Spinal Cord Injuries in Farmington: Recognize the Symptoms and Take the Next Steps

A spinal cord injury can change how a person moves, feels, and manages daily life. In Farmington, these injuries often follow a crash, a fall, or another sudden event. This guide explains the basics in plain language: what the spinal cord does, how doctors describe an injury, and which records and deadlines matter in New Mexico.

What a Spinal Cord Injury Means for Farmington Residents

A spinal cord injury damages the nerve pathways that carry messages between the brain and the body. When those pathways are hurt, signals below the injury can slow down or stop. That can affect movement, feeling, and bladder and bowel control.

The NINDS spinal cord injury overview explains that the cord has three layers of protective tissue. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) surrounds it and acts as a cushion against shock. Even with that protection, the cord can be bruised, squeezed, or cut.

Injuries can affect the cord itself or the bones, discs, and ligaments around it. A crash on a rural highway like US-64 or US-550 can cause this kind of harm. So can a fall, a diving or pool accident, or a hazard on someone’s property.

Many people read about these injuries while they are still recovering. Some are reading on a phone while a family member sits nearby. The early days are confusing, so this page takes it one step at a time.

Complete vs. Incomplete: What Doctors Look For

A complete injury means no movement or feeling below the injury. An incomplete injury means some function is still there. Doctors check strength and sensation on both sides of the body to tell the difference.

One part of the exam looks at the lowest segments of the spine. Doctors call this sacral sparing. If some feeling or movement shows up there, it can suggest that some nerve pathways survived.

Only the treating medical team can assign an injury grade. That grade may change over the first days to weeks. Early hospital notes matter because they record what the team saw at that time.

Ask for copies of those notes. Keep them with any other records from the first visits.

How Injury Level Shapes Paralysis: Tetraplegia and Paraplegia

Tetraplegia, also called quadriplegia, affects the arms, trunk, and legs. It comes from an injury in the neck area of the spine. Paraplegia mainly affects the legs and trunk. It comes from an injury in the chest, lower back, or sacral area.

The NINDS spinal cord injury overview explains which nerves control which body parts. Cervical nerves (C1 to C7) control the neck, shoulders, arms, hands, and the diaphragm. Thoracic nerves (T1 to T12) reach the chest muscles and some back muscles. Lumbar nerves (L1 to L5) reach the lower abdomen, back, and parts of the legs.

Injuries higher on the spine usually affect more of the body. An injury between C1 and C4 can stop breathing, because those nerves drive the diaphragm. This is why emergency care matters so much.

Paralysis and function vary from person to person. Recovery can look very different from one injury to the next.

Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injury Near Farmington

Crashes are one of the most common causes of serious spinal injuries. These include crashes involving cars, trucks, and motorcycles. Rollovers and high-impact collisions can injure the cord.

Commercial trucks follow federal rules. Under 49 C.F.R. § 395.3, a driver may not drive a property-carrying commercial motor vehicle without first taking 10 consecutive hours off duty, and may drive a total of 11 hours during the 14-hour period that follows coming on duty after 10 consecutive hours off duty.

In a trucking case, more than one party may share responsibility. These can include the driver, the carrier, and others tied to the trip. In Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a state-law claim that a broker negligently hired an unsafe motor carrier falls within the FAAAA’s safety exception and is not preempted.

Negligent entrustment is another issue to know about. In DeMatteo v. Simon, New Mexico’s Court of Appeals described the elements of a claim where a vehicle owner entrusted a vehicle to a driver it knew or should have known was incompetent.

Spinal Stroke and Other Causes of Cord Damage

A spinal stroke involves a sudden loss of blood flow to part of the spinal cord. Symptoms can include sudden weakness, numbness, or pain. These symptoms can look like other spinal problems.

Because the signs overlap, a medical team must find the cause. A quick, careful exam helps sort out what is happening. The team may need several tests before it reaches a clear answer.

A diagnosis that comes later, or changes over time, still matters for a claim. Tell the medical team exactly when symptoms started and how they changed. Write those details down while you still remember them.

Documenting a Spinal Cord Injury for a New Mexico Claim

Start with the medical records. These usually include emergency and hospital notes, imaging such as MRI and CT reports, neurology and rehabilitation notes, and the injury grade from the treating team.

Build a simple timeline. Write down the date and time of the crash or incident. Then note when you first got care and each follow-up visit after that.

Keep other evidence too. Photos of the scene, vehicle damage, and any visible hazards can help. Witness names and phone numbers are useful as well.

New Mexico has accident reporting rules for drivers. Under § 66-7-206, a driver involved in an accident that results in bodily injury or death, or in property damage to an apparent extent of $500 or more, must report the accident right away, using the fastest available means of communication. If the accident occurs within a municipality, the report goes to the police department; otherwise, it goes to the office of the county sheriff or the nearest New Mexico State Police office. Under § 66-7-207, the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in bodily injury or death, or total property damage of $500 or more, must forward a written report of the accident to the department of transportation within five days after the accident.

Share anything you have written about the incident with our team. That includes texts, notes, and insurance letters.

Time Limits and Costs to Know in New Mexico

New Mexico’s statute of limitations, Section 37-1-8 of the New Mexico Statutes, provides that an action for an injury to the person or reputation of any person must be brought within three years. The exact deadline depends on the facts of each case, so it’s smart to ask early.

Some cases involve a government vehicle or employee. For claims against the government, Section 41-4-15 of the New Mexico Tort Claims Act provides that tort actions against a governmental entity or a public employee shall be forever barred unless commenced within two years after the date of occurrence resulting in loss, injury or death, except that a minor under the full age of seven years has until his ninth birthday in which to file. Those clocks run faster than the general three-year rule, so timing matters.

New Mexico also uses pure comparative negligence. Under Scott v. Rizzo, an injured person’s share of fault reduces damages by that percentage.

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Frequently asked questions

Contact El Gringo Law About Your Spinal Cord Injury

El Gringo Law represents people hurt in car accidents, trucking accidents, premises incidents, and other serious injury cases. Josh Wood is the responsible lawyer for this page. He is licensed in New Mexico and Arizona.

You can reach the firm through the contact page, by phone at the number listed there, or by starting a chat.

If a crash or fall has left you or someone you love facing a spinal cord injury, reach out to El Gringo Law today. We can talk through the injury grade, the paralysis questions, the medical bills, and the deadline in front of you.