Fresno Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
Suffering from a spinal cord injury caused by another person or entity’s negligence is not only physically painful but emotionally exhausting and overwhelming to deal with. You may be unsure about your future, your health, your ability to meet household demands, and whether you should file a spinal cord injury claim. Our law firm has recovered millions for our Fresno personal injury clients, and our spinal cord injury lawyers are ready and eager to help you get the maximum settlement for your personal injury claim.
Leading Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can be caused by a blow or blunt force to the back or when an object penetrates the back. Suppose the force of the impact fractures the vertebrae. In that case, spinal cord injuries can also result from shards of bone cutting into the spinal cord and disrupting communication throughout the rest of the body.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
According to the Mayo Clinic, a person could suffer catastrophic spinal injuries after being involved in a car accident or motorcycle accident. Spinal cord injuries from a car accident can result from the force of the impact when the other vehicle hits the car or the force of impact when the car hits another object, such as a guard rail or a fence. Victims could also suffer spinal cord injuries from hitting objects inside of the vehicle. Speeding, drunk driving, and distracted driving are some of the most common causes of accidents that lead to severe back injuries.
Slip And Fall Accidents
The CDC lists slip and falls as some of the most common reasons a person can suffer a spinal cord injury. Tripping on stairs, loose rugs or mats, uneven sidewalks, or slipping on wet floors can result in a variety of problems and symptoms. The fall could result in twisting of the spine, compression of discs, spinal cord injury, and even traumatic brain injury if the victim hits their head as they fall. Fresno property owners are legally responsible for taking reasonable measures to keep their property free from hazards. When they don’t, they can be held liable for the resulting spinal cord injury. When someone else’s negligence is responsible for your accident in Fresno, CA, call Grossman Law Offices.
Types of Spinal Cord Injuries
The back is made up of 24 vertebrae that are separated into four sections. Wherever the injury occurs can cause the nerves to become severed, which leads to the victim losing feeling in that section and below. Wherever there is a spinal cord injury, there is certain to be trauma to other nearby parts of the body, such as broken bones, damaged tissue, and blood clots. In most cases, surgery will be required to address these problems, improve blood flow, and preserve nerve function as much as possible.
Protected by the bones of the vertebrae is the spinal cord, which is a column of nerves that relay messages from the brain to the rest of the body. If the brain can’t communicate with a part of the body, then that part of the body loses essential functions. The spine is composed of four regions:
- Cervical spine: The neck region
- Thoracic spine: the chest region
- Lumbar spine: the lower back
- Sacral spine: the coccyx, which is between the lumbar spine and the tailbone
Paraplegia
Paraplegia is a type of paralysis that causes the inability to move the lower parts of the body voluntarily. It is caused by damage to the vertebrae ligaments or discs in the thoracic spine. People with paraplegia are unable to voluntarily move their legs, ankles, feet, and sometimes their abdomen. Incomplete paraplegic is when the paralysis only affects one leg. Treatment can help with paraplegia, but unfortunately, the condition can never be cured.
Incomplete Tetraplegia
Incomplete tetraplegia is caused by damage to the cervical spine in the uppermost region of the spinal cord. It leads to weakness or paralysis of all four limbs. It is one of the most common types of spinal cord injury and requires lifelong and constant care.
Brown-Séquard Syndrome
Brown-Séquard Syndrome (BSS) is a rare spinal disorder that occurs when damage to one side of the spinal cord causes muscle weakness or paralysis on that side of the body. The other side of the body also experiences a loss of sensation. It leads to urinary incontinence, numbness, and loss of voluntary movement of the affected muscles.
Spinal Cord Injury Treatment and Recovery
The majority of patients will need rehabilitation or physical therapy following inpatient care in a Fresno, CA hospital. They may also need assistive devices such as a walker or a wheelchair. The recovery process could take months or years, or the individual may never recover their full abilities as they were before the accident.
If you are wondering how you will pay for expensive medical care, then you should call Grossman Law Offices now to talk to a Fresno personal injury attorney. Our spinal cord injury lawyers have recovered millions for victims who have suffered physical pain, emotional anguish, and financial losses due to another person’s negligence. Call (866) 982-5094 to find out how you can receive compensation for your physical therapy, massage therapy, appointments with a neurologist, and other expenses related to your treatment and recovery.
Why You Need a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
Personal injury attorneys help their clients to recover compensation after an accident that has caused them to suffer injuries. There are three types of compensation that a victim can recover after an accident: economic damages, noneconomic damages, and punitive damages. Personal injury attorneys fight to prove liability so that the at-fault driver’s insurance company pays out these damages.
Economic damages encompass all of the victim’s financial losses such as medical expenses, future medical expenses, lost wages, future lost earning potential, and any out-of-pocket expenses related to the accident. If the victim suffered spinal cord injuries in a Fresno car accident where the car was so damaged that it needed to be repaired or replaced, then those costs would be included in compensation. When you file your personal injury case, you should bring copies of your medical bills, wage or salary information, and other receipts or invoices for expenses related to your accident.
Punitive damages are meant to punish a person for their egregious recklessness or negligence and to deter others from the same type of conduct. Under California law, punitive damages may be awarded in a personal injury case if there is clear and convincing evidence that the spinal cord injuries were caused by malice, oppression, or fraud.
A Spinal Cord Injury Attorney Builds Your Case
If you have suffered a Fresno spinal cord injury, then you have many things on your mind. A Fresno injury lawyer can talk to the insurance company on your behalf so that you don’t have to stress out during a time when you should be resting.
Call Our Fresno Office Now
With over 60 combined years of handling personal injury cases, you can trust Grossman Law Offices in Fresno to help you get the maximum compensation for your spinal cord injury case. Call (866) 982-5094 now to schedule your free consultation with a personal injury attorney.
