Spinal cord injuries are among the most painful and dangerous injuries a person can sustain. Severe enough injuries to the spine can be permanent or even fatal, and moderate ones can still leave you with long-term damage.
At Morgan & Morgan, we are committed to helping victims of spinal cord injuries recover both emotionally and financially after an accident, and we’ve taken our track record of success and brought it to the great city of Philadelphia. Our spinal cord injury attorneys may be able to help you as well.
If you or a loved one is dealing with the aftermath of a spinal cord injury, you may have options to receive compensation. If you would like to know more and determine whether you have a valid claim, fill out our free case review form.
Causes and Types of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal injuries can be caused by many things, but the leading cause of spinal injuries in the United States among older adults is motor vehicle crashes, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. However, spinal cord injuries can be caused by quite a large number of things, including but not limited to:
- Slip and falls;
- Swimming pool accidents;
- Medical malpractice;
- Sporting injuries;
- Defective products;
- Workplace and/or construction accidents;
- Birth injuries;
- Boating accidents; and
- Criminal violence.
Violent movements, such as those occurring during a car accident, can cause the vertebral bones in the spine or the discs that cushion them to move out of place, putting pressure on the spinal cord and other nerve roots. In some cases, the trauma can be so severe that the spinal cord is completely severed. There are many different ways a spine can get injured, and a lot of resulting injuries that can occur. These vary from short-term injuries to permanent injuries, and include:
- Quadriplegia;
- Paraplegia;
- Injured nerves;
- Damaged discs;
- Partial paralysis;
- Fractured vertebrae; and
- Lacerations.
Spinal Cord Injury Impacts
The spine is one of the most vulnerable parts of the human body. Even a minor spinal injury brings with it a slew of frustrating complications and pains. The more severe ones can leave you in far worse condition.
Because of the role of the spine, injuries to it affect other parts of your body - injuries to your lower back can cause symptoms to show up in your legs, while an injury closer to your neck can cause problems in your arms and hands. Other effects impacting different parts of the body include incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Simply put, an injury to your spinal cord can wreak havoc on your body.
Often in moderate-to-severe cases, surgery is required to bring you back to even the slightest sense of normalcy. In the event your spinal cord is completely severed, there is no procedure to mend it. These surgeries and other medical needs cause mountains of expenses that pile up quicker and quicker. In a bad enough injury, you’ll also have to consider future or continuing medical expenses for rehabbing it.
How An Attorney May be Able to Help
It may be helpful for a spinal injury victim to retain an attorney with significant experience in navigating insurance company settlement tactics. Often, insurance companies will offer a quick settlement in an attempt to catch victims in moments of weakness, even though the settlement is inadequate for your injuries.
Together with medical experts, our attorneys have helped spinal cord injury and back injury victims recover the compensation they need to help cover expenses like present and future medical bills, lost earnings, pain and suffering, among other damages. We do this by performing an extremely thorough investigation into your case. In this investigation, your attorney may:
- Conduct witness interviews;
- Review medical records, gather evidence, photograph the scene of the accident;
- Work with orthopedic surgeons, pain management specialists, and vocational rehabilitation experts to assess the injuries suffered and develop a treatment plan;
- Work with financial planners to calculate the value of expected future loss wages and income; or
- Determine whether the victim is covered by a workers’ compensation program (for workplace accidents).
This investigation allows us to build a compelling case that claims that your spinal cord was injured due to the negligence of someone else, and that the injury will cost significant compensation for damages.
Contact Morgan & Morgan
When your life has been altered by a spinal injury caused by the carelessness of another, our team of personal injury attorneys in Philadelphia will work work to try and get you the compensation to which you are entitled. To learn more, contact us for a free case evaluation of your case.