Spinal Cord Injury Attorney
Damage to the spinal cord is severe and life-changing. The human back is a complex framework of bones, muscles, and other tissues that are necessary for normal human function. Spinal cord injuries can cost a small fortune to manage. You may be entitled to payment if you suffered a spinal cord injury because of someone else’s misconduct. Before speaking with an insurance adjuster or signing anything, you should talk with a lawyer experienced in spinal cord injury cases.
Spinal cord injuries, whether caused by a car accident or a dangerous workplace, can hinder a victim’s ability to work, interact, and pay for much-needed medical treatment. Our spinal cord injury attorneys are committed to making those responsible for our clients’ harm accountable for their conduct. If you or a loved one experienced a spinal cord injury and need compensation to recover, we may be able to help you in filing a personal injury case against the responsible party.
Table of Contents
What is a spinal cord injury?
A spinal cord injury involves damage to the spinal cord that results in a loss of function such as mobility or feeling. For the loss of function to occur, the spinal cord does not have to be completely severed. In most individuals with SCI, the spinal cord is intact, but it is the damage to it that results in the loss of function.
Also, a person can break their back or neck yet not endure a spinal cord injury if only the bones around the spinal cord (the vertebrae) are damaged, not the actual spinal cord. In these cases, the bones usually heal and the person does not experience paralysis. Such spinal injuries can be caused by trauma or disease and can result in temporary or permanent loss of sensation, loss of movement (paralysis), or loss of bowel or bladder control.
What does the spinal cord include?
An adult’s vertebral column is made up of thirty-three vertebrae organized into five regions: seven cervical vertebrae, twelve thoracic vertebrae, five lumbar vertebrae, five joined sacral vertebrae, and four fused coccyx vertebrae. The vertebral column is 72-75cm long in adults and provides the following functions:
- Protect the spinal cord and spinal nerves
- Support the weight of the body
- Provides a partly rigid and flexible axis for the body
- Create a pivot point for the head
- Play an important role in posture and motion (movement from one place to another)
The consequences of spinal cord damage vary depending on the kind and severity of the trauma. SCI is classified into two types: complete and incomplete. A complete spinal cord injury means that there is no function below the level of the damage (no sensation or voluntary movement) and that both sides of the body are affected equally. An incomplete spinal cord injury indicates that some function exists below the initial level of the lesion. One limb may be more mobile than the other. The wounded individual may be able to feel portions of the body that cannot be moved, and one side of the body may work better than the other.
Quadriplegia is the most common outcome of neck (cervical) injuries. People with C1–C4 spinal cord injuries frequently require the use of a ventilator to breathe. Shoulder and bicep control can be maintained despite C5 injuries, but wrist and hand motions cannot. C6 injuries can result in wrist control but no hand function, whereas C7 and T1 injuries can result in arm straightening but dexterity issues with the hands and fingers. Paraplegia results from spinal cord injury at the thoracic level and lower, while the hands remain unaffected. As a result of a loss of abdominal muscular function, there may be inadequate trunk control from T1 to T8. Lower injuries of T9 to T12 allow for strong sitting balance from abdominal muscle and trunk control, whereas injuries of T9 to T12 limit trunk control.
Other changes occur in patients with spinal cord injuries in addition to the loss of sensation and motor ability. Loss of bowel and bladder control is possible, and sexual functioning is frequently impaired. Low blood pressure, decreased regulation of body temperature, inability to sweat below the level of damage, and persistent pain are all possible side effects of spinal cord injury.
How many people have spinal cord injuries in the United States?
Every year, over 18,000 people in the United States suffer a significant spinal cord injury (SCI), according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center. According to the NSCISC, over 300,000 Americans are now living with a devastating spinal cord injury, with males constituting the vast majority of injury sufferers (78 percent ). The usual hospital stay following an SCI is 11 days, with sufferers spending around a month (31 days) in rehabilitation.
What is the compensation from a Spinal Cord Injury lawsuit?
- Lost wages in the past and future
- Loss of capacity to accomplish activities you like (loss of enjoyment of life)
- Physical companionship or consortium
- Suffering and physical pain
- Medical expenses that are not covered by insurance, such as the costs of rehabilitation or physical therapy, as well as the costs of modifying your house or car to fit a wheelchair or other physical demands.
Contact a Houston Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
Our spinal cord injury attorney has handled dozens of lawsuits nationwide involving paralysis from spinal cord injuries. Attorney David P. Willis is board certified as a personal injury trial law specialist. We’ve put in a lot of effort to get the best results for our clients, and we’ll do the same for you and your loved ones. Call us at 713-654-4040 or 1-800-883-9858.