The phrase “we’re just not sure how long it’s going to take for you to heal if you ever do,” or something similar, is never something a person who has sustained a major injury wants to hear from a doctor. Sadly, if you’ve had a spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury, you may have already heard that from a doctor. As the body’s central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord, they are undoubtedly two of the most vital organs. Any kind of harm to these vital areas can quickly reduce a person’s quality of life, but it more often than not results in considerably worse outcomes, like paralysis or even death.
It’s normal to feel upset and frustrated and to ponder where to turn if you or someone you care about has sustained brain or spinal cord damage as a result of someone else’s negligence. Traumatic brain and spinal injuries not only impair a patient’s physical capabilities, but they can also be extremely expensive.
Hospital costs, transport costs, and other associated costs are extraordinarily expensive and mount up quickly. According to the National Spinal Cord Statistical Center, patients with high cervical spine injuries, for instance, spend upwards of $1 million during the first year and approximately $185,000 every year after that (NSCSC).
In many of these situations, the victim is not at fault. You can investigate your case and determine whether someone else is accountable by working with a lawyer. Continue reading to discover some of the typical situations that need a spinal cord injury lawyer’s assistance in cases involving brain and spinal cord injuries.
SPINAL CORD INJURY:
Back trauma can cause spinal cord bruises, which in turn affects the spinal cord, which is the tissue that is contained in the spine. Because the spinal cord is important for conveying signals between the brain and the body, therefore the level of spinal cord injury determines the area of the body that will stop receiving those communications.
Hence, more of the body will lose its function if the spinal cord is damaged at a higher level. Full tetraplegia or fatal outcomes are frequently the results of neck injuries to the cervical spine.
CAUSES OF SPINAL CORD INJURY:
There were approximately 30,000 cases of spinal cord injuries in the U.S. in 2014 according to the NSCSC, and the most common causes were as follows:
- Automobile accidents (32.9%)
- Fall (21.9%)
- A gunshot wound (15.5%)
- Diving (6.0%)
- All other recreational sports (6.7%)
- Motorcycle accidents (6%)
- Hit by a flying object (2.8%)
- Medical/surgical complication (2.7%)
SYMPTOMS OF SPINAL CORD INJURY:
The spine cannot regenerate cells, just like the human brain. It’s crucial to keep in mind that while some signs of spinal cord damage may manifest right away, others won’t be apparent for some time. Common signs of spinal cord damage include the following:
- Tingling in the extremities
- Pain or weakness in the back, neck, or head
- Loss of motor skills or coordination
- Sensation loss or tingling in the toes, feet, fingers, or hands
Any area of the body might become partially or completely paralyzed after a spinal cord injury, and no two victims of spinal cord injury will have the same experience. It can sometimes be challenging to spot spinal injuries. So a victim of spinal injury should have a full examination to detect complications.
TYPES OF SPINAL CORD INJURIES:
Spinal cord injuries come in two varieties: complete and incomplete. While a full spinal cord injury is characterized by a complete loss of function below the point of injury, an incomplete SCI refers to a spinal cord injury in which some feeling or movement is still present.
The magnitude and seriousness of incomplete injuries can vary greatly, and the site of the injury usually has a significant bearing on the symptoms that develop. The following issues are most likely to arise from an incomplete SCI:
- Anterior Cord Syndrome: An injury that involves the front of the spinal cord that often impairs mobility, touch, pain, and temperature perceptions below the site of the injury;
- Central cord syndrome: When the spinal cord’s nucleus in the middle is harmed, Central Cord Syndrome results. Arm function is lost as a result, while some leg movement is retained.
- Posterior cord syndrome: Poor coordination is a characteristic of posterior cord syndrome, which is characterized by injury to the back of the spinal cord.
- Brown-Sequard Syndrome: When one side of the spinal cord is injured but not the other, it causes Brown-Sequard Syndrome. In this disease, one side of the body experiences a loss of movement but the preservation of sensation, and the other side experiences a loss of sensation but the preservation of movement.
Based on the typical pattern of symptoms, medical professionals performing a physical examination may frequently identify where on the spine an injury has occurred. The anatomy of the spinal cord is divided into five parts:
- Thoracic (neck)
- Cervical (chest)
- Lumbar (lower back)
- Sacral (pelvis)
- Coccygeal (tailbone)
COMPENSATION AVAILABLE FOR SPINAL CORD INJURY:
A severe spinal cord injury can have devastating effects and need long-term or permanent medical care. Even with medical insurance, victims and their families may still face a significant financial burden due to the high expense of treating spinal cord injuries. A victim has the right to seek compensation and hold the responsible party accountable if their spinal cord injury was brought on by the carelessness or maliciousness of another party. Compensation is offered to those who have suffered spinal cord injuries, including:
- Medical expenses
- Loss of benefits and wages
- Loss of ability to earn
- Mental and emotional pain
- Distress and suffering
- Loss of community support
- The inability to enjoy life
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES:
Traumatic brain injuries happen when the brain is damaged by an external force. In these cases, the brain strikes the skull as a result of an injury or trauma, damaging the tissue due to variables like the force of the hit, swelling, or a lack of oxygen to the brain. Depending on the extent of the damage, the patient’s brain function may suffer long-term effects or perhaps be permanently damaged.
COMMON CAUSES OF BRAIN INJURY:
According to the CDC, up to 2.5 million people are treated for emergency care each year due to traumatic brain injuries, with the following being the most typical causes:
- Falls (40.5%)
- Injury from unintentional blunt force (15.5%)
- Assault (10.7%)
- Accidents involving vehicles (14.3%)
LAWSUITS FOR TRAUMATIC BRAIN OR SPINAL CORD INJURY:
In a case involving a traumatic brain injury or spinal cord damage, there are primarily two circumstances that give rise to a legal basis for lawsuits: negligence and defective products.
BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD INJURIES FROM NEGLIGENCE:
A degree of negligence is included in the majority of injury cases. These kinds of instances take place when there is an accident of some kind (such as a car hitting a biker) and it can be proved that the driver of the automobile was at fault. There normally needs to be proof of the other party’s carelessness to establish negligence. This could imply that they were doing something improperly, being in an inappropriate place, or were somehow accountable for the dangerous circumstances that they created.
BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD INJURIES FROM DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS:
A defective device, such as a seat belt, airbag, or brake that contributed to the car accident is another scenario that could give rise to a legal basis for a brain or spinal cord damage claim. In these circumstances, the plaintiff may file a product liability claim against the car’s seller or manufacturer for negligence. You will need the help of a spinal injury lawyer.
RECOVERING DAMAGES IN A PARALYSIS LAWSUIT:
It is not acceptable for the individual who caused the accident to merely apologize when the victim of the accident experiences full or partial paralysis. The inability to carry out daily duties, the loss of one’s livelihood, the loss of financial security, and the loss of happiness itself are all things that cannot be adequately expressed in words. Paralysis is still an incurable ailment with no known solution in sight, leaving victims and their families to bear the burden of the condition for the remainder of their lives.
Have the careless or irresponsible actions of another person caused paralysis in you or someone you love? A personal injury claim or lawsuit allows you to seek damages. Even though there is no perfect solution that can be bought with money, financial hardships that result from paralysis can at least be lessened with the help of back injury law. You should deal with a spinal cord injury lawyer who has experience handling cases like these. You can only fully recover your damages with the appropriate legal assistance.
It is crucial to have a spinal injury lawyer assess your case and the full scope of your damages before concluding your legal action. Make sure that all damages, past, present, and future, are taken into account.
Don’t overlook the statute of limitations or the deadline as well. You might have a few months to a couple of years to submit your claim, depending on the specifics of your injury. This is why you should speak with a spinal injury lawyer as soon as you can to make sure you don’t miss the chance to seek damages for your paralysis.
TOP LIST OF BEST BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD INJURY LAW FIRMS:
- LewittHackmann law firm
- Montevideo law
- Wilshire law firm
- Makkabi Law Group
- The Belli Law Firm
LewittHackmann law firm:
Lewitt Hackman’s brain and spinal cord injury lawyers have a lot of experience advocating for people who suffered significant injuries as a result of someone else’s carelessness. Their team of litigators has the skill, experience, and legal knowledge to ensure that those accountable for your or your loved ones’ injuries face consequences for their acts.
Contact the brain and spinal cord injury attorneys at Lewitt Hackman right now for a consultation of your case if you or a loved one has sustained brain or spinal cord damage as a consequence of someone else’s negligence.
Montevideo law:
One of the founding members of Montevideo Law is attorney John Michael Montevideo. Mr. Montevideo deals nearly exclusively with clients who have suffered brain and/or spinal cord injuries, however, every lawyer has a tale about what motivated him or her to enter the legal profession. His incident ignited a passion in him that hasn’t subsided to this day: a drive to stand up for individuals who have been wronged.
Mr. Montevideo worked for the JVC for a year following the completion of his undergraduate degree. During that time, he worked in Houston, Texas, and volunteered at Vita Living, Inc. The non-profit organization Vita Living aims to assist persons who are coping with physical and mental developmental difficulties. Several of the patients who received aid through Vita Living had a spinal cord or brain injuries. Mr. Montevideo chose to enroll in law school after seeing what they had to deal with. Together with the rest of the team, he now campaigns for the rights of individuals who are compelled into this position. He is one of the best brain and spinal cord injury lawyers.
Wilshire law firm:
Only a reputable attorney, not your friends or family and most definitely NOT the insurance claims adjuster, can preserve your right to full and fair recompense. Although the support of your friends and family is essential to your mental and emotional rehabilitation but to deal with your case, you will need a competent brain and spinal injury lawyer. The acclaimed legal team at Wilshire Law Firm is made up of kind individuals who value their clients as members of their own families. If you’re looking for a lawyer who will do all it takes to obtain you the best recovery, look no further.
Makkabi Law Group:
It is one of the best brain and spinal injury law firms in the country. It has won $150,000,000 for its clients, including those who had brain and spinal cord injuries.
The Law Offices of David F. Makkabi’s brain and spinal injury attorneys have the knowledge and expertise to secure full and just compensation for clients who have suffered such injuries. Lawyers that are familiar with the medical, physical, economic, and psychological effects of TBI and SCI are necessary for the families and victims of brain and spinal injuries.
Their brain and spinal injury lawyers are aware that both spinal trauma and brain injury have long-term effects that need to be addressed. Your lawyer will have expertise and competence in neuroanatomy, medicine, vocational rehabilitation, and life care planning. Their attorneys care deeply about their clients’ well-being as well as the relatives of those who have suffered injuries. The National Center for Injury Prevention estimates that 1.5 million Americans experience a brain injury each year. Of those, 50,000 pass away, and more than 1 million receive medical attention. These victims, who are most at risk, frequently include youngsters. Each year, accidents cause catastrophic brain injury in close to 500,000 youngsters. Annual spinal cord injuries affect more than 11,000 persons in the US.
The Los Angeles brain and spinal cord injury attorneys at the Law Offices of David F. Makkabi have the resources, expertise, and courtroom experience required to ensure that you, or your loved one, receive full compensation.
The Belli Law Firm:
Insurance companies frequently attempt to reject an accident victim’s claim, even though the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have said that even a small traumatic brain injury can have serious and long-lasting effects. Insurance companies often use the lack of a loss of consciousness as sufficient justification for denying a victim recompense because the long-term effects of brain injuries can be very expensive for them (despite though only 20% of concussions cause a loss of consciousness). To present your case in court and get fair compensation for your brain damage, you are strongly encouraged to work with an experienced attorney for brain injury accidents.
The Belli is one of the award-winning law firms and it will help you get compensation for your brain and spinal injuries.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
You may find yourself spending more time alone overthinking about the future if you are dealing with brain and/or spinal cord injury. These aren’t very positive thoughts because you already know that times may get tough in the future. Brain and spinal cord lawyers are familiar with these queries because they have assisted clients with these injuries. The thoughts may consist of:
- Why has this happened to me?
- I have no idea how I’ll ever be able to pay for all of this medical care.
- Will this result in an early death for me?
- Will I be fired?
- If my rent isn’t paid, will I lose my house?
- Will I ever walk again?
To deal with these troubling thoughts, you should hire the best brain and spinal cord injury lawyer who not only answers your questions but helps you in getting fair compensation for your injury.