Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

Understanding a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)

The spinal cord and spinal column vertebrae extend from the base of your skull to your lower back. The spine has a variety of nerves that are responsible for body movements and sensations. Most spinal cord injuries normally begin with trauma, which dislocates or fractures the vertebrae.

Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injury

• Auto Accidents: The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) estimates that car and truck accidents account for 38% of the annual spinal cord injuries.
• Slip & Fall and Trip & Fall Accidents: These are the second most common cause of spinal cord injuries as they account for 30.5% of the annual spine injuries. Older adults are more susceptible to spine injuries from slip and fall & trip and fall accidents.
• Motorcycle Accidents: The absence of external protection (e.g., such as the frame of a car) in a motorcycle implies that even minor accidents can be deadly or lead to spinal cord injuries.
• Acts of Violence: Roughly 12% of spinal cord injuries occur as a result of violent incidents, with gunshot wounds being notably prevalent. Stabbing injuries also contribute significantly to this statistic.
• Sports and Recreational Activities: Approximately 10% of spinal cord injuries are attributed to sports-related activities, including impact sports and dives into insufficiently deep water.
• Medical Malpractice
• Pedestrian Accidents
• Swimming Pool Accidents
• Amusement Park Accidents
• Product Defects

Risk Factors for Spinal Cord Injuries

Risk factors for spinal cord injuries often involve situations or activities that expose individuals to higher chances of experiencing trauma to the spine. Key risk factors include:

• Age: Young adults (ages 16-30) and older adults (over 65) are at a higher risk due to engagement in riskier activities and higher susceptibility to falls, respectively.
• Gender: Men are more likely to sustain spinal cord injuries compared to women, with males accounting for approximately 78% of all reported cases.
• Engaging in Risky Activities: Participation in extreme sports or high-impact activities without proper safety gear or precautions significantly increases the risk of spinal cord injuries.
• Alcohol and Substance Abuse: Alcohol and substance abuse are major contributors to spinal cord injuries, as they impair judgment and increase the likelihood of accidents.
• Pre-existing Health Conditions: Conditions that affect the bones or joints, such as osteoporosis or arthritis, can make individuals more susceptible to spinal injuries from falls or minor accidents.

Understanding these risk factors is crucial in implementing prevention strategies and minimizing the chances of sustaining a spinal cord injury.

Short-Term and Long-Term SCI Injuries

Most SCI victims lose the ability to lead a normal life after the accident. This is extremely distressing, especially for a person who is no longer able to work and take care of themselves. These factors may result in health conditions that can lead to more systemic complications of a spinal cord injury, such as:

• Respiratory Complications: Individuals with spinal cord injuries, especially those affecting the upper spine, may experience difficulty in breathing, leading to respiratory infections or pneumonia.
• Pressure Ulcers: Due to limited mobility, SCI victims are prone to developing pressure sores or ulcers, which can become serious if not properly managed.
• Urinary and Bladder Complications: Loss of bladder control is common, increasing the risk of urinary tract infections and bladder stones.
• Bowel Management Issues: Similar to urinary complications, loss of bowel control can lead to constipation and bowel incontinence.
• Chronic Pain: Neuropathic pain or musculoskeletal pain is a frequent complication that can significantly affect the quality of life.
• Spasticity: Increased muscle tone or spasms can be uncomfortable and impact mobility and daily activities.
• Sexual Dysfunction: Both men and women may experience changes in sexual function, affecting intimacy and reproductive health.
• Mental Health Issues: Depression, anxiety, and adjustment disorders are common as individuals cope with the life changes brought on by their injury.
• Autonomic Dysreflexia: A potentially life-threatening condition seen in injuries above the T6 level, characterized by sudden high blood pressure, sweating, and skin blotches.
• Osteoporosis and Bone Degeneration: Lack of mobility can lead to bone loss and an increased risk of fractures.

If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury in an accident due to someone else’s negligence, call our spinal cord injury lawyers for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Treatment and Expenses Associated with SCI Care

Medical care is expensive. When you are involved in a sudden accident and suffer a spinal cord injury, the cost of treatment is a major concern. Fortunately, if the accident was caused by a negligent party, you can hold them liable. Some of the treatment costs for spinal cord injuries include:

• Emergency Care: When a person sustains an SCI, immediate care is imperative in order to prevent further injury. During the emergency care, doctors will diagnose whether your spine has been injured and assess the severity and extent of the damage.
• Hospitalization: In most cases, SCI victims are required to be admitted to a hospital in order to keep them as stabilized as possible and monitor them for possible complications. Unfortunately, apart from realigning the spine, most spinal cord injuries are irreversible. Doctors mostly focus on preventing other problems such as bladder or bowel issues, infections, and blood clots. The daily hospital costs in Dallas can add up quickly.
• Surgery: Some spinal cost injuries require surgeries in order to correct or repair the damages. Victims will also incur the costs of post-operative care.
• Medical Equipment: As mentioned, a spinal cord injury may result in temporary or permanent paralysis. In both instances, the victim will require special care and the use of medical equipment. However, permanent paralysis may demand the long-term use of equipment such as a special bed, a high-tech wheelchair, a respiratory machine, feeding tubes, and so on, all of which add to the total treatment costs.
• Therapy: Almost all SCI victims require months or years of occupational therapy, physical therapy, counseling and other forms of ongoing treatment before they either fully recover or can cope with their new way of life.

Whether an SCI result in temporary or permanent paralysis, medical costs can cost millions of dollars. In a study on the cost of living with SCI, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation estimates that the average cost of treatment during the first–year amounts to  $1 million. This includes the initial hospital costs, home modification costs, cost of rehabilitation, and the acquisition of medical equipment such as a wheelchair. Victims are forced to incur more than $200,000 in bills in subsequent years.

Why Seek Legal Help for a Spinal Cord Injury?

Often, SCI victims are forced to take loans, take second mortgages, and max out their credit cards as their insurance policies cannot fully cover the cost of SCI treatment. If the injury was due to another person’s negligence, you can file a lawsuit against them. Negligent actions in car or truck accidents include drunk driving, speeding, distracted driving or texting while driving, failure to obey traffic lights, and driving a vehicle with mechanical damages.

A personal injury attorney will help you get compensation for an array of personal injury damage types, such as:

• Medical Expenses: Apart from the initial costs of treating a spinal cord injury, treatment could extend for years or even a lifetime. An attorney will help you calculate the anticipated costs of future treatment and make sure you are adequately compensated.
• Lost Wages or the Loss of Earning Ability: An SCI victim will have to take some time off in order to recover. Even after they recover, they may be forced to work part-time or take a lower-paying position. In the case of a severe injury, the victim may no longer be able to work. A personal injury attorney will, in most cases hire a vocational expert who assesses the victim’s residual earning capacity and ensures that this is accounted for in the settlement amount.
• Pain and Suffering: SCI victims not only suffer physical pain but also go through emotional anguish due to fact or such as; struggling with bladder and bowel control, sexual dysfunction, difficulty walking, or being confined to a wheelchair. All these can lead to extreme mental trauma for which you need to be compensated for.
• Loss of Companionship: Affected parties such as parents, spouses, and children can get compensation for the effects of the SCI.
• Loss of Enjoyment of Life: The impact of a spinal cord injury goes beyond physical and financial challenges. Victims often face a deep loss of life’s enjoyment, being unable to partake in hobbies and activities that once brought joy and fulfillment. Being cut off from recreational activities, family gatherings, or simple daily tasks can cause isolation and depression. This major life change is an important part of your claim and deserves proper recognition and compensation.
• Disfigurement or Physical Impairment: Spinal cord injuries often result in permanent disfigurement or physical impairment, affecting the victim’s mobility and altering their appearance. These changes can deeply impact the victim’s self-esteem, social life, and overall quality of life. Compensation for these injuries recognizes their long-term impact, offering support for treatments to enhance function or appearance and acknowledging the emotional challenges faced.
• Emotional Distress: The psychological impact of a spinal cord injury can be as severe as the physical damage. Victims often face emotional distress, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD, due to their drastically changed lifestyles and loss of independence. This distress poses a major challenge for the individual and can strain family and friend relationships. Compensation for emotional distress recognizes the non-financial pain and suffering that deeply affects the victim’s quality of life.

How to Prove and Win a Spinal Cord Injury Case

Proving and winning a spinal cord injury case hinges on demonstrating negligence on the part of the defendant. This involves establishing four key elements:

• Duty of Care: You must first prove that the defendant owed you a duty of care. This means showing that the defendant was in a position where they were expected to behave in a certain way to avoid causing harm. For example, drivers have a duty to follow traffic laws and operate their vehicles safely to prevent accidents.
• Breach of Duty: Once the duty of care is established, you must demonstrate that the defendant breached this duty through their actions or inaction. This could be anything from a driver speeding and losing control of their vehicle to a property owner failing to fix a known hazard that leads to an accident.
• Causation: Proving causation involves showing a direct link between the defendant’s breach of duty and your spinal cord injury. It must be clear that but for the defendant’s negligence, the injury would not have occurred. This often requires expert testimony to explain how the incident led to the spinal cord injury.
• Damages: Finally, you need to prove that you suffered actual damages as a result of the injury. This includes not only the immediate medical expenses and lost wages but also long-term costs such as ongoing care, rehabilitation, and any modifications needed for living with a spinal cord injury. Pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and emotional distress are also considered damages.

Proving negligence in a spinal cord injury case requires a detailed gathering and presentation of evidence. Medical records, expert testimony, eyewitness accounts, and any available surveillance footage can all play a crucial role in establishing the defendant’s negligence. Careful documentation of your injuries, treatments received, and impacts on your life will also support your claim for compensation. Our skilled spinal cord injury attorneys can guide you through this process, employing strategies that effectively demonstrate each of these four essential points to win your case.

How Our Texas Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Can Help

At our law firm, we understand the devastating impact a spinal cord injury can have on both the victim and their family. Our dedicated team of Texas spinal cord injury lawyers is committed to providing the support and expertise needed to secure the compensation you deserve. Here’s how we can help:

• Personalized Legal Strategy: We tailor our approach to each case, ensuring that your unique circumstances, needs, and goals are fully represented in your legal strategy.
• Expertise in SCI Cases: Our lawyers have extensive experience and specialized knowledge in handling spinal cord injury cases, giving you an edge in your fight for justice.
• Negotiation and Litigation Skills: Whether it’s negotiating with insurance companies or presenting your case in court, our team is equipped with the skills to aggressively advocate on your behalf.
• Resource Accessibility: We help connect you with the best medical professionals, therapists, and support systems to aid in your recovery process.
• No Upfront Costs: Our services are offered on a contingency fee basis, meaning you only pay us if we win your case.

Choosing the right legal team can make all the difference in your spinal cord injury case. Contact us today for a free consultation, and let us help you take the first step towards recovery and securing your future.

Why You Should Choose Our Texas Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers

Our Texas spinal cord injury lawyers are not only highly skilled in the legal arena but also deeply compassionate towards the individuals and families affected by spinal cord injuries. Here are several compelling reasons to choose our firm for your legal needs:

• Proven Track Record: We have a long history of securing significant settlements and verdicts for our clients, demonstrating our commitment and effectiveness in handling SCI cases.
• Deep Industry Connections: Our firm is well-connected within the medical and rehabilitation communities, allowing us to provide comprehensive support beyond the courtroom.
• Client-Centric Approach: We prioritize your well-being and recovery, offering personalized attention every step of the way. Our goal is to make the legal process as stress-free as possible for you and your family.
• Comprehensive Legal Expertise: Our team’s expertise extends beyond personal injury law, encompassing insurance law and disability rights. This breadth of knowledge ensures a robust approach to your case.

Choosing our Texas spinal cord injury lawyers means partnering with a team that stands by your side, fighting for your rights and for the full compensation you deserve. Contact us today to discover how we can support you through this challenging time and help pave the way to a brighter future.

Contact an Experienced Spinal Cord Injury Attorney at Thompson Law

Call Our Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers for a FREE CONSULT

At Thompson Law, we understand the difficulties that all SCI victims and their families go through. Call us today to discuss happened to you no charge. Your case evaluation is confidential, without charge, and there’s no obligation. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We’ll get started on your case the moment you call, and can either sign you up over the phone, or come visit you in person.

Our experienced team of spinal cord injury lawyers are dedicated to helping you get the justice you deserve. We can explain your legal options without any upfront fees, and you will only pay if we win your case. Call our spinal cord injury lawyers today for a free case evaluation.

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