Subtle Signs of Spinal Cord Injuries After a Work Accident and Possible Treatments

A spinal cord injury doesn’t always mean immediate paralysis. After a fall from a ladder, a crash in a work vehicle or being struck or pinned by equipment, some people can still walk but have numbness, tingling, weakness or burning pain in their arms or legs. Those quieter signs can mean the spinal cord or the nerves around it were injured, and they call for emergency evaluation, not a wait-and-see approach.

This article explains the warning signs, how spinal cord injuries are treated and what Pennsylvania workers’ compensation covers. It is not a substitute for medical care. If you think someone has a spinal injury, call 911.

Emergency warning signs: call 911

According to MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine’s health resource, signs of a spinal cord injury can include:

• Numbness or tingling that spreads down an arm or leg
• Weakness, difficulty walking or loss of movement in the arms or legs
• Loss of bladder or bowel control
• Neck or back pain, a stiff neck or headache after trauma
• A head held in an unusual position
• Signs of shock, such as pale, clammy skin or acting dazed

Don’t move a person who may have a spinal injury unless it is absolutely necessary, such as to get them away from fire or other immediate danger. Keep the head and neck still in the position they were found, and don’t let the person get up and walk.

Less common signs of spinal cord injury

Some spinal cord injuries are incomplete, meaning the cord is damaged but not fully cut off. These injuries can be easy to miss at first:

• Symptoms mostly in the hands and arms. Some neck injuries, especially after a fall that snaps the head backward, cause weakness, clumsiness or burning pain in both hands while the legs seem fine.
• Symptoms that get worse over hours. Swelling around the spinal cord can make weakness or numbness spread or worsen after the accident.
• Trouble with balance or coordination. Feeling unsteady, or having trouble with fine movements like buttoning a shirt, can be a sign of cord involvement.
• Changes in bladder, bowel or sexual function. These are easy to overlook and important to report.

Neck or back pain after an accident is common, and on its own it usually does not mean the spinal cord is injured. Pain that comes with any of the signs above is different and needs prompt medical attention. For warning signs involving the head or abdomen, see our guide to signs of an underlying injury you should never ignore.

Possible treatments for spinal cord injuries

Treatment depends on where the spine was injured and how badly, and it happens in stages.

1. Emergency care. Paramedics immobilize the spine. At the hospital, doctors use imaging such as CT scans and MRIs to find the injury and protect breathing and blood pressure.
2. Surgery, when needed. Surgeons may relieve pressure on the spinal cord, remove bone fragments or stabilize the spine with fusion and hardware.
3. Rehabilitation. Physical and occupational therapy help rebuild strength, mobility and independence. Many people also need assistive devices, bladder and bowel management and long-term pain management.

How much function returns varies widely from person to person. Your treating specialists are the only ones who can speak to your prognosis.

What Pennsylvania workers’ compensation covers after a spinal cord injury

If a spinal cord injury occurs in the course and scope of your employment, Pennsylvania workers’ compensation can cover it regardless of who caused the accident. Benefits can include:

• Medical treatment. Reasonable and necessary care for the work injury, including emergency treatment, surgery, rehabilitation, medications and medical equipment. See our overview of workers’ comp medical benefits and how surgery affects a workers’ compensation case.
• Wage-loss benefits. Generally about two-thirds of your average weekly wage, up to a maximum set for the year of injury, while you can’t work. For injuries in 2026, the maximum is $1,394 per week. If you return to work at lower pay, partial disability benefits can make up part of the difference.
• Specific loss benefits. In some cases, a permanent loss of use of an arm, leg, hand or foot can qualify for an additional scheduled award.

A few steps protect the claim from the start. Report the accident to your supervisor right away; notice within 21 days protects your benefits from the first day. Emergency care is always allowed, even if your employer has a list of designated providers. And tell every doctor the injury happened at work.

Serious spinal injuries tend to become long claims, and insurers watch them closely, with independent medical exams, impairment rating evaluations after two years of total disability benefits and, eventually, settlement offers. See the work injuries we handle for more on serious workplace injuries.

Talk to a workers’ compensation lawyer

If you or a family member suffered a spinal injury at work, you should not have to fight the insurance company while you are focused on recovery. Our firm has helped more than 5,000 injured workers and families across Pennsylvania, and your case is handled directly by a Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialist. Call 610-892-9300, text 610-255-7183 or contact us online for a free consultation.