A C6-C7 injury: The patient is likely to still be able to breathe independently but with reduced lung capacity and a weaker cough.

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A C6-C7 injury often preserves the diaphragm while impairing the muscles that assist with breathing and coughing. The diaphragm is innervated mainly by the phrenic nerve from C3–C5, so a lesion at C6–C7 leaves diaphragmatic breathing intact, allowing independent respiration. However, intercostal and abdominal muscles, which help expand the chest and generate a strong cough, are supplied by nerves below the injury. With those muscles weakened or paralyzed, lung capacity is reduced and the ability to forcefully expel air is diminished, making coughing less effective. This combination fits the description of breathing on one’s own but with reduced lung capacity and a weaker cough. The scenarios describing no breathing at all or immediate death imply a much higher or more severe injury, which isn’t typical for a C6–C7 injury.