Spinal cord injuries are some of the most frightening and debilitating injuries anyone can experience. The problem with these injuries is that they can be devastating on so many levels. Apart from the physical pain caused by a spinal cord injury, patients also typically experience financial hardships as a result of the high cost of treating back-related injuries and lost wages.
If you or someone you care for has sustained a spinal cord injury, contact Steinberg Law for professional legal counsel and representation. Our spinal cord injury lawyer in Palm Beach Gardens offers professional, client-focused representation to spinal cord injury victims in Florida and is ready to help you fight for your right to compensation. Call 877-783-4611 today to schedule a no-obligation consultation with our personal injury attorneys and have your injury case reviewed for free.
How Much is a Spinal Cord Injury Worth?
Due to the wide range of injuries that might occur, spinal cord injuries (SCIs) lack a standard value. Injuries that affect the spinal cord often result in permanent disability and are typically quite expensive. To ensure you receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries, you should hire the services of a Palm Beach Gardens spinal cord injury lawyer and have them help you evaluate the true value of your claim.
Compensation for spinal cord injuries typically covers:
Future and Past Medical Expenses
When calculating the value of an SCI, you must consider both future and past medical expenses like surgical costs, medical bills, ad medical equipment such as wheelchairs and breathing aid machines, and home or vehicle modifications to accommodate your disability.
Future and Past Loss of Earnings
Losses of past and future wages are also taken into account when calculating the worth of an SCI.
Lost Enjoyment and Quality of Life
A professional Palm Beach Gardens spinal cord injury lawyer can help evaluate your injuries and come up with an amount that provides sufficient compensation for your loss of enjoyment and deteriorated quality of life.
Emotional Suffering and Distress
Having to learn to live with a permanent disability and being forced to make unexpected lifestyle changes due to an injury can cause serious emotional damage and lead to issues like anxiety and PTSD. As a victim, you may petition to receive compensation for this forced lifestyle change.
What are the Most Common Types of Spinal Cord Injuries?
Injuries to the spinal cord can be either complete or incomplete. If the injured person’s body parts below the area affected are still functioning, then that’s considered an incomplete spinal cord injury. However, if the person can’t move anything below where they got injured, then the injury is considered a complete SCI.
Common spinal cord injuries include:
Quadriplegia
Quadriplegia, also referred to as tetraplegia, is an SCI that results in paralysis of all four limbs, loss of motion in the torso, and complete or partial paralysis. Additionally, it also affects the chest muscles, necessitating the use of a breathing apparatus by the patient. All sensory and motor functions are lost in the afflicted body parts, resulting in the loss of both control and feeling.
Triplegia
This kind of spinal cord damage typically leads to the loss of mobility in three limbs. A person with triplegia, known as a triplegic, might have either both arms and one leg paralyzed or both legs and one arm.
Paraplegia
This type of spinal injury is the most common form of paralysis where a victim’s body is incapacitated from the waist down. A person with paraplegia may need to use a wheelchair to move around.
Why Should You See a Doctor Right Away After a Back Injury?
It is advised to visit a doctor as soon as possible after suffering a back injury. Here is why:
- A doctor will promptly diagnose a major spinal injury that is not immediately recognizable and prevent any further harm from happening.
- Following a back injury, numbness or paralysis may occur immediately or gradually as bleeding or swelling occurs around or in the spine. A doctor is trained to handle situations like these.
- A doctor can help assess the level of harm, how severe the damage is, which treatment option is best, and how long it will take for you to recover from your injury.
If you experience any of the following symptoms following a back injury, seek medical attention:
- Spasms
- Numbness in your fingers or toes
- Loss of respiratory function
- Sexual dysfunction
- Extreme back or neck pain
- Inability to control the bladder
- Loss of muscle control (legs, arms, torso, etc.)
- Stinging sensation or pain
What Are Some of the Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries?
The main cause of spinal injuries is a blow or hit to the spine that dislocates, fractures, compresses, or crushes one or more vertebrae. The following are typical causes of spinal injuries:
- Workplace Accidents: Just like with other accidents, a spinal cord injury can occur at work. You might injure your back after tripping and falling or hurt your spine following a workplace accident.
- Automobile Accidents: These are the leading causes of spinal cord injuries and account for over half of all spinal cord injury cases each year.
- Falls: Fall-related spinal cord injuries (SCI) are more common in adults over 65. Falls account for 31% of all spinal injuries.
- Acts of Violence: Over 13% of spinal injuries recorded are the result of violent interactions. The majority of these confrontations result in bullet and knife wounds.
- Sports Injuries: Athletic activity accounts for 10% of all spine injuries. Impact sports and diving in shallow water are two examples.
- Diseases: Spinal cord injuries can also be caused by some illnesses and diseases, such as osteoporosis, polio, arthritis, cancer, spina bifida, and spinal inflammation.
What Can I Expect to Recover if I Have a Spinal Cord Injury?
Like other personal injury claims, the amount of money that can be recovered depends on how the damage has affected your life and the lives of your family members, as well as how these effects may evolve as time passes.
Recoverable compensation may include (but isn’t limited to):
- Care
- Medication and treatment costs
- Travel Expenses
- Pain & Suffering
- Lost earnings
- Loss of consortium
- Adapted Accommodation
How is an SCI Case Different from Other Types of Injury Claims?
While most accidents result in injuries that you recover from, spinal cord injuries are distinct in that they cause long-term injuries and health problems that need long-term care, which typically translates to lifelong care and medical expenses.
Fortunately, individuals who have sustained spinal cord injuries can still live wonderful lives. They can take part in marathons and basketball games, start families, work, and even attend college. Furthermore, thanks to regenerative therapy research, there’s hope for a cure for people who suffer debilitating spinal cord injuries.
Is There a Time Limit to File a Spinal Cord Injury Claim in Florida?
Under Florida law, most spinal cord injury patients have 4 years to file a spinal cord injury case, while medical malpractice victims only have 2 years to file a claim. These temporal constraints are known as the “statute of limitations.” You must act before this deadline. If you miss the deadline, you may be unable to obtain the funds you need to pay for treatment and damage.
What if the Injury Happened at a Place of Work?
It’s possible to sustain spinal cord damage at work. A workplace accident of this nature may be considered a worker’s compensation case, which would entitle you to lost income and medical expense reimbursement.
If a third party is to blame for your spinal injury, you have the option of filing both a workers’ compensation claim and a personal injury lawsuit. If you sustained a back injury at work, our spinal injury attorneys may be able to help you obtain compensation.
For a Free Consultation, Contact an Experienced Palm Beach Gardens Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Today!
If you’ve sustained a spinal cord injury that was caused by another person’s carelessness or negligence, you reserve the right to file a spinal cord injury lawsuit against them and recover compensation. At Steinberg Law in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, our group of spinal cord injury attorneys can help you through the legal system and are ready to do everything in their power to establish the other party’s fault.
We are committed to achieving the highest possible compensation for your case to ensure that you get the medical care and resources you need to move on with life after a spinal cord injury. Call 877-783-4611 now to arrange a no-cost appointment with a knowledgeable Palm Beach Gardens spinal cord injury lawyer so we can discuss your case and see how we can assist.
