Approximately 30,000 individuals in the U.S. live with spinal cord injuries, which can cause pain, mobility challenges, and difficulty in finding employment. Preventable accidents, including motor vehicle accidents, cause a significant percentage of spinal cord injuries. When spinal cord injuries result in paralysis, victims can incur significant ongoing medical expenses and other financial damages.
If you or your loved one have experienced a spinal cord injury caused by another person’s negligence or recklessness, speaking to an attorney as soon as possible is crucial. You may be entitled to compensation through a personal injury lawsuit or insurance claim. The New York personal injury attorneys at Dell & Dean, PLLC, are prepared to help victims of spinal cord injuries recover the compensation they deserve.
Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cords carry messages to and from our brains to the rest of our bodies for the purpose of controlling movement and bodily functions. The spinal cord includes vertebrae along with thousands of nerves. Acute trauma to the spinal cord can cause it to tear or become bruised. The vertebrae can fracture or compress the spinal cord, causing extreme pain and permanent injury.
Unfortunately, the spinal cord cannot heal on its own. When it becomes bruised or torn, it cannot repair itself. When a person’s spinal cord is subjected to blunt force trauma, the spinal cord can become irreparably injured. Some of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries include the following:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Accidents in the workplace
- Defective medical devices
- Surgical mistakes
Types of Spinal Cord Injuries
There are four types of spinal cord injuries. These include the following:
- Cervical: Cervical spinal cord injuries affect the neck. Trauma to this area can affect the body below the head.
- Thoracic: Thoracis spinal cord injuries target the upper back, and they affect the body downward from the trunk.
- Lumbar: Lumbar spinal cord injuries target the lower back, and they can affect bodily function and mobility below the waist.
- Sacral: Finally, sacral spinal cord injuries target the bottom-most portion of the spine. Damage to this part of the spinal cord usually doesn’t result in paralysis, but bodily function and sensation around the hips may be affected.
In addition, if the spinal cord becomes severed, then this is considered a catastrophic spinal cord injury, which means that the victim suffers a loss of sensation and motion from the point of the injury and below.
If the spinal cord is partially severed, this is considered an “incomplete” injury, which means that although some motion may be lost, rehabilitation and treatment are generally effective in restoring certain functions.
The Long-Term Effects of Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis
Spinal cord injuries can cause devastating, painful, long-term effects. Chronic pain is a common long-term effect of spinal cord injuries. A person’s pain can be so severe it becomes debilitating. Spinal cord injuries can also cause a permanent loss of sensation, strength, and function below the site of the spinal cord injury. Incontinence can also occur, resulting in an increased risk of infection. Patients can also suffer from osteoporosis, respiratory issues, endocrine changes, and gastrointestinal issues. Other long-term effects can include:
- Pressure ulcers
- Autonomic dysreflexia
- Sexual dysfunction
- Gait disturbances
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Soft-tissue contractures
- Social difficulties
- Disability
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Spinal Cord Injury in New York?
Victims of spinal cord accidents must prove liability to recover compensation through a personal injury or insurance claim. With the help of an attorney, victims must prove the at-fault party failed to use reasonable care under the circumstances to prevent injury to others. Additionally, victims must prove the at-fault party’s negligence or recklessness directly caused the accident, resulting in their spinal cord injuries. Depending on the facts in your specific case, one or more of the following parties may be liable for your injuries:
- Motor vehicle drivers
- Property owners
- Manufacturers of defective vehicles or equipment
- Supervisors of recreational activities or children’s sports
- Government agencies
- Criminal assailants
- Negligent employers
- Medical professionals, including doctors and nurses
Pursuing Compensation After a Spinal Cord Injury
Under New York laws, victims can receive compensation for spinal cord injuries caused by another party’s negligence. Victims can pursue economic and non-economic damages to make them “whole” again in the eyes of the law. Specifically, victims with spinal cord injuries can pursue the following types of damages:
- The cost of all medical care
- Corrective surgeries
- Rehabilitation
- Ambulance fees and hospital bills
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity for those who can’t return to work
- Pain and suffering
- Other types of emotional distress
- Vocational therapy
- Adaptive medical equipment, including wheelchairs, walkers, and other assistive devices
- Costs related to in-home nursing care
Victims who’ve become paralyzed because of their spinal cord injuries may have millions of dollars in medical expenses over their lifetime. According to the Christopher & Dana Reeves Foundation, the estimated lifetime costs associated with a severe spinal cord injury can exceed $2.5 million. At Dell & Dean, PLLC, our personal injury attorneys regularly work with medical and financial experts to carefully estimate all future expenses associated with our client’s injuries. After determining the full value of your claim, we will begin aggressively pursuing a favorable outcome through a settlement or court verdict.
How a Personal Injury Attorney Can Help
Spinal cord injuries are among the most serious medical conditions a person can suffer. Depending on the severity of a spinal cord injury, victims may find themselves permanently unable to ambulate or maintain employment. Fortunately, if you are a victim of a spinal cord accident, our experienced attorneys do what it takes to obtain financial compensation on your behalf, including:
Determine Who is at Fault
First, we will determine who caused your accident. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, one or more parties may be liable for your injury. Regardless of how many parties are at fault, we will aggressively seek financial compensation on your behalf.
Gather Evidence
Next, we will gather and analyze evidence. Common types of evidence in spinal cord accident cases include:
- Videos
- Photos
- Witness statements
- Doctor statements
- Expert witness statements
- Personal statements
File Your Claim
Finally, our experienced spinal cord injury lawyers will ensure that your claim is legally sufficient and filed in a timely manner. As a spinal cord injury victim, you shouldn’t have to worry about the legal details of your case. Rather, you should focus on your recovery while our attorneys vigorously pursue financial compensation on your behalf.
Contact Our Spinal Cord Injury Attorney in Long Island & New York
Victims of spinal cord injuries generally only have three years from the date of the accident that caused their injuries to file a personal injury lawsuit. The sooner you reach out to an experienced personal injury attorney, the sooner your attorney can investigate your case, gather facts, interview witnesses, and negotiate a favorable settlement. Don’t hesitate to contact Dell & Dean, PLLC, to schedule a complimentary, no-obligation consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in New York.
Dell & Dean, PLLC, represents clients throughout Nassau County, Suffolk County, and Garden City on Long Island, as well as the boroughs of New York: Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Manhattan, and the Bronx.
