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Ohio Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers
Damage to the spinal cord is often life-altering. These injuries may lead to paralysis and life-long medical care. Ohio spinal cord injury lawyers fight to get compensation that will cover these expenses, including medical care and lost income, that people suffer when they sustain these injuries.
At Crandall & Pera Law, our attorneys advocate for accident victims who experienced some of the most severe injuries imaginable. Our team takes pride in our work to protect the future of spine injury victims and their families.
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What is a spinal cord injury?
The spinal cord runs from the brain through the body, serving the vital function of relaying messages. When you want to move your arm or leg, your brain conveys the command through the spinal cord. If you suffer a serious injury to your spinal cord, that damage can impede communication throughout your body, causing you to lose some functions.
There are various degrees and types of spinal cord injuries that will have different effects on the body. Two main categories are incomplete and complete spinal cord injuries.
An incomplete spinal cord injury causes partial damage, resulting in some limitations on movement and sensation. In these cases, the amount of movement and feeling will depend on the type and location of the injury and other potential complications with the person’s health.
In the case of complete spinal cord injuries, a person experiences permanent damage to the spine that will cause conditions like paraplegia or tetraplegia (or quadriplegia).
The level at which the injury occurs will also significantly impact a person’s physical abilities and symptoms. The spine has three levels, as well as nerves in the sacrum, and injuries at each location may cause different results.
Cervical Spinal Cord Injuries
The cervical spine includes the top seven vertebrae, extending from the head and neck to the shoulders. Damage to this level of the spine is the most severe. Because it is the highest level of the spine and closest to the brain, a cervical spine injury will limit or prevent movement or feeling below a person’s neck and shoulders. Tetraplegia results from cervical spine injuries.
Although there are variations in the severity of these injuries, many of those who damage their cervical spine will require full-time care throughout the rest of their lives.
Thoracic Spinal Cord Injuries
The thoracic spine includes 12 vertebrae, running from the shoulders through the mid-back. An injury to this part of the body may cause paraplegia or loss of the ability to use the legs. Depending on the location of the injury within the thoracic spine and the severity of the damage, a person with thoracic spinal cord injuries might be able to:
- Use their hands and arms
- Operate a manual wheelchair
- Drive a modified vehicle
- Use a standing frame or learn to walk with the help of braces
Lumbar Spinal Cord Injuries
The five vertebrae that make up the lumbar spine are at the very bottom of the lower back. Experiencing a lumbar spinal cord injury may cause some loss of function of a person’s legs and hips. Also, this injury can impact a person’s control over their bowel or bladder and require that they use special equipment. It might be possible for a person with a lumbar spine injury to use a wheelchair or to walk using braces.
Sacral Nerve Damage
Although the spinal cord does not extend into the sacrum, damage to the sacral nerve can cause symptoms similar to those of spinal cord injuries. For instance, sacral nerve damage can lead to loss of function in the legs and hips and loss of control in the bladder and bowels. Those with these injuries might be able to retain their ability to walk.
Common causes of spinal cord injuries
Traumatic injuries can lead to this devastating condition. Some common causes of spinal cord injuries include the following.
Automobile accidents
According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC), automobile accidents cause nearly 40% of all spinal cord injuries. The NSCISC breaks that number down into different types of vehicular accidents involved in spinal cord injuries:
- Cars, trucks, jeeps, buses, and dune buggies caused nearly 27%
- Motorcycles were involved in close to 7%
- Bicycle collisions with automobiles caused about 3%
- All-terrain vehicles caused under 2%
- Aircraft, snowmobiles, boats, and other vehicles caused the other included injuries
Falls, slips, and trips
Falling is the second most common cause of spinal cord injuries, leading to close to 30% of cases. This category involves a wide range of activities, from slipping on a wet floor to falling off construction equipment. Common fall categories that led to spinal cord injuries include:
- Slips, trips, and stumbling
- Falls from buildings or other structures
- Falls from ladders
- Falls from scaffolds and construction equipment
- Falls from playground equipment
- Ice and snow-related falls
- Diving or jumping into the water
Many of these tragic falls are preventable but occur because of dangerous circumstances on a property, like slippery floors or other negligent behavior, like failing to follow proper procedures at a construction site.
Sports and recreation
Contact sports, like football and other athletics, including cheerleading, also lead to a fair number of spinal cord injuries. These tragic events highlight the need for protective equipment, oversight, and safety policies.
Other causes of spinal cord injuries include violence like gunshot wounds, alcohol-related accidents, and disease.
Treatment for spinal cord injuries
Treatment for spinal cord injuries should start right at the scene of the accident. Immediate care from emergency personnel should include immobilizing the spine using a rigid neck collar and carrying board. The person may also need assistance breathing.
Once in the emergency room, healthcare providers may perform surgery, place the person in traction to stabilize the spine, administer medications to reduce inflammation and nerve damage and provide other forms of care. Improper treatment of this injury can cause additional damage. In such cases, the patient may have a medical malpractice case.
Regardless of how quickly and appropriately the medical providers react to the patient’s injuries, the road to recovery will be long, and many people will experience permanent disabilities as a result.
Rehabilitative treatment, including physical and occupational therapy, may help restore some mobility or quality of life. Additionally, assistive technology and adaptive devices may allow a person to regain some mobility or allow them to communicate.
Vocational therapy, mental health support to learn coping strategies, exercise and diet regimens, and other treatments might also offer some relief or improvements.
These forms of treatment are often extremely costly, from the initial emergency visit throughout the rest of a person’s life. To get the best care possible, individuals who suffer these injuries because of another person’s negligence should pursue the compensation they deserve. Recovering damages can improve the quality of life for the injured individual and their family. An Ohio spinal injury lawyer can help recover this compensation and hold the person who injured you accountable.
The role of Ohio spinal cord injury lawyers
If another person’s negligence caused your spinal cord injury, you can pursue compensation. In many cases, insurance companies for the at-fault party may reach out with a settlement offer. However, it is incredibly important that you discuss your options with an experienced attorney before signing any agreements. Your spinal injury attorney will be able to review your claim and determine its actual value so that you do not accept an offer that is below what you deserve.
Instead of accepting the offer, your best course of action may be to file a lawsuit. Your attorney can file a claim, which will start the litigation process. The court system allows you to collect evidence that could be helpful in negotiating a more favorable settlement and will be critical if you end up taking the case to trial.
The goal for your lawyer is to reach a settlement that compensates you for your past and future medical expenses, as well as your lost income. Spinal cord injuries are some of the most serious claims that personal injury attorneys handle. At Crandall & Pera Law, our goal is to reach a settlement agreement or judgment that will allow you and your family the best possible future.
If you have questions about your spinal cord injury claim, schedule a free consultation with one of Crandall & Pera Law’s compassionate catastrophic injury attorneys.