A spinal cord injury can change everything in an instant. Mobility, independence, career plans, and family life may all be affected, often permanently. The medical and personal costs can last a lifetime.
If your injury was caused by someone else’s negligence, a spinal cord injury attorney can help you secure the resources you’ll need, not just for today, but for the rest of your life.
Types of Spinal Cord Injuries
Doctors generally classify spinal cord injuries in two ways:
- Complete injuries cause total loss of feeling and movement below the level of injury.
- Incomplete injuries leave some feeling or movement below the injury site.
The location of the injury also matters:
- Tetraplegia (quadriplegia): injuries to the cervical (neck) spine that affect the arms, hands, trunk, and legs
- Paraplegia: injuries lower on the spine that affect the legs and lower body
- Other spinal injuries: herniated discs, fractured vertebrae, and nerve damage that can cause chronic pain and limited function
Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
- Car, truck, and motorcycle accidents
- Falls, including slip and falls on unsafe property
- Construction and workplace accidents
- Sports and recreational accidents, such as diving into shallow water
- Medical and surgical errors
- Acts of violence
- Defective products, such as faulty vehicle parts or equipment
Why You Need a Specialized Spinal Cord Injury Attorney
Spinal cord injury cases are among the highest-value personal injury claims, which means insurers defend them aggressively. The biggest risk for victims is settling too early for an amount that doesn’t cover a lifetime of needs.
The lifetime cost of a serious spinal cord injury can run into the millions of dollars, depending on the severity of the injury and the person’s age. Costs often include:
- Emergency treatment, surgery, and intensive care
- Inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation
- Ongoing physical and occupational therapy
- Wheelchairs, mobility aids, and medical equipment
- Home and vehicle modifications
- In-home nursing or attendant care
- Medications and treatment of complications
- Lost income over a lifetime
The Life Care Plan
A key tool in spinal cord injury cases is the life care plan. A specialized expert, often a nurse or physician working with your doctors, maps out every medical service, piece of equipment, and type of care you are likely to need for the rest of your life, along with the cost of each. Economists then calculate the present value of those future costs.
An experienced spinal cord injury attorney works with these experts to make sure your claim reflects the true, long-term cost of your injury.
Compensation You May Recover
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity
- Cost of long-term care and home modifications
- Pain, suffering, and emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium for spouses
- Punitive damages in cases of extreme recklessness, where allowed
How to Choose a Spinal Cord Injury Attorney
- Catastrophic injury experience. Ask how many spinal cord injury cases they’ve handled and what the outcomes were.
- Access to experts. The firm should work with life care planners, neurologists, economists, and vocational experts.
- Financial resources. These cases are costly to build. Make sure the firm can fund them through trial.
- Patience. A good attorney won’t rush you to settle before your long-term prognosis is clear.
- Compassion. You and your family are going through one of the hardest times of your lives. Choose someone who listens.
Most spinal cord injury attorneys work on a contingency fee, so you don’t pay unless they recover money for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a spinal cord injury case worth? It depends on the severity of the injury, your age, your earnings, your future care needs, and the available insurance. Severe cases can be worth millions, but every case is unique.
How long will my case take? Because doctors often need time to determine how much function may return, these cases can take longer than typical injury claims. That patience usually leads to a more accurate recovery.
Can I recover if the injury happened at work? Workers’ compensation may cover some costs, and if a third party such as an equipment maker or contractor was at fault, you may also have a separate personal injury claim.
Final Thoughts
A spinal cord injury affects not just your body, but your entire future. A dedicated spinal cord injury attorney can help ensure the people responsible pay for the care, support, and security you and your family will need for years to come.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal or medical advice. Laws vary by state. Consult a licensed attorney about your specific situation.