Car accidents falls, and medical or surgical mishaps are common causes of spinal cord damage, often leading to serious issues like bladder control loss, impaired mobility, and chronic pain.
The effects of such injuries go beyond physical pain. An injured person may face emotional stress and the challenge of adjusting to a new way of life. Spinal cord injury symptoms vary depending on the severity and location of the damage, such as in the cervical spine, where even minor injuries can result in significant loss of function. Fortunately, advances in spinal cord injury treatment, combined with help from physical and occupational therapists, offer hope for recovery and improved quality of life.
Addressing spinal cord injuries requires timely intervention and proper care. Early diagnosis and the right medical, surgical, or rehabilitative approach can make a meaningful difference. With a focus on restoring mobility and independence, treatment helps injured individuals rebuild their lives step by step.
Legal Considerations for Spinal Cord Injury Victims
Spinal cord injuries can change a person’s life in an instant. Car accidents, motorcycle accidents, and sports injuries are common causes of spinal cord damage. When a spinal injury occurs due to another’s negligence, legal action may help the injured person recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and ongoing care. Understanding the legal process is critical after initial trauma to the spinal cord.
Establishing Liability
In many cases, proving fault is the key to obtaining compensation. Liability depends on showing that another party acted carelessly, causing the injury. For example, motor vehicle crashes and accidents at unsafe work sites often result in spinal cord injuries, including fractured vertebrae or herniated discs. To build a case:
- Gather evidence from the accident scene, such as photos and witness statements.
- Obtain medical records detailing the injury site, spinal cord injury symptoms, and treatment received.
- Document ongoing issues like muscle weakness, nerve pain, and bowel or bladder control problems.
Compensation for Damages
Spinal cord injury treatment is costly and may involve surgeries, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and ongoing care. Compensation can cover:
- Medical care costs, including surgery for spinal stenosis, rigid neck collars, and emergency room visits.
- Rehabilitation expenses for services provided by physical and occupational therapists.
- Lost income due to time away from work.
- Pain and suffering from nerve signals causing chronic pain, muscle spasticity, and sexual health issues.
- Future care needs for conditions like pressure sores, urinary tract infections, and muscle stiffness.
Long-Term Impact and Legal Support
A spinal injury affects more than just physical health. It impacts daily life, fine motor skills, and body functions, including bowel and bladder control. Injured persons may struggle with low blood pressure, blood clots, and nerve cell damage that further affects sexual functioning and chest muscles.
Hiring a legal professional can help navigate claims and ensure victims receive fair compensation. Working with a lawyer also allows families to focus on recovery while a legal team handles the case.
Time Limits and Legal Action
It is important to act quickly. Each state has specific time limits, known as statutes of limitations, for filing claims. Missing the deadline may bar an injured person from seeking compensation. Prompt legal action also ensures critical evidence from the accident scene is preserved.
In cases involving motor vehicle accidents, further spinal cord damage can often be avoided through immediate medical attention. Proper documentation from healthcare providers, including physical medicine specialists, helps strengthen legal claims by showing how the injury affects daily life.
Compensation for Spinal Injury Victims
Below is a detailed overview of how compensation works and what spinal injury victims can expect.
Medical Expenses
Spinal injury victims may require extensive medical care, including surgeries, physical therapy, assistive devices (such as wheelchairs), and long-term care. Compensation typically covers past and future medical costs associated with the injury.
Rehabilitation Costs
Ongoing rehabilitation is crucial for spinal injury victims to improve mobility and function. This can include physical therapy, occupational therapy, and psychological counseling. Compensation may cover both current and future rehabilitation expenses.
Lost Income and Earning Capacity
A spinal injury may prevent the victim from returning to their previous job or any form of work altogether. Compensation accounts for lost income and diminished earning potential if the injury affects the victim’s ability to work in the future.
Pain and Suffering
Beyond physical damage, spinal injuries often cause significant emotional distress and reduced quality of life. Compensation for pain and suffering is calculated based on the severity and long-term impact of the injury.
Home and Vehicle Modifications
Spinal injury victims may need modifications to their homes and vehicles, such as ramps, lifts, and accessible bathrooms. Compensation may help cover these necessary adjustments to accommodate their new lifestyle.
Cost of Care
In cases of severe spinal injuries, victims may require long-term or lifelong care, either at home or in specialized facilities. Compensation can cover the costs of hiring caregivers or paying for residential care.
What Causes Spinal Cord Injuries?
Spinal cord injuries are commonly caused by:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Slip-and-fall accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Violence and assault
- Workplace accidents
- Sports accidents
- Trampoline accidents
- Swimming pool and diving accidents
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What Are the Signs You Have Sustained a Spinal Cord Injury?
Common symptoms of a spinal cord injury include:
- Total or partial loss of sensation and movement below the injury site
- Altered sensation, such as the inability to feel touch, cold, or heat
- Impaired breathing
- Spasms or exaggerated reflex activities
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- A stinging sensation in the nerve fibers
- Changes in sexual function and sensitivity
What You Need to Do Immediately
When a spinal cord injury occurs, every second matters. Immediate actions can help minimize damage and improve the chances of recovery. Here’s what you need to do right away:
- If the injury happens during motor vehicle accidents, motorcycle accidents, or sports injuries, move the injured person only if there is a risk of further harm, such as fire or traffic.
- Call for immediate medical attention.
- Keep the injured person still. Use a rigid neck collar or rolled-up towels to stabilize the cervical spine and prevent further spinal cord damage.
- Look for spinal cord injury symptoms, such as loss of muscle control, weakness, or numbness.
- Pay attention to signs of low blood pressure, chest muscle weakness, and difficulty breathing, which can indicate thoracic or cervical spine injury.
- Check for bladder or bowel control issues common in spinal cord damage.
- Avoid moving the injured person unnecessarily to prevent bone fragments from worsening the injury site.
- Stabilize the head and neck until emergency help arrives.
- Monitor for blood clots, nerve pain, or changes in blood pressure, which may indicate internal complications.
- Once medical professionals arrive, they will transport the injured person to an emergency room or trauma center for spinal cord injury treatment.
- Immediate treatment may involve imaging tests like X-rays or MRIs to assess fractured vertebrae, herniated discs, or bone fragments pressing on the spinal canal.
- After initial trauma care, a rehabilitation team, including physical and occupational therapists, will help the injured person regain muscle control and improve fine motor skills.
- Physical therapy can address muscle spasticity and stiffness, while occupational therapy focuses on restoring bodily functions such as bowel and bladder control and sexual functioning.
- The healthcare team will monitor for complications like pressure sores, urinary tract infections, and nerve pain.
Get Legal Advice Now
Few accidents are entirely “accidental.” In most instances, someone could or should have been more responsible for preventing the incident. If you or someone you love is living with a spinal cord injury, someone else caused, talk to a Las Vegas spinal cord injury lawyer at THE702FIRM Injury Attorneys today. The first consultation is free, and there’s no obligation. We only get paid if we win your case.
