sex, bladder and bowel organs.
People who sustain injuries to their sacral nerves may experience a number of symptoms. They may lose some function in their legs and hips, and they may no longer have voluntary control of their bladder or bowel organs. However, with the proper special equipment, individuals with these types of injuries will be able to manage on their own. People with sacral spinal cord injuries will still have a high chance of being able to walk.
Sacral spine damage is rare and tends to occur when there is a serious injury, such as one that results from a fall or trauma being applied directly to the sacral region. Sufferers of arthritis and osteoporosis may have stress fractures develop in their sacrum.
With sacral spinal cord injuries, the prognosis and recovery outlooks for patients vary from case to case. This is due to the degree of severity of the injury and the type of injury. A person’s health at the time he or she sustained an injury is another important factor.
A personal injury attorney may advise clients about their legal options if they have sustained spinal cord injuries due to the behavior of someone else. Lawsuits may be filed against the negligent parties for medical expenses and pain and suffering that resulted from the injuries.