St. Louis Dog Bite Injury Lawyers
Vertebral Fractures During A Dog Attack
Fracturing a vertebrae in your spine during a dog attack can be a very painful experience and neurologic/nerve injury is common. The usual means by which this occurs is blunt trauma – a high energy force striking the back along the spine causing fracture of the underlying vertebrae. This injury, while not common, can be seen when a dog attacks an elderly woman. As you age, the bones become weaker and fracture much more easily. If knocked over by a large dog, it does not take a very large impact or force to cause the vertebrae to fracture. The force of the fall may cause the vertebrae to fracture during the impact.
Symptoms
With a vertebral fracture the most common complaint will be back pain, often localized to a specific area of the back or neck. Also, you may have a decreased range of motion – in other words, you may not be able to twist, bend, and move your torso as much as normal. If nerve injury has occurred, you will notice pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in a certain area of your body that corresponds to the nerve injured.
Treatment and Prognosis
Treatment of a vertebral fracture from a dog attack will depend on the stability and severity of the injury. If the spine remains stable and no pieces of bone are displaced, the doctor will most likely recommend a brace for a designated time frame that will limit your movement while it heals. If the spine is not stable, if bone fragments have moved, or if the fracture has caused the bone to compress any nerves (uncommon, but you would feel weak or have numbness/tingling in the area affected by that nerve) then surgery will be needed to stabilize the spine.
Typically, people with a spine fracture have an uncomplicated and complete recovery. However, with any bone injury, you are at risk of developing arthritis in that bone/joint at an early age.Representing Missouri Dog Attack Victims
Dog owners are responsible for preventing their dogs from hurting others. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case. A negligent owner of an unsafe dog poses a serious threat that can lead to vertebral fractures and other catastrophic injuries during an attack. Our St. Louis dog bite lawyers have years of experience in handling dog bite cases. Learn more about your legal rights by calling us today at (314) 322-8515. Free consultations.
