Spinal Cord Injury: Common Causes And Legal Actions To Take
A spinal cord injury is incredibly harmful, and the effects are often profound and long-lasting for those suffering from it. Depending on the affected area, the most common injuries are to the head, neck, and back. The effects of this pain can be minimally annoying or highly debilitating. Any damage to your spine, no matter how little, can have far-reaching consequences because of its central role in your skeleton. While some of these wounds might mend on their own in a few days, the pain and stiffness they cause may last for weeks or months.
Breathing problems, pneumonia, neurogenic shock, inflammation of the spine, and other consequences are all possible after a spinal cord injury. They may need surgery, medications to reduce swelling, intravenous fluids, and other acute care measures. Once they are stable, they will likely require intensive and ongoing rehabilitation services to make a full recovery. Medical professionals may be needed to assist the injured person recover or adjust to life with a permanent impairment. While motor vehicle accidents cause most spinal cord injuries, additional causes include construction accidents, industrial accidents, sports injuries, gunshot wounds, falls, and even criminal attacks.
Due to the effects of a spinal cord injury, you may be unable to return to work or do it to the same degree. You may want to speak with a spinal cord injury attorney about filing a claim for lost wages. You may require this type of financial assistance to cover regular bills, house repairs or renovations, and the salary of a personal support worker to assist you with routine activities.
A Closer Look At Spinal Cord Injuries
Vertebral fractures, dislocations, or spinal cord compression, a bundle of nerves that runs through a canal in the middle of the spinal column can occur if you experience an impact on the neck or back. Paralysis can be persistent, partial, or total if the spinal cord is badly injured, disrupting the usual flow of information from the brain to the rest of the body.
The mobility of a person's arms and legs following a spinal cord injury varies depending on the location and severity of the injury. Numbness or motor function loss can begin instantly, or it may develop gradually due to bleeding and swelling. Loss of motor control and sensation determines whether or not a spinal cord injury is considered complete or incomplete.
Spinal cord injury survivors with an incomplete injury may feel a sensation or have limited function below the affected area. On the other hand, a patient with total spinal cord damage has no sensation or movement below the level of the injury.
Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
Brain and spinal cord injuries are surprisingly prevalent, and while they are often the consequence of negligence, there is a wide range of other causes. Ordinary activities can be a leading cause of spinal cord injury.
This article will go into more depth below about these reasons, how they could impact patients and the legal problems they bring.
1. Motor Vehicular Accidents
Displacement fractures, whiplash, and broken bones are the most typical injuries from car crashes affecting the brain and spinal cord (as well as one of the costliest).
Recent studies show that cars are responsible for over 40% of all spinal cord injuries. The other driver in the accident is most likely to blame, but it could also be the responsibility of third parties like construction workers or other road disruptors.
2. Work-Related Injuries
The vast majority of incidents falling into this category involve slips and falls. Still, it may include injuries sustained from faulty machinery, automobile accidents while on business trips, and even debris striking the head.
3. Gun-Related Violence
Injuries caused by gunfire or other forms of physical violence are more likely to involve civil and criminal law. About 13%-17% of spinal cord injuries are caused by gun (or other) violence, which may have a connection to a defective product.
4. Accidental Falls
Accidental falls are a very regular occurrence, which is likely why they are one of the leading causes of brain and spinal cord injuries in the aggregate. Since many circumstances — most likely, a damp or otherwise slippery surface — could play a part in such an incidence, legal action is possible if a person sustains injuries from a fall (especially in a public location).
If you've suffered brain or spinal cord damage, you may be eligible for a settlement to help you deal with the financial fallout.
Am I Eligible For Compensation?
The negative effects of a spinal cord injury on quality of life may be apparent immediately or develop over time. Getting back to work may be delayed at first because of necessary medical procedures. The cost of treatment may be prohibitive, and you may be unable to return to work. A personal assistant can cost several hundred dollars daily but may be necessary to aid you with daily activities.
Your independence may have given you a sense of pride and self-assurance, but losing it could be detrimental to your mental health. Suppose you are left with a visible injury. In that case, you may also have mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and a loss of enthusiasm for things you had fun doing. The amount you receive as compensation is highly variable and depends on the severity of your injuries and the extent of your other tangible and intangible losses.
What Can A Spinal Cord Injury Attorney Do?
Legal action against the person or people who caused the spinal cord injury could result in significant financial compensation to help with medical expenses and other costs associated with the injury.
Hiring an experienced spinal cord injury attorney will be beneficial in pursuing legal action against those responsible for the injury.
It would be best to consider the mental and physical toll a lawsuit could have before you decide to pursue legal action. In a complex legal dispute, a ruling could take years to come to light. Sound judgment, however, may do more than bring the guilty party to justice; it may also give the injured party the tools they need to cope with their disability.
The choice to file a lawsuit is serious, but it needs to be made quickly. The injured party should retain counsel without delay if they file a lawsuit. The attorney will need to gather the necessary paperwork, witness statements, and other items as soon as possible so that the case can be initiated and a claim can be filed.
The Verdict
An accident that causes paralysis in the spinal cord can drastically alter your life. You might be eligible for financial compensation if the negligence of another party caused you harm. This is a difficult moment; you don't have to go through it alone. Seek the advice of an experienced spinal cord injury attorney to learn more about your options in the event of an accident.
