Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers
Your spinal cord is why you can run, walk, and order a cup of coffee, so when this part of your body is injured it can have catastrophic effects on your life.
If you’ve suffered a spinal cord injury, contact the spinal cord injury lawyers at Flaxman Law Group for a free consultation. A spinal cord injury is among the most expensive injuries to sustain, and you’ll want to find out whether you have any options for seeking compensation to cover some of the costs.
Types of Spine Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are not all the same, and they range from relatively mild to life changing. Common types of spine injuries include:
- Herniated discs. Your spine is made up of vertebrae, and in between each one is a disk, which is a cushion structured a little like a jelly donut. When one of these discs is crushed or slips out of place, it can put pressure on nearby nerves. The “jelly” inside the disc can also ooze out, affecting the nerves. Herniated discs can cause weakness, pain, and numbness in the limbs.
- Spinal fractures. Trauma can cause one or more of the vertebrae to break, which can lead to pain and mobility issues.
- Spinal cord injury. The spinal cord is the cells, nerves, and tissues that together with the vertebrae make up your spine. When your spinal cord is damaged, you may lose the ability to feel or move part of your body.
- Whiplash. This neck injury is common in car accidents and sports accidents, when your head is whipped back and forth, causing damage to the ligaments and muscles.
- Compression fractures. Osteoporosis and some accidents can cause vertebrae to collapse, which can lead to a hunched posture and severe pain.
- Spondylolisthesis. In this injury, one vertebra slips forward over another, often causing severe pain.
Of these, spinal cord injuries (SCIs) often get the most attention, because they can cause paralysis and paraplegia. However, any injury to the spine can be serious. If you notice any pain or symptoms, see a doctor for an evaluation.
What Are the Causes of Spinal Cord Injury?
Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) can happen for a variety of reasons, and many are preventable. Common causes for SCIs include:
- Car accidents. This is one of the leading causes of SCIs. The impact from a car collision can lead to fractures or dislocations.
- Falls. Falls, especially amongolder adults in nursing homes, can cause significant spinal injuries. Whether it’s slipping on a wet surface or tripping over an obstacle, the sudden impact can directly damage the spine.
- Sports and recreation injuries. Certain sports, especially contact sports like football or wrestling, can lead to spinal cord injuries. Waterskiing, snowboarding, and other recreational activities also put you at risk of injuries. The actor Christopher Reeves, for example, who raised awareness about SCIs during his life, suffered his spinal cord injury while horseback riding.
- Violence. Gunshot wounds, stabbings, and assaults can damage the spine as well as surrounding nerves.
- Medical conditions. Multiple sclerosis or spinal tumors can damage the spinal cord, while osteoporosis can weaken the vertebrae.
- Workplace accidents. Jobs that involve heavy lifting, construction, or working at heights, can increase the risk of spinal injuries.
- Birth injuries. Medical malpractice, especially in the delivery room, can cause damage to the spine.
- Diving accidents. Diving into shallow water can lead to severe injuries if a person hits the bottom. This can result in immediate spinal cord damage, leading to paralysis.
Any situation where your back is hit directly or where you fall can impact your spinal cord and can cause severe injury. Even seemingly safe activities like shopping can quickly become dangerous if you slip and fall or if an object falls on you from a height.
In many of these cases, you may have a personal injury claim. For example, if a store doesn’t clean a spill and you fall, you may have a premises liability claim. Talk to a spinal cord injury lawyer to find out what kind of claim you may have.
The Effects of Spinal Cord Injury
The spinal cord affects almost every part of the body because it impacts the nervous system. As a result, patients with spinal cord injuries can face a range of life-changing effects, including:
- Paralysis. Depending on where the injury occurs, a person may experience partial or complete paralysis.
- Changes in sensation. Patients with SCI may have reduced or lost feeling in parts of their body below the injury site. This can affect their ability to feel touch, temperature, and pain. In addition to being unpleasant, this can make it harder for them to prevent some injuries. For example, a patient with SCI who has lost sensation in their hand may not notice if their hand comes into contact with a hot surface, but they can still sustain severe burns.
- Incontinence. Many individuals with spinal cord injuries face difficulties with bladder and bowel control.
- Respiratory problems. Damage to the upper spinal cord can affect breathing. People may find it harder to breathe deeply or may need help with respiratory functions. Respiratory problems can lead to increased risk of infections like pneumonia.
- Spasticity. This is involuntary muscle tightness or spasms that make movement difficult and painful.
- Mental health issues. Patients with SCI may experience stress, anxiety, and depression because of the changes to their body and mobility. In some cases, this can also affect their relationships and make them feel isolated.
- Lifestyle changes. Living with a spinal cord injury can mean needing to use wheelchairs or other mobility aids. If you have a SCI, you may need to change your home or may not be able to socialize or work in the way you did before the injury.
- Risk of complications. Patients with SCIs have a higher risk of pressure sores, urinary tract infections, blood clots, and other complications. This can lead to medical malpractice and wrongful death claims, especially if these complications were not addressed.
SCI patients need and deserve additional support to help them adjust to all these issues. Securing money from an insurance policy can be difficult, however, which is why you’ll want to speak with spinal cord injury lawyers if you’ve been injured. Find out if you qualify for financial recovery.
Building Your Spinal Cord Injury Claim
If you decide to file a personal injury claim or an insurance claim, you’ll need proof to show what caused your injuries and how your spinal cord injury impacts your everyday life. Your doctors and specialists can be your allies in this, because their medical records, tests, and treatments can show the extent and severity of your injury.
You will also want to start documenting your own evidence as soon as you can. You may want to:
- Obtain copies of your medical records. This includes doctors’ notes, test results, and treatment plans.
- Secure accident reports. If your injury resulted from an accident, gather any reports from law enforcement or workplace safety officials.
- Take photos. Take pictures of the scene where the injury occurred, if possible. Photograph any visible injuries as well.
- Gather witness information. If there were witnesses to your injury, gather their names and contact information.
Consulting with spinal cord injury lawyers can also help you build your claim. An experienced attorney will have access to resources that can help you build a strong claim. For example, your attorney will have a network of medical experts who can testify about your injury, and investigators who can find out what caused your accident.
What to Do If You Suffer a Spinal Cord Injury
If you suffer a spinal cord injury, the most important thing to do is to call for help. Even if you think your injury isn’t serious, getting checked out is important because some symptoms may not show up right away.
Once you’re in a hospital, follow the medical team’s advice closely. Not only does it give you the best chance of healing, but it’s important to document your injury if you decide to file a claim.
As you heal, keep track of your symptoms and report any new symptoms to your specialists and doctors. You may even want to seek out a second opinion if you’re not sure you’re getting the care you need. And don’t forget your mental health. Spinal cord injuries take a big toll, so ask for help if you need it.
While healing and adjusting to your injury will take up a lot of your time, you need to think about the future. If your injury was caused by someone else’s negligence (like in an accident), consider speaking with a personal injury attorney. They can help you understand and seek compensation. Your medical needs may be substantial, so getting legal representation early is important to make sure you secure any compensation you need to pay for quality care.
Contact Flaxman Law Group Today
For a free, no-obligation consultation. We are available 24/7, and there is never a fee unless we win.
Damages in a Spinal Cord Injury Claim
Recovering from a spinal cord injury can be costly, with some patients facing lifetime costs amounting to millions of dollars. Fortunately, there are several types of financial recovery you may be able to pursue if your injury was caused by someone’s negligence:
- Medical expenses, including hospital bills, surgeries, psychiatric care, wheelchairs, rehabilitation, and expected future medical costs.
- Lost wages, including expected future earnings you may lose due to your injury.
- Pain and suffering, which compensates you for the physical pain and emotional distress of your injury.
- Out of pocket expenses for personal care, home modifications, and any other incidental costs.
Keep in mind that these costs will rise over time. For example, if you need a wheelchair, you will need to replace it multiple times in your life, and newer technology will mean that the best wheelchairs in the future will cost more than your current model. When you seek fair compensation now, you prepare yourself for these costs as well as for the expenses you face now.
How Long Do I Have to File a Spine Injury Claim?
The statute of limitations is a law that sets a time limit on how long you have to file a legal claim after an injury, including a spinal cord injury. This time frame varies depending on your state of residence.
In most states, the statute of limitations for spinal cord injuries ranges from 1 to 3 years. Most states also have exceptions. For example, if you didn’t know you were injured right away or you spent time in a coma, you may have more time to file.
It’s crucial not to wait until the statute of limitations runs out. Delaying could mean you lose your right to seek compensation.
Comparative Fault in Spine Injury Cases
In a situation where an injury occurs, comparative fault looks at how much each party contributed to the incident. For example, if you were injured in a car accident, both you and the other driver might share some blame. Maybe the other driver was speeding, but you were also distracted by your phone.
In states where comparative fault is applied, it can affect how much compensation you can recover. For instance, if the court determines that you were 20% at fault for the accident, your compensation might be reduced by that percentage. So, if you were awarded $100,000, you’d only receive $80,000 because of your 20% fault.
In some states, you can recover damages no matter how much fault you share. Even if you are 99% at fault, you can still recover 1% of the damages. Other states follow modified comparative fault rules. This means you can only recover damages if your fault is below a certain percentage, often 50% or 51%. If you are more at fault than that, you can’t recover anything.
Understanding comparative fault and the other laws that could impact your claim is important, which is why we invite you to contact us at Flaxman Law Group for a free consultation. Our spinal cord injury lawyers have decades of combined experience and our father-son attorney team is here for you.
FREE CASE REVIEW
50+ Years of Combined Experience,
Personal Attention to Every Case
Testimonials
4.9
(386 Reviews)
"Friendly and professional customer service. From the receptionist to the paralegals, everyone makes you feel comfortable. Best firm I’ve ever dealt with."
- Catherine M.
"Thank you! This guy is great and really knows what he is doing. I've had to hire several people throughout the years for similar services and Mr. Flaxman is the best by far. I would recommend him to anyone.”
- Jeff W.
"Very prompt reply. Confident in his abilities. Educated me so I wasn't overwhelmed with the lingo. Very personable. Thank you again for helping me out Mr. Flaxman!!"
- Tayla M.
