SPINAL CORD INJURY LAWYER IN LOS ANGELES

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Whenever negligence occurs, it can result in people suffering severe damages that can impact the victim’s entire life. Unfortunately, one of the worst injuries you can sustain is a spinal cord injury. This often associates with paralysis and comes with lifelong damages that can damage motor function, prevent a victim from walking, and even endure pain and discomfort. This can lead to a significant decrease in the victim’s quality of life moving forward, requiring the use of specialized medical equipment just to get daily tasks completed. 

At Pirnia Law Group, our spinal cord injury lawyer in Los Angeles, prioritize the rights of our clients, especially after some of the most severe injuries. Spinal cord injuries occur far too often, with more than 17,000 people suffering these types of injuries each year. It’s something that can cause complete paralysis, making it so the victim is unable to use the limbs affected as a result of the injury. Whenever these types of injuries occur because of negligence, our spinal cord injury lawyer work with our clients to pursue maximum compensation to help cover the lifelong expenses associated with the damages. 

We know that this is an extremely difficult time for you, and our spinal cord injury lawyer in Los Angeles are committed to using our experience and tenacity to help you get through the complicated matters. Our spinal cord injury lawyer in Los Angeles are aware of the various tactics that insurance companies and large corporations use to protect themselves from lawsuits. We stand up for the rights of our clients every step of the way because we know how much it means to them during such a stressful situation.

About Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuits

Filing a lawsuit for a spinal cord injury changes depending on how the injury occurs. For instance, if your SCI results from a car accident, it goes through the same methods of filing a car accident claim. You’re pursuing compensation through the auto insurance provider for the injuries you sustained, which in this case is a spinal cord injury. The process remains similar: 

  • You work with a personal injury lawyer to file a claim against the responsible party
  • You deal with the insurance company to try and get the rightful settlement you deserve
  • You can negotiate the settlement offer to determine what options you have to potentially go to trial

Working with a medical lawyer can help through the process to determine what your rights are. Because spinal cord injuries often have some of the most catastrophic damages associated with them, you need to pursue maximum compensation for the injuries you sustain. This can include all costs related to medical procedures, long-term care, and more.

Leading Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

Unfortunately, many of the causes of spinal cord injuries are the result of someone else’s negligent actions. This opens the door for injured victims to file a lawsuit to hold the responsible person accountable for their actions. Working with an attorney for negligence can help you show that the cause of the incident resulted in your SCI, which is one of the factors of proving liability. Here are just some of the causes of spinal cord injuries:

  • Work injuries
  • Acts of violence
  • Sports injuries
  • Falling object
  • Slip and falls
  • Car accident
  • Train accident
  • Bus accident
  • Heavy machinery accident
  • Elevator accident
  • Truck accident
  • Bicycle accident
  • Motorcycle accident
  • Unsafe premises

Whenever someone else’s actions cause you harm, it’s important to work with someone to help you through the complex legal matters that lie ahead.

Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

There are many types of problems that you can suffer because of a traumatic spinal cord injury, and there are many types of damages that exist. Recognizing the types of spinal cord injury levels and the harm that can arise is important to protecting your rights should negligence be the cause of your injuries.

  • Autonomic hyperreflexia
  • Posterior cord syndrome
  • Anterior cord syndrome
  • Spinal contusion
  • C5 spinal cord injury
  • Spinal cord lesions
  • Central cord syndrome
  • Spinal stroke

The spinal cord cross section contains very important parts, including the central canal of the spinal cord and the anterior spinal artery. This is a very vital part of how the spinal nerves function and any injury that is sustained can result in significant problems.

Complete

When someone suffers a complete spinal cord injury, it means that there is no communication whatsoever between the brain and the spinal nerves in the spinal cord below the area of the injury. Complete spinal cord injuries create a complete lack of motor function (paralysis) from the level of the injury and below. For instance, if someone suffers a complete spinal cord injury around the thoracic or lumbar areas of the spine, it can result in the victim being completely unable to use his or her lower limbs.

Partial

A partial spinal cord injury means there is some damage that interrupts communication between the brain and the spinal cord nerves that control parts of the body. However, these types of injuries do not result in complete loss of function. There may still be some signals sent from the brain to the nerves and there may still be some level of movement within the affected extremities and limbs.

Tetraplegia

Tetraplegia is a term you may hear that refers to the complete or partial loss of functionality in all four limbs (arms and legs), abdomen, and torso. Sensory and motor loss are the most common with tetraplegia. A complete loss of functionality means no signal from the brain to the spinal cord function, while a partial loss allows some signals to be sent and minor movement to be maintained.

Paraplegia

Unlike tetraplegia, paraplegia impacts just the lower extremities. These injuries often arise at the thoracic and lumbar areas of the spine. It means that spinal cord injury victims would be unable to use his or her legs and groin area. Like tetraplegia, though, these injuries can be complete or partial, meaning that someone can still maintain some function depending on how severe the injury is. If only one limp is impacted, the term is referred to as monoplegia.

Hemiplegia

An injury to the brain and spinal cord can result in hemiplegia. When someone suffers this kind of injury, they may lose function or experience paralysis in one side of his or her body. Typically, this causes problems with muscle control and stiffness, as well as results in weakness. It can be a partial injury spending on where it occurs and how severe the injury is.

Quadriplegia

Quadriplegia is another term used for tetraplegia in which the person who suffers a catastrophic injury can lose complete or partial spinal cord function, resulting in all or partial sensory and motor function loss in all four limbs. These injuries are some of the worst and can cause long-term and lifelong issues moving forward.

Triplegia

When someone suffers triplegia, it’s the complete or partial paralysis in three limbs. In most situations, the paralysis occurs in both legs and one of the victim’s arms. However, there are some situations in which paralysis occurs in both arms and just one leg. In many situations, triplegia is associated with cerebral palsy. If the injury does not result in complete paralysis, it can lead to weakened limbs.

Spastic Quadriplegia

In many cases of quadriplegia, the limbs appear flaccid. With spastic quadriplegia, though, the muscles have a stiffer appearance, showing similar symptoms to those associated with cerebral palsy. Typically, it shows as abnormal development of motor skills, and is typically the result of a brain injury occurring during pregnancy or before birth.

Spinal Cord Injury Law Organizations

American Tort Reform Association

Founded in 1986, the American Tort Reform Association exists to help reform the civil justice system and allow injured persons (such as those who suffer spinal cord injuries) to pursue compensation through trial.

Foundation for Spinal Cord Injury

This is a foundation with a focus on providing education and awareness to the general public regarding the prevention, care, and cure of spinal cord injuries. The foundation also helps to provide assistance to people who have suffered these types of catastrophic injuries.

National Spinal Cord Injury Association

Since 1948, the National Spinal Cord Injury Association has made it a priority to help improve the lives of those living with spinal cord injuries. Through education and empowerment, the association works to help maintain the highest levels of quality of life and independence for spinal cord injury victims.

Paralysis Project of America

This Los Angeles organization works to fund research to help aid and assist people who suffer severe spinal cord injuries. The goal of the organization is to help find a cure for SCIs and improve the quality of life for those who suffer harm.

United Spinal Association

Dedicated to improving quality of life for all spinal cord injury victims, the United Spinal Association promotes advocacy, empowerment, and independence. The support and information they provide is to help loved ones of those who suffer harm, as well as the victims, care providers, and healthcare professionals. 

Spinal Cord Injury Statistics

The numbers concerning spinal cord injuries are very concerning, and it’s important to realize how these injuries occur and how serious of a situation it is. This includes recognizing the most common causes of SCIs, as well as how many new cases occur each year. Here are some of the most important stats of which you should be aware moving forward.

The causes of spinal cord injuries include the following:

  • 39.3% are the result of vehicle accidents
  • 31.8% are the result of slip or trip and falls
  • 13.5% are the result of violence, mostly from gunshot wounds
  • 8% are the result of sports injuries or recreational activities
  • 4.1% are the result of medical errors
  • 3.1% are the result of other actions
  • Researchers believe that there are roughly 17,700 new cases of spinal cord injuries each year, and there are between 249,000 and 363,000 living with a spinal cord injury in the U.S.
  • Roughly half of the SCIs that occur include victims between the ages of 16 and 30.

FREQUENTLY ASKED SPINAL CORD INJURY QUESTIONS

What happens if your spinal cord is damaged?

Whenever someone suffers damage to the spinal cord, it can be a devastating injury. People who suffer spinal cord injuries can endure some of the most catastrophic symptoms, including complete paralysis and loss of motor function. This can lead to permanent disability and issues that can arise throughout the victim’s entire life.

What are symptoms of spinal cord injuries?

Symptoms vary depending on how severe the injury is, as well as the level at which the injury occurs. However, many of the symptoms are similar and they often result in long-term problems, including but not limited to the following: 

  • Loss of movement
  • Loss of sensation
  • Pain or intense stinging sensations
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Loss of bladder or bowel control
  • Changes in sexual function
  • Extreme back pain
  • Pressure in the neck, head, or back
  • Weakness, lack of coordination, or paralysis in any part of the body
  • Difficulty balancing and walking

What is the average settlement for car accident back and neck injury?

After a car accident, seeking a settlement or verdict is important to moving forward. Unfortunately, average settlements vary greatly depending on the age at which the injury occurs, how severe it is, and the total value of losses. However, to give you a better idea of what you may recover, here are some things to consider: 

  • An injury that causes minor loss of motor function in the hips or groin at the age of 25 can cost someone just over $1 million.
  • An injury that causes minor loss of motor function in the hips or groin at the age of 50 can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
  • An injury that causes complete quadriplegia at the age of 25 can cost over $4 million over the course of the victim’s life. 

Is a herniated disc considered a spinal cord injury?

A herniated disc is not necessarily considered a spinal cord injury, but a significantly herniated disc can lead to a long-term spinal cord injury. It can result in the lifelong impact of paralysis if it’s more severe.

Can spinal cord injuries heal?

Unfortunately, there’s no way that you can reverse the damage that is caused by a spinal cord injury. However, there are many treatment options that allow you to deal with the pain and suffering so it is more manageable, depending on the severity of the injury. Treatment can involve different types of therapy (physical and occupational) to help with motor function, but there is no cure to reverse the effects.

How much is a spinal cord injury lawsuit worth?

If your spinal cord injury is the result of someone’s negligence, you may have the right to file a lawsuit to pursue compensation. The compensation you may recover is dependent on numerous factors that stem from the injury. In these cases, you may be able to recover compensation for the following: 

  • Medical expenses
  • Rehabilitation expenses
  • Spinal cord injury treatment
  • Lost and future earnings
  • Cost of long-term care
  • Assistive devices (e.g. braces, crutches, wheelchairs)
  • Modification to your residence or vehicle

How much is a fractured vertebrae lawsuit worth?

A back injury or twisting of the neck or back that leads to a fractured vertebrae can cause you to endure significant pain and suffering for a long time. These lawsuits, when the injury is a result of negligence, can be worth millions of dollars depending on how severe the injury is.

CALIFORNIA SPINAL CORD INJURY ATTORNEY

We recognize that this is a situation where you feel you may be alone and unsure of what comes next. Our team works hard on your behalf, allowing you to focus on your own recovery while we handle the legal issues that often come along with a spinal cord injury. Because we know you may be dealing with a financial hardship, we offer free consultations. When you call into our firm, you can speak with a personal injury attorney about your situation without financial obligation, getting the answers you need. We’ll address your every concern so you have a better idea of what to expect moving forward. 

We also operate on a contingency fee basis. This means that when you hire us, we’ll take every step to front the costs of the legal action necessary to pursue compensation. 

We don’t charge you anything unless we’re able to successfully win your case and even then, we receive a portion of the fees so you never have to pay us out of pocket. You’ll get the representation you deserve without having to worry about financial struggles. 

Our team at Pirnia Law Group is here when you need us most. We’re genuinely committed to helping you in your time of need and pursuing the maximum compensation you need to cover your expenses from your spinal cord injury. Trust us to be your voice during this time and we’ll go above and beyond for you.

Call our firm and speak with a legal professional about your options.