Few injuries are as devastating as spinal cord injuries. The spinal cord plays an important part in everything that we do. Even minor spinal cord trauma can have long-term effects and change a person’s life forever. If you’ve experienced a spinal cord injury, you may struggle with chronic pain, have challenges speaking, or lose the ability to walk or control part of your body.
Discuss Your Case With a Spinal Cord Injury Attorney
If another person’s negligence has caused the accident that resulted in your spinal cord injury, you may be entitled to compensation. Attorney Michael LoGiudice, LLP has successfully represented many clients in spinal cord injury cases, and he can help you hold the responsible parties accountable. He will handle the ins and outs of your case to focus on your recovery. Contact Michael LoGiudice, LLP today to schedule your free case evaluation.
What Are Spinal Cord Injuries?
Spinal cord injuries can result from a sudden blow to the spine that fractures or crushes one or more vertebrae. These serious injuries can result from car accidents, violence, or gunshot or knife wounds that penetrate or sever the spinal cord. Contrary to popular belief, spinal cord injuries that cause paralysis don’t always happen when the spinal cord becomes severed. Most people who experience paralysis due to spinal cord injuries have a spinal cord that is bruised but still intact. Common causes of spinal cord injuries include:
- Car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian, and truck accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Dangerously defective products
- Construction site accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Medical malpractice
Spinal cord injuries are difficult to treat because there is a lack of oxygen to the spinal cord after the initial damage happens. The body releases chemicals at the initial spinal cord injury site to cause further nerve cell damage. Because the spinal cord is responsible for coordinating a body’s sensation of movement, an injury to the spinal cord can result in a loss of sensation and function below the injury site. The injury is considered incomplete when the individual has some sensation and function below the injury site. The injury is deemed to be complete when the individual loses all sense and function below the injury site.
Complications and Expenses Related to Spinal Cord Injuries
Every spinal cord injury is unique, and patients will experience their own combination of symptoms that vary in severity. Some of the most common symptoms include the following:
- Loss of sensation and the ability to feel cold, heat, or touch
- Loss of movement
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- Spasms or exaggerated reflex
- Changes in sexual sensitivity, function, or fertility
- An intense stinging sensation or other types of pain
- Difficulty coughing or breathing
- Difficulty regulating body temperature
- An increased likelihood of infection
Recovering Compensation After a Westchester Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries aren’t always obvious right after the accident, which can make the condition worsen if it hasn’t been recognized immediately. If you were involved in an accident and have experienced any symptoms that lead you to believe your spinal cord could have been injured, it’s important that you see a doctor right away. It’s also important that you reach out to a personal injury attorney who can help you understand your legal options.
If you were involved in a car accident or became injured on another person’s property, you may be entitled to compensation through an insurance settlement. However, insurance companies are notorious for denying claims or offering a settlement amount that is far too low. Westchester spinal cord injury attorney, Michael LoGiudice, LLP understands how insurance companies work and will fight hard for the full amount of compensation you deserve.
Damages Available in a Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit
If another person or company’s negligence resulted in your spinal cord injury, you have a right to bring a personal injury lawsuit against them. Plaintiffs in personal injury lawsuits can pursue economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include any expenses that are easy to quantify, such as past and future medical expenses, loss of income, loss of wage and earning potential, travel to and from treatments, and more. Plaintiffs can also pursue non-economic damages including pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life.
How Much Is My Spinal Cord Injury Case Worth?
For many plaintiffs with spinal cord injuries, medical expenses account for the bulk of their damages. Spinal cord injuries are among the most expensive medical conditions to treat. Depending on the patient’s age, their medical treatment could easily exceed $2 million. Patients often need hospitalization, the use of a ventilator, and rehabilitative services, which are all expensive.
As with any personal injury lawsuit, the more severe and devastating the injury, the higher the case’s value. If you have lost your ability to move freely, and you will be incurring expensive medical bills over the years, your case could be worth millions of dollars. Attorney Michael LoGiudice, LLP will work with experts who can help you estimate all of your future medical expenses so we can pursue the total damage award you need and deserve.
Spinal Cord Injuries and Life Expectancy
Unfortunately, one of the most common complications of spinal cord injuries includes death. Death from a spinal cord injury or related complication is most likely during the first year after the accident and typically occurs with the most severely injured patients. Other dangerous conditions can shorten a person’s life expectancy, such as cardiovascular disease, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, and infection from pressure ulcers. If someone else’s negligence has robbed you of a portion of your life, you can pursue justice and the compensation you deserve through a personal injury lawsuit.
Contact a Westchester Spinal Cord Injury Attorney
If you or a loved one have experienced a spinal cord injury in Westchester, you don’t have to deal with the expenses and consequences alone. Attorney Michael LoGiudice, LLP can help you fight to recover the compensation you and your family need and deserve. He is available to make home, work, and hospital visits. Contact Michael LoGiudice, LLP today to schedule a free initial consultation and learn more about your legal rights.