Spinal cord injuries can change your life in an instant. They can rob you of your independence and ability to earn a living and keep you from doing many of the things you enjoy. The impact is not limited to you alone—a spinal cord injury can impact all of your loved ones, changing the nature of your family relationships and even your friendships. They come at a tremendous financial cost as well. The immediate expenses are often in the hundreds of thousands, with lifelong medical costs in the tens of thousands each year thereafter. In addition to direct medical costs, you may experience lost wages, loss of earning capacity, and other related financial expenses.
No amount of financial recovery can change the reality of a spinal cord injury, but it can help you adjust, and a skilled catastrophic injury attorney could assist you in obtaining fair compensation. Financial restitution can give you the ability to hire caregivers and purchase wheelchairs or other assistive devices while also promoting independence. Most importantly, it can relieve you and your family of the tremendous financial stress accompanying these injuries. A seasoned Metairie spinal cord injury lawyer could offer immediate guidance on getting you comprehensive compensation today.
Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
While some diseases can lead to spinal cord injuries, most often, they are at the root of personal injury lawsuits based on damage to the spine. Acute spinal cord injuries happen any time a traumatic injury bruises, tears, or severs the spinal cord. They can lead to a temporary disability, a permanent disability, or even death.
Any accident can cause a spinal cord injury. However, the greater the trauma to the spine, the higher the likelihood of a severe injury. Common causes of spinal injuries include:
- Falls
- Violence
- Birth injuries
- Sports injuries
- Diving accidents
- Trampoline accidents
- Motor vehicle accidents
Spinal cord injuries are sometimes due to someone taking unnecessary risks, but more often than not, they are the result of someone else’s negligent behavior. In those circumstances, the injured person may be entitled to recovery. Since Louisiana is a pure comparative negligence state, the injured person can recover some compensation even if they share responsibility for the accident. A capable Metairie attorney could explain how comparative negligence can impact financial recovery after a spinal cord injury.
Understanding Spinal Cord Injuries
While back injuries can put someone at risk for a spinal cord injury, most back injuries involve damage to muscles or connective tissue. In contrast, a spinal cord injury involves damage to the spine because of bruising, swelling, or tears. Any damage to the soft tissue in the spine is classified as a spinal cord injury.
Aside from death, the most dramatic consequence of a spinal cord injury is paralysis. Paralysis can be total or partial, and it can impact various locations in the body. Specifically, the location of the spinal injury correlates to the location of the paralysis.
The two types of paralysis familiar to most people are paraplegia and quadriplegia. Paraplegia impacts the body below the neck, often resulting in loss of function in the legs and lower body. Quadriplegia usually results from neck injuries and leads to loss of use of all four limbs. However, paralysis is not limited to these two types; it can also impact a single limb, the same part of the body on both sides, or even just one side of the body.
In addition, paralysis may manifest as complete or partial loss of movement and sensation, impacting involuntary and voluntary responses in the body. Paralysis may cause:
- Incontinence
- Breathing problems
- Loss of bowel control
- Loss of sexual function
It can also lead to problems regulating heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure. In Metairie, a meticulous lawyer could investigate an individual’s medical history to understand the full impact of a spinal cord injury.
Enlist the Help of a Metairie Spinal Cord Injury Attorney Today
The aftermath of a spinal cord injury can be overwhelming for you and your loved ones. In addition to the financial stressors and physical pain, it can lead to tremendous emotional trauma. When someone else contributes to your injury, they should be held responsible through financial restitution.
It is crucial to note that Louisiana has a very short statute of limitations. You have one year to bring your claim, so there is little time to adjust to your new reality before filing a lawsuit. A dedicated Metairie spinal cord injury lawyer could help you take steps to file your case and seek fair compensation. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
