Why Do You Need to Hire a Houston Spinal Cord Injury Attorney?
Spinal cord injuries can be permanent and debilitating, and may affect the injured and their families for the rest of their lives. These types of serious injuries may require legal action to provide compensation for the lifelong challenges ahead.
The costs associated with spinal cord injuries can be extensive, since they can affect the injured person over long periods of time. Family members and loved ones may often face financial and emotional distress while providing care for them.
At Pierce Skrabanek, we understand the extent of treatment and assistance needed to help spinal cord injury survivors. We have built a strong reputation of vigorously pursuing compensation and justice for those who have been impacted by severe spinal cord injuries due to another’s negligence.
If you or a loved one have been affected by a spinal cord injury, contact us at (832) 690-7000 to set up a free consultation to discuss your legal options. Our qualified Houston spinal cord injury attorneys will fight to obtain the monetary compensation our clients deserve for the best quality of life moving forward.
What Are Spinal Cord Injuries?
A spinal cord injury occurs when there is injury to the spinal cord, which is a bundle of nerves contained with the spinal column (backbone). These nerves carry important messages to and from the brain and the body. For this reason, any damage to the spinal cord can result in loss of sensation or loss of motor control in the various areas of the body (paralysis).
Spinal cord injury victims can experience multiple health problems and conditions, many of which can be permanent and require the assistance of another person for daily living.
What Types of Damages Are Available in a Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit?
Damages in a spinal cord injury lawsuit must be extensive enough to cover the long-term costs of treatments and lifestyle adjustments that result.
Monetary compensation from a lawsuit should cover:
- Initial hospital bills and expenses immediately after the accident
- Long-term rehabilitation treatments and ongoing physical therapy
- Payment for full-time in-home assistance
- Costs of medical supplies and equipment, including wheelchairs, ramps, modifications to vehicles, and other installations
- Pain and suffering expenses
- Lost wages and loss of the ability to generate income in the future
- Loss of companionship
- In cases involving extreme negligence, punitive damages
The damages obtained in a lawsuit depend on many factors, including the severity of the injuries, the degree of liability involved, and the skill of the spinal cord injury lawyer handling the case.
Lifetime Cost of Spinal Cord Injuries
The total cost of a spinal cord injury can often involve recurring lifetime expenses. One can imagine the extent of the financial burden this places on the family. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, such costs can easily exceed a staggering $1.2 million for the first year and more than $200,000 per year afterward. Standard insurance may not cover all of these, which makes legal action necessary. Hire a Houston spinal cord injury lawyer at (832) 690-7000 to discuss your rights to a damages award.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Spinal Cord Injury?
Signs and symptoms of spinal cord injury can often be detected immediately after an accident. In other cases, symptoms can be delayed and may take days or even weeks before they are felt or detected.
Signs and symptoms of a spinal cord injury may include:
- Difficulty moving
- Pain and discomfort
- Loss of feeling, particularly in the extremities
- Muscle weakness or spasms
- Breathing problems
- Heart rate changes
- High/low blood pressure
- Digestive problems
- Sexual dysfunction
- Loss of control of the bladder or bowels
More serious cases may involve a complete inability to move some or all of the body. Spinal cord injuries resulting in paralysis of the lower limbs is called paraplegia. Paralyzation in all four limbs is called quadriplegia. Paralysis of any body part can be permanent and is typically life-changing.
In addition to these physical symptoms, spinal cord injuries can also result in emotional or psychological changes and challenges. For instance, after a catastrophic accident, depression, PTSD, or changes in personality can occur.
Thus, if you've suffered an injury to your back or spinal cord, you should seek medical attention immediately, even if you don’t feel any symptoms at first. Contact a lawyer as well at (832) 690-7000, as they can assist when dealing with insurance or healthcare agents.
What Are Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries?
Spinal cord injuries are typically caused by direct impact to the back or spinal cord area. However, such injuries can also result from various other types of accidents. Some of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries include:
Spinal cord injuries can result from non-impact incidents as well. For instance, surgical errors or other forms of medical malpractice can cause permanent damage to the spinal cord.
At Pierce Skrabanek, we have obtained significant verdict and settlement results on behalf of our clients who have been injured through the actions of others.
For instance, our firm returned a $117 million jury verdict in an ambulance accident case, which is the single largest injury verdict in Louisiana history. We also obtained a $1.8 million award in a spinal injury case that covered medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of earning capacity, and other costs. Contact us to learn more about your rights.