Spinal cord injuries
When you are involved in a serious car accident that results in a spinal cord injury, the consequences can be permanent disability along with the massive expenses associated with medical treatment, hospitalization, long-term care, and rehabilitation. A spinal cord injury can result in paraplegia or quadriplegia and deprive you of the ability to work, take care of your family, and/or perform basic daily activities. Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) constitute the leading cause of spinal cord injuries in the U.S., accounting for nearly forty percent of spinal cord injuries each year. Many of these spinal cord injury victims suffer permanent disability, loss of mobility, chronic pain, and even death.
The spinal cord is a nerve bundle that extends from the base of the brain down along the spine. SCIs often result in impaired sensation and limitation of an individual’s ability to move their extremities. Severe SCIs can result in paraplegia, which is paralysis of the legs or quadriplegia, which is paralysis of all four limbs. Loss of use of the extremities can occur when a person experiences trauma to the cells in the spinal cord or the severing of the nerve tracks that transmit signals along the spine. An accident victim can experience a loss of functioning and feeling without the spinal cord being severed.
Spinal cord injuries may be either complete or incomplete. A complete spinal cord injury refers to an injury where there is a complete loss of mobility or feeling below the point of the injury, so the injury affects both sides of the body. An incomplete spinal cord injury means that there is some mobility or sensation below the point of injury. Even an incomplete spinal cord injury can result in substantial loss of functioning or sensation in one’s extremities. Whether one suffers either a complete or incomplete spinal cord injury, the result is likely to be substantial medical costs, long periods of rehabilitation, permanent loss of functioning or sensation, and limitations on life activities or the ability to fully participate in one’s chosen occupation.
While a lawsuit to pursue a financial recovery for your losses might not be your top priority if you suffer this kind of debilitating injury, the staggering lifetime costs of such an injury cannot be taken lightly. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center reports that the lifetime cost of a serious SCI for a 25-year-old victim ranges from approximately, 1.7 million dollars to 5.1 million dollars depending on the severity of the injury. Without fair compensation for an SCI caused by another person’s negligence, the result can be financial ruin for a victim and his or her family.
Many negligent parties may contribute to a motor vehicle accident that causes a spinal cord injury, including negligent drivers, their employers, vehicle owners, makers of defective vehicles and public entities that fail to design or maintain safe roadways. If you are involved in a car accident that causes a spinal cord injury, an experienced auto accident lawyer can explain your legal right to a monetary recovery and the best way to preserve your legal rights.
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Parker Waichman LLP helps families recover monetary compensation for harm caused by dangerous drivers. For your free consultation, contact our Car Accident Law Firm today by using our live chat or calling 1-800-YOUR-LAWYER (1-800-968-7529).
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