Few injuries are as life-altering as spinal cord injuries. The nerves in the spinal cord are responsible for sending messages back and forth between the brain and the body below. When an injury damages those nerves, the brain can no longer receive sensory messages or send messages for movement, resulting in paralysis below the level of the injury. Unfortunately, over five million Americans live with some degree of paralysis, often as a result of a spinal cord injury. When the injury was preventable and only occurred because of someone else’s careless, reckless, or wrongful action, it’s even more devastating. Fortunately, South Jersey’s civil courts and liability insurance system allow injury victims to seek redress from the responsible party through a personal injury claim.
If you or a close family member suffered a spinal cord injury caused by another party’s actions or negligence, call the South Jersey personal injury lawyers at Grungo Law.
Why Hire Our Spinal Cord Injury Attorney in South Jersey?
Insurance companies are large corporations with the goal of protecting their profits at your expense. With an attorney from Grungo Law on your side to take assertive action, you’ll have the following:
- A free evaluation of your case and contingency-based payment, so we work for you at no cost until after we recover your compensation
- A lead attorney who is renowned for utilizing the latest innovative technology in investigations, while also relying on timeless legal advocacy methods for optimal results
- An individualized strategy that considers all aspects of your unique case so the outcome aligns with your goals
- A trial-ready attorney representing your best interests and preparing every case for court while seeking a low-conflict resolution through a settlement whenever possible
A spinal cord injury claim in South Jersey requires a well-executed strategy so you can move forward with the compensation you deserve.
For a free legal consultation with a spinal cord injury lawyer serving South Jersey, call (856) 528-4494
What are the Most Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries?
Despite the bony protection of the vertebrae in the spinal column, the bundles of nerves in the spinal cord are vulnerable to damage from blunt force trauma or a powerful jarring motion that causes the circular bones to break, resulting in sharp bone shards, inflammation, and bleeding—all of which present danger to the spinal cord nerves. The most common causes of spinal cord injuries in South Jersey include the following:
- Car accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Falls from heights
- Contact sports
- Recreational activities such as diving, skiing, and horseback riding
- Violent assaults or gun violence
Less commonly, a spinal cord injury could result from medical malpractice during back or neck surgery. When another party’s action causes a serious injury such as damage to the spinal cord, the injury victim has a right to seek relief from the resulting economic and personal losses by filing a claim against the party at fault.
South Jersey Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Near Me (856) 528-4494
What Determines the Severity of Paralysis After a Spinal Cord Injury?
Depending on whether the nerve destruction at the point of the spinal cord injury is total or partial, the damage interrupts some or all messages between the brain and body below the injured area. The severity of the injury victim’s symptoms depends on the level of the injury in the spinal column. The higher the injury, the more severe the consequences.
Cervical Injuries:
Cervical injuries occur just below the head in the upper portion of the neck result in the most severe long-term impacts. Those suffering injuries in the cervical region face paralysis and loss of sensation below the head or neck, commonly known as quadriplegia or tetraplegia. Those with cervical spinal cord injuries depend on skilled, full-time medical assistance and adaptive equipment to sustain life.
Thoracic Injuries:
These occur in the mid- and upper spinal cord. The injury victim typically retains movement ability and sensation in the shoulders, arms, and a portion of the chest and abdomen.
Lumbar spinal cord injuries impact the injury victim’s lower body, with paralysis in the hips, pelvis, lower limbs, and feet (paraplegia), requiring mobility assistive medical equipment such as a wheelchair.
Sacral Spinal Cord Injuries
This type of injury impacts the spinal cord nerves at the tailbone level. An injury victim with a sacral spinal cord injury may have some sensation and movement in their legs and may use a wheelchair. In some cases, they may be able to walk with braces.
All spinal cord injury victims face long-term, life-altering consequences regardless of the severity and level of their injury.
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What Are the Long-Term Impacts of a Spinal Cord Injury?
Despite ongoing research, there is currently no cure for spinal cord damage. Injury victims with significant paralysis from a spinal cord injury face lifelong disability. This often includes an inability to return to their former line of work. While many spinal cord injury victims regain independence, many require home assistance as well as adaptive equipment for their home and vehicle. In cases of quadriplegia, the injury victim requires life-supporting medical equipment and full-time care.
In addition to paralysis, a spinal cord injury victim suffers related adverse health consequences such as the following:
- Loss of bone density and muscle mass
- Frequent urinary tract infections
- Respiratory infections
- Pressure sores
- Autonomic dysreflexia, or the life-threatening reaction to an injury or medical condition in the region of the body that the spinal cord injury victim cannot feel
Spinal cord injuries are the most expensive injuries for survivors, requiring lifelong extensive medical care and intervention. Reach out to our South Jersey catastrophic injury attorneys for more information.
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Recovering Damages In a South Jersey Spinal Cord Injury Case
The courts consider spinal cord injuries as catastrophic, with extensive economic and non-economic damages often awarded to victims. Common damages in South Jersey spinal cord injury claims include the following:
- Reimbursement for medical expenses
- Current and future medical costs
- Adaptive equipment expenses
- Lost wages
- Diminished future earning capacity
- Compensation for pain and suffering
- Compensation for emotional trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, and loss of enjoyment of life
Many spinal cord injury victims require counseling while adapting to a new way of life as they move forward.
Contact Grungo Law to Speak to a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer In South Jersey
After surviving a serious injury with spinal cord damage, the injury victim and their family have a long road ahead to find a new normal. Adding a complex legal challenge into the mix may seem overwhelming. Fortunately, by hiring a South Jersey spinal cord injury lawyer to navigate your claim, you can expect the best possible financial recovery while you focus on your physical and emotional recovery and spending time with your loved ones. Call Grungo Law today for a free consultation with a compassionate spinal cord injury lawyer at no cost to you. We are ready to take on your case as though it’s our own.
Call or text (856) 528-4494 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form