Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

Spinal cord injuries are devastating, and when they occur, they often lead to some form of paralysis that can lead to lifelong medical care and physical challenges. While spinal cord injuries can occur from personal injury cases such as a slip and fall injury or motor vehicle accidents like a truck accident or motorcycle accidents.

They often occur due to a workplace injury.

Spinal cord injury cases can require extensive time and effort to help provide the injured party with the settlement they need to help them with the physical, financial, and emotional stress that can come with such a devastating injury. This makes finding the right Workers’ Compensation law firm and spinal cord injury attorney with the experience to handle your injury claim critical.

What is a Spinal Cord Injury

A spinal cord injury, or SCI,  is often a devastating injury case where the worker has suffered damage to the nerves at the base of the spinal canal or the spinal cord itself. Spinal cord injuries can result in significant medical costs, loss of sensation and body functions, and even permanent disability.

While research is currently underway to find technological advancements with spinal cord injuries, currently these injuries require extensive therapy, treatment, and care to allow the injured party to be able to function in daily life.

Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

Your spine is made up of 33 vertebrae, running from your neck to your pelvic area and the spinal cord is a collection of nerves that are protected by the spine. If the cord is injured in any area along the spine the risk for problems is significant. The type and severity of the spinal cord injury will depend on which area was damaged and which category the injury falls into.

The two categories in which a spinal cord injury can be placed are:

• Complete spinal injuries: In this category, the injured party will have a total loss of sensation, feeling, and movement in the area below the section of the spine that was damaged.
• Incomplete spinal injuries: When the injury is deemed incomplete, the injured party will only experience a partial loss of sensation and function just below the injured area.

The type of injury suffered will also be classed by the section that was injured. Below are the four types of spinal injuries an accident can cause.

• Cervical: This type of injury occurs in the neck area and is one of the most common types of spinal cord injuries, due to the lack of protection of the area. When this type of injury occurs you may feel full paralysis or weakness in both the arms and the legs.
• Thoracic: Injuries to the thoracic area are the second most common as the spinal column is better protected by the rib cage. This injury can also cause full or partial paralysis in the arms and legs, depending on where the injury is sustained.
• Lumbar: Lumbar injuries occur in the lower back and can result in either partial or full paralysis of the legs.
• Sacral: The sacral area is located at the base of the spine and can leave you with a risk of weakness or paralysis of the legs and hips as well as dysfunction with the bladder, bowel, or sex organs.

Signs That You May Have Suffered a Spinal Cord Injury

When you suffer an SCI, you will likely develop immediate severe symptoms. The most common symptoms associated with spinal cord injuries include:

• Severe pressure or pain along the neck of pain
• Head pain or pressure
• Weakness, loss of coordination, or paralysis
• Tingling or numbness in the limbs or extremities
• Loss of control over your bladder or bowel movements
• Difficulty talking
• Lack of coordination or balance
• Breathing pain or difficulty
• Unusual positioning of your back or neck

The injury could also result in immediate paralysis. If the legs, arms, and pelvic organs suffer full paralysis this would be considered quadriplegia or tetraplegia. Paraplegia can also occur which is full paralysis of the arms, legs, pelvic organs, and the entire body trunk. This type of outcome will require significant medical care throughout the patient’s life.

What Treatments Might You Expect With a Spinal Cord Injury?

Since SCI injuries are irreversible, the treatments revolve around stabilization, ongoing care, and rehabilitation. The length and amount of treatment will largely have to do with how severe the injury is. With most spinal cord injuries you can expect:

• Emergency treatments: This will occur directly to have the injury happens and often includes immobilization, surgery, and medications.
• Continued care: Once stabilized the new focus will be on providing ongoing care and preventing additional problems from occurring. Secondary problems that can occur include respiratory infections, blood clots, ulcers, and muscle contractures.
• Rehabilitation: Rehabilitation is often used to help the patient gain as much mobility as they can. This can involve physical and occupational therapists to help them build strength and learn how to meet there needs as best they can. The team can also include dieticians and psychologists.

Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries are typically the result of a violent or unpredictable accident or event. In the workplace, some issues or accidents that can result in an SCI include:

• A violent attack or assault resulting in a potential brain injury
• Trauma while driving a company vehicle or heavy equipment suffered to the face, head, neck, back, or chest area
• Falling from a significant height
• Being struck in the head, chest, neck, or back with a heavy or falling object
• Electrical accidents
• Defective Products
• A severe or unnatural twisting of the middle of your torso

What Workers’ Compensation Benefits can Spinal Cord Injury Victims Receive?

When you suffer from a spinal cord injury, the medical expenses, your quality of life, and other costs will be great, and it is likely that you will be unable to return to work and in many cases, you will require lifelong care. When the injury was the result of a workplace accident, it is important to know what you can expect from your workers’ compensation settlement. If injured on the job you will have the right to:

• Cash benefits: A cash benefit amount of 2/3 of your weekly wage can be paid to you each week, starting from the first day off work as long as the leave extends past 14 days.
• Medical bills: The cost of medical treatment will be paid no matter how long or short the disability. This can include hospital and physician costs, diagnostics, therapy, prescriptions, and anything else deemed medically necessary.
• Additional expenses: Not only is the cost of medical care covered but also peripheral medical costs, such as transportation costs to and from appointments and over the counter medication and treatments.

Do Need You Need A Free Consultation With Our Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer?

Get the settlement you deserve for your injury claim to allow you to receive the proper care and treatment to help you physically and mentally recover from your spinal cord injury. The proper representation from an experienced law firm will make a huge difference.

For over 30 years, Terry Katz & Associates have a solid track record of helping injured workers with their spinal cord injury lawsuit settlements. Our experienced New York Workers’ Compensation or personal injury attorneys will help you achieve the best results after your work injury.

Call today at (516) 997-0997 for a confidential free case evaluation at our Long Island office.