A spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most life-changing injuries that anybody can suffer from, and according to The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, there are 17,810 new spinal cord injuries every year in the USA. SCI causes paralysis and a whole host of other serious complications that can be ridiculously expensive for sufferers and leave them riddled with physical and emotional trauma.
If you or a loved one are suffering from a spinal cord injury due to an accident in Bradenton that wasn’t your fault, then you should speak to a spinal cord injury lawyer as soon as possible. The personal injury attorneys at The Law Place have over 75 years of combined experience in working with the Florida legal system and helping victims of spinal cord injuries just like you. Our law firm offers anyone who has been involved in an accident that wasn’t their fault a free consultation. This is a chance to discuss the specifics of your case with a experienced and skilled attorney and gain valuable legal advice. So, call The Law Place now and schedule a free consultation with us at (941) 444-4444. Phone lines are open 24/7.
What Is a Spinal Cord Injury?
The spinal cord itself is a bundle of nerves and other tissue that the spine contains and protects. Along with the brain, the spinal cord represents the central nervous system of the body and controls the body’s movement and sensation. It also sends messages from the brain to all parts of the body and back, such as informing the brain when you are in pain.
This means that if the spinal cord experiences injury, some of these messages may not be able to “get through,” causing a complete loss of sensation and mobility below the spinal injury. This means that, typically, the paralysis will affect more of the body the higher up an injury is.
Spinal cord injuries aren’t always a severed spinal cord, and in fact, rarely are. Instead, these types of injuries are usually bruising. Any types of injuries to the spinal cord result in the loss of sensation and function below the damaged part of the cord
Regardless of the type of injury that you have sustained, you may be entitled to compensation if it was through no fault of your own and has seriously impacted your life. To find out what your next steps should be, contact The Law Place today to schedule a free consultation.
Categories of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are split between the following two categories:
- Complete – This is where there’s a total loss of function and sensation beneath the damaged portion of the cord.
- Incomplete – This is where the individual still has some sensation and function underneath the damaged area.
If the injured individual is still suffering from a complete loss of function and sensation after the first 72 hours after the injury, they, unfortunately, have very little chance of recovery.
Whether you are suffering from a complete or incomplete spinal cord injury, you may still be entitled to an immense amount of compensation. To find out what your claim could be worth and how to go about fighting for your compensation and the justice that you deserve, call The Law Place today to book a free case evaluation.
What Are the Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries in Bradenton, FL?
No two personal injury cases are ever alike, and this is especially true for cases concerning spinal cord injuries. Therefore there are many potential causes of these types of injuries. If you sustained a spinal cord injury in an accident that wasn’t your fault, whatever that accident might have been, the personal injury lawyers at The Law Place will fight tirelessly to ensure you get compensation. However, below are the most common ways that a spinal cord injury may occur.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Motor vehicle accidents are the cause for the majority of spinal cord injuries and have been for many years. According to the Mayo Clinic, auto and motorcycle accidents are the cause of almost half of all new spinal cord injuries every year. If you were involved in a car accident that wasn’t your fault and it left you suffering from a spinal cord injury, then you deserve compensation, and The Law Place will fight on your behalf to secure it.
Slip and Fall Accidents
Another common cause of spinal cord injury is accidental slip and falls. Every year, people slip and fall because of someone else’s negligence, and sometimes these falls can be so deadly that they leave people paralyzed. The incidences of spinal cord injuries resulting from falls from heights, same-level falls, and falls down flights of stairs are roughly equal.
Violent Acts
The third most common cause of spinal cord injuries is violent acts, often from gunshot wounds, stabbings, and assault.
Symptoms of Spinal Cord Injuries
Often, people only think of paralysis when they think of spinal cord injuries, and while this can be a catastrophic and devastating result of a spinal cord injury, it’s not the only one. Some can be much less severe and take a few days for symptoms to show, but they can still cause the victim pain and trauma. Some initial symptoms that spinal cord damage can cause are listed below:
- Lack of coordination and/or loss of movement.
- An abnormally positioned or twisted neck and/or back.
- Loss or altered sensation of any kind.
- Loss of bladder or bowel control.
- Exaggerated reflexes or spasms.
- Pain or an intense stinging sensation.
- Pain or pressure in the neck, head, or back.
- Coughing and difficulty breathing.
- Any changes in sexual function or sensitivity.
If you begin experiencing any of these symptoms, or similar, after an accident that may have injured you, you should get immediate medical care to ensure your best chance of recovering.
A spinal cord injury may also leave you suffering from emotional distress and trauma.
If you are suffering from a spinal cord injury that was caused in an accident due to someone else’s recklessness or negligence, then we highly recommend that you contact a law firm to schedule a free case evaluation. Our spinal cord injury lawyers at The Law Place have extensive experience in dealing with all kinds of spinal cord injury cases, and so you can trust that our personal injury attorneys will be able to accurately assess your case and fight tirelessly for the maximum amount of compensation on your behalf. Call for a free consultation today with an established Bradenton lawyer.
How Much Is a Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit Worth?
As with all different types of lawsuits, the outcomes can vary widely. The compensation you could receive depends primarily on the severity of the injury that the victim sustained and the role the negligent party played in the accident. However, as spinal cord injuries have the potential to cause a lifelong, severe disability, it is not unknown for experienced attorneys to fight and win more than $1 million on behalf of their clients.
For more information specific to your case, contact The Law Place today and book a free, no-obligation case evaluation.
What Damages Can I Recover in a Bradenton Personal Injury Lawsuit?
Our personal injury lawyers at The Law Place know that they will be able to get you the maximum amount of financial compensation possible for your case. They are highly experienced and qualified in all aspects of Florida law, particularly with regards to spinal injury lawsuits. You can trust that they will be able to accurately determine who the negligent parties are, assess how much you deserve in compensation, and then work to gather evidence and build a solid case on your behalf. We understand that not only are you having to deal with the injury itself but also the pain and suffering it brings and huge financial strain that is in no way your fault.
Below is a list of the most common damages that The Law Place secures compensation for.
- Medical Expenses – If you’ve suffered from a spinal cord injury, then the likelihood is that you required medical care. If so, you deserve to be compensated for any and all medical bills. This includes paying for emergency services, surgeries, appointments, and all other related medical expenses. The costs of psychological therapy are also classified under medical bills.
- Loss of Income – If the accident and back injuries meant that you couldn’t attend work, and therefore you lost wages, you might deserve compensation to cover this. This can include past and projected wages.
- Loss of Future Earning Capacity – Often, spinal cord injuries can leave the victim suffering from a permanent disability and inability to work or earn the same wages as before. You deserve compensation to cover this.
- Pain and Suffering – If the injury and the accident left you suffering from emotional distress, mental trauma, and loss of enjoyment, then you may be entitled to compensation. However, as pain and suffering can be hard to prove to a court, it is critical that you have an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side to help prove it.
- Wrongful Death – If you lost a loved one due to a spinal injury caused in an accident that wasn’t their fault, you might be entitled to compensation that covers funeral costs and loss of consortium.
- Punitive Damages – If the at-fault party’s behavior was especially dangerous, then it may also be possible for your attorney to push for punitive damages, which are designed to punish defendants and deter them and others from doing the same thing.
While we understand that there is no amount of financial compensation that will fix the injuries and trauma that you’ve been left to endure, we know that the compensation will help you manage the financial losses caused by your injuries and can serve as some proof that justice has been served.
This is why, if you think you deserve compensation after suffering from a spinal cord injury caused by an accident that wasn’t your fault, you need to get in touch with The Law Place as soon as possible. The sooner you do, the more time we will have to work on your case and ensure that you have the best chance at winning. By working with us, you will also be taking the stress off your own shoulders, as you can trust that our personal injury attorneys will effectively handle the legal process on your behalf, meaning that all you have to do is focus on healing. So, contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
Call The Law Place Today!
If you or a loved one are suffering from a spinal cord injury that wasn’t your fault, then you should not delay in contacting The Law Place. Spinal cord and other back injuries can be devastating as well as completely life-changing, and when the cause of the injury was through someone else’s negligence, it can feel incredibly unjust.
At The Law Place, we want to help you. Our injury lawyers can give you legal help and advice that you can rely on and will work to ensure that your legal rights are protected. After determining if your claim is valid, they will tell you what they know to be your best options. If you choose to continue working with us, we will be able to get straight to work at investigating the incident, gathering evidence, and building a strong claim on your behalf. All of our lawyers have extensive research in representing clients in court, and so you can trust that you are in safe hands with us!
Don’t wait. Call for a free consultation today and take a step closer to getting the justice that you deserve. Contact us now at (941) 444-4444. Phone lines are open 24/7.