Spinal cord injuries are life-changing and are often seen in victims of auto accidents. Spinal cord injuries may mean paralysis below the point of injury and a life of possible disability. They are not only painful but have the potential to transform your outlook on life and quality of life.
If you have suffered spinal cord injuries in Riverdale, GA due to someone’s careless actions, you have the right to pursue compensation under personal injury law. Our Riverdale spinal cord injury lawyers are here to help you.
Humphrey & Ballard Law is a leading law firm in Riverdale, GA specializing in personal injuries including spinal cord injuries. Call us today at 404-341-0499 to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with our legal team to determine how best to pursue the compensation you are entitled to.
How Much Are Spinal Cord Injuries Worth?
The value of your spinal cord injury case will depend on the severity of your injuries. Still, spinal cord injury cases are consistently ranked among the highest-grossing claims for plaintiffs in personal injury cases throughout the United States.
The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation estimates that the lifetime costs of a complete spinal cord injury claim run anywhere from 2 to 4 million dollars or even more. Other factors that may contribute to the value of your claim include current and future medical needs, pain and suffering, as well as lost wages.
The legal team at Humphrey & Ballard Law works with a number of experts to assess your losses better and ensure that you recover the compensation that you are rightfully entitled to. Call us today at 404-341-0499 to discuss your case.
What Are the Most Common Types of Spinal Cord Injuries?
Spinal cord injuries occur when the vertebrae responsible for protecting the spinal cord are dislocated, fractured, or suffer some form of hyperflexion, hyperextension, or compression. All spinal cord injuries are divided into one of two categories:
Complete
It is where the victim experiences no function below the site of injury. The loss of movement and sensation affects both sides of the body in equal measure and can occur anywhere along the spinal cord.
Incomplete
It is where the victim retains some function below the site of injury. It is characterized by varying levels of movement and sensation throughout the body. However, one side is usually more affected than the other. It can occur anywhere along the spinal cord.
Why Should You See a Doctor Right Away After a Back Injury?
You should see a doctor immediately after suffering a back injury because spinal cord injuries are sometimes not immediately apparent. You might have been involved in a fender-bender and discounted your injuries. You think that you will be back in business after a few trips to a physical therapist or chiropractor.
Paralysis is one of the most common symptoms resulting from a spinal cord injury. It is defined as the loss of the ability to move in either part or most of the body. Paralysis is of three main varieties:
- Paraplegia: It is a type of paralysis that can affect all or portions of the victim’s feet, legs, torso, and sexual organs.
- Triplegia: It is a type of paralysis exhibited by the loss of movement in one arm and both legs.
- Quadriplegia (Tetraplegia): It is a type of paralysis that affects all parts of the body from the neck down, including the legs, arms, hands, torso, feet, and sexual organs.
Besides paralysis, victims of spinal cord injuries are likely to have other symptoms and side effects, which include:
- Loss of respiratory function
- Numbness in your toes or fingers
- Spasms
- Sexual dysfunction
- Inability to control the bladder
- Extreme neck or back pain
- Loss of muscle control (legs, arms, torso, etc.)
- Difficulty or loss of the ability to control bodily functions
- Pain or stinging sensation
As spinal cord injury lawyers, we often come across clients that have been involved in seemingly minor car accidents whose injuries didn’t reveal themselves until much later. Your spinal cord injury and its associated symptoms may become worse without treatment. It is due to this reason that you need to see a doctor right away after a back injury.
What Are Some Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries?
The leading causes of spinal cord injuries are forms of trauma. Spinal cord injuries can result from direct injury to the spinal cord or indirectly from damage to the surrounding tissues, bones, or blood vessels.
Here are some of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries:
- Birth Injuries
- Violent Attacks
- Sporting or Recreational Accidents
- Surgical or Medical Errors
- Slips and Falls
- Motor Vehicle Accidents
- Workplace Accidents
What Can I Expect to Recover if I Have a Spinal Cord Injury?
Spinal cord injuries affect just about every aspect of an individual’s life. Due to how permanent and catastrophic spinal cord injuries usually are, the courts usually award significant compensation. If you have suffered a spinal cord injury, you can expect to recover a wide range of damages, including:
Economic Damages
Economic damages are also referred to as compensatory damages and are aimed at compensating the victim for any financial losses suffered due to the spinal cord injury. Compensatory damages include but are not limited to:
- Loss of income
- Medical bills
- Household expenses
- Physical therapy expenses
- Expenses related to property repair
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages, on the other hand, are aimed at compensating the injured party for the general mental and emotional harm suffered due to the spinal cord injury. Non-economic damages include but are not limited to:
- Loss of consortium
- Decrease in your enjoyment of life
- Physical impairment
- Mental anguish
- Pain and suffering
If you have suffered a catastrophic injury, you can always count on the legal team at Humphrey & Ballard Law in Riverdale, GA. We try to recover for future medical expenses so that you will be covered for the rest of your life. We structure the recovery so that all the money isn’t spent at once. This is known as a “structured settlement” and it protects the client through a special needs trust.
How Are Spinal Cord Injury Cases Different from Other Personal Injury Cases?
In the vast majority of accidents, you are injured and you recover. Spinal cord injury cases, however, are different since these injuries have long-term health issues that require long-term care, which usually translates to a lifetime of costs, which isn’t the case with other personal injury cases.
Victims of spinal cord injuries sometimes never leave the hospital after the accident that causes their injuries. Even if a victim survives the initial trauma, he or she still faces a higher risk of early mortality. Life expectancy rates for victims of spinal cord injuries are significantly lower compared to people without such injuries.
Mortality rates tend to be the highest in the first year following the injury, particularly when the spinal cord injury results in neurological impairments. Causes of death surrounding spinal cord injuries include accidents, urinary/digestive diseases, septicemia, and pneumonia.
Is There a Time Limit to File a Spinal Cord Injury Claim?
Yes. The time limit to file a spinal cord injury claim, which is known as the statute of limitations is two years according to Georgia law. However, it is advisable to contact your lawyer as soon as possible after the spinal cord injury so that we can gather as much evidence as we can, document your injuries, and ensure that you receive the proper treatment.
What if a Spinal Cord Injury Happened at Work?
If your spinal cord injury happened at work or while performing your work-related duties, you are entitled to receive workers’ compensation. The difference between a personal injury and a workers’ compensation claim is that no determination of fault is required to receive workers’ compensation benefits.
If your spinal cord injury happened at work, it does not matter who the at-fault party was, it will still be covered under workers’ compensation regardless of negligence. If a third party was involved in your injuries, however, you can proceed with both a workers’ compensation claim and a personal injury lawsuit.
Need a Riverdale Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer?
If you have suffered a spinal cord injury due to someone else’s negligent actions, you may have a valid personal injury claim against them. Whether the injury was the result of a car accident, slip-and-fall accident, or any other type of accident, you deserve to recover financially.
Our team of spinal cord injury lawyers at Humphrey and Ballard Law in Riverdale, GA can guide you through the legal process and do our best to prove the other party’s negligence. We are always focused on obtaining the maximum compensation available for your case to help you get the medical and other resources needed to move on following a spinal cord injury.
For more information on how we can help, call us today at 404-341-0499 to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced Riverdale spinal cord injury lawyers. We are looking forward to hearing from you and helping you recover the financial compensation that you deserve.
