If you or a loved one has suffered a back or spinal cord injury in an accident, contact our New Port Richey Back & Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA today for a free consultation.
Each year, about 8,000 new spinal cord injuries[1] are diagnosed. More than 80 percent of the victims are men between the ages of 16 and 30. As many as 450,000 Americans live with spinal cord injuries. Car and motorcycle crashes, gunshot and knife wounds, and falls, and sports injuries are the most common causes of damage to the spinal cord, the bundle of nerves that runs through the backbone.
Types of New Port Richey Back Injuries
- Spinal cord injuries: Spinal cord injuries are the most catastrophic and life-changing types of back injuries. When the spinal cord is injured, the result is usually partial or total paralysis below the point of the injury. When the injury is to the lower part of the spine, the victim loses the use of their legs and the entire lower portion of their body. If the damage to the spinal cord is in the upper body or neck, the paralysis affects all four limbs.
- Fractures: A broken back is an injury in which the vertebrae are fractured or dislocated, often as the result of a motor vehicle accident or fall.
- Herniated discs: A herniated disc, also known as a slipped disc or ruptured disc in an injury that can occur in a car accident, especially a rear-end collision, as well as in a fall, sports accident, or other type of accident.
- Nerve pain: Trauma to the back can often cause numbness and tingling throughout other extremities, which is known as radiculopathy. This is pain that radiates from the nerves and travels throughout the arms, hands, legs, and feet.
Effects of a New Port Richey Spinal Cord Injury
Generally, the higher the injury is along the backbone, the more sensation and movement someone will lose or diminish. An injury at the neck level may cause paralysis in all extremities, while an injury at the mid-back level may affect only the legs and lower parts of the body. A complete injury results in a total loss of sensation and movement below the level of injury. An incomplete injury results in only partial loss of sensation or movement.
Often someone who has suffered a spinal cord injury has many difficulties, including:
- Blood clots
- Loss of sensation and reflex functions
- Infections
- Motor skill deficit
- Numbness
- Pain and depression
- Permanent disability
- Loss of movement
- Nerve damage
- Trouble breathing
Damages You Can Receive in a Back and Spinal Cord Injury Claim
In a back and spinal cord injury claim, your personal injury lawyer could help you recover the following damages for your losses:
Medical Expenses
Victims may be reimbursed for medical expenses related to their injury, including ambulance rides, hospital bills, physician or therapist visits, prescription drugs, rehab, and future health-related costs.
Lost Wages and Income
Compensation for the time taken off work and a loss of earning capacity may be granted.
Pain and Suffering
When a person experiences a back and spinal cord injury, they can suffer from long-lasting physical and psychological distress. These individuals may be entitled to receive compensation for this pain and suffering.
Wrongful Death
When a back and spinal cord injury causes a death, the victim's family could bring a legal claim against the negligent person(s) or party(s). In these instances, the family may be eligible for losses based on the victim's pain and suffering and may receive money to relieve the financial obligations left by their loved one's death.
Types of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are complete or incomplete, and depending on the classification, the side effects can vary considerably:
Complete
A complete spinal cord injury (SCI) is the most severe type and affects the entire width of the spine in a particular area. The patient will have no muscle control or sensation beneath the damaged spinal area.
Incomplete
Although still potentially severe, an incomplete SCI does not impact the entire width of the spine. There will be areas surrounding the damage that stay unaffected and can function normally. SCI victims with incomplete injuries will have the capacity to feel and move below the damaged area but may still suffer from severe limitations.
Causes of a Spinal Cord Injury
Many circumstances can cause a SCI. Johns Hopkins reports that the most common injuries occur when the spine or neck area is compressed or bent, such as in the following:
- Motor vehicle accidents (e.g., involving cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians)
- Slip and fall accidents
- Sports and recreational injuries
- Diving and boating accidents
- Trampoline and jungle gym accidents
- Violence (e.g., assaults, gun violence, or stab wounds)
- Infections due to an abscess on the spinal cord
- Birth injuries
Risk Factors
Some individuals are at higher risk for a back and spinal cord injury than others. Johns Hopkins states that the average age for this injury has risen in recent years and is now 42 years. Most persons who suffer from SCIs are men, and non-Hispanic whites are at the highest risk of any ethnic group.
How Our Back and Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys Can Help
Choosing the right spinal cord injury attorney for your legal claim may be vital to your case. The following are just a few ways your lawyer could help:
By Acting as Legal Counsel and Representative
The main service a back and spinal cord injury lawyer can offer is to:
- Help clients obtain compensation for their injuries and damages
- Ensure their clients' legal rights are protected
- Navigate their clients through the complicated legal process
Personal injury attorneys know how to establish a solid case to prove the party at fault was responsible and seek compensation to reimburse the injured person.
By Acting as a Medical Treatment Advocate
Spinal cord injury lawyers must be relatively knowledgeable regarding the medical aspects of SCIs, although they are not medical professionals. They should have a solid understanding of the injury types and treatment protocols, however. They might also have contacts and information regarding healthcare companies, health providers, and other resources.
By Acting an Advocate
There is much more to a spinal cord attorney's job than just serving as legal counsel and maintaining a business-like demeanor. A good lawyer will also listen, understand the client's challenges, and be caring and empathetic.
Therefore, you are urged to seek an attorney who will offer detailed advice about your claim and care for your emotional well-being during this stressful and painful time.
New Port Richey Back and Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers
Each type of back and spinal injury requires a different legal basis based on the cause of the accident and the nature and extent of the injuries. If you or a loved one has suffered neck or back injuries in an accident, call our New Port Richey office today.
Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA - New Port Richey Office
5924 Main St
New Port Richey, FL 34652
(727) 477-9660
References:
[1] https://www.aans.org/patient%20information/conditions%20
and%20treatments/spinal%20cord%20injury.aspx