Have you or a loved one recently suffered a severe spinal cord injury in an accident Valparaiso, Indiana? Did another person’s negligent behavior cause you harm? If so, you have the right to pursue legal action and fair compensation for your pain. Contact a personal injury attorney from Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers to discuss your case!
The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center estimates that every year, 17,700 people in the United States will suffer from a spinal cord injury. This type of injury is devastating for both you and your loved ones, as you must now adjust to this new physical and emotional reality. You are likely facing a whirlwind of emotions, such as sadness for your loss, anger at the person who hurt you, and fear of the financial burden this injury creates in your life.
If you suffered a severe spinal cord injury through no fault of your own, you have the right to demand justice and compensation from the responsible party. You should not have to pay out of pocket for their poor decisions, and the Valparaiso spinal cord injury lawyers at Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers are ready to fight for you. Schedule your free case evaluation by calling (219) 286-7361 or by filling out a contact form online right now.
Why You Need an Attorney
Pursuing legal action after a serious injury can be a confusing and complex process, which requires you to fully understand your rights and the U.S. legal system. When you are already facing the stress of a severe injury, you do not have any extra time or energy to spend researching and learning the law. You need to work with a spinal cord injury lawyer, who will help guide you through every step of the process.
A qualified lawyer has already spent years studying the specialized area of personal injury law and will be able to make a strong legal case for you. They will thoroughly investigate your case, talk to witnesses, hire expert witnesses, if needed, and negotiate skillfully on your behalf. It’s also important to know that an accident victim who retains the services of a lawyer generally receives up to three times that of an individual who chooses to file on their own. When you hire a personal injury attorney, you can focus on your health and recovery, while they focus on helping you receive justice.
Why Choose Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers
The Valparaiso spinal cord injury attorneys at Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers are passionate about protecting the members of our community, and we are ready to fight for the citizens of Indiana. Our attorneys understand the problems you are facing during this time, and it is our mission to make sure that you have the support you need to succeed.
Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers understands that financial concerns are one of the greatest struggles our clients must manage after an injury. However, you should never have to sacrifice qualified legal advice because of money. That is why, at Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers, we work on a contingency fee basis. That means you will not pay us anything until we win your case. Our attorneys will work tirelessly on your case, so you can receive the legal protection you deserve.
Spinal Cord Function
The spinal cord is a group of nerves, which extend from your brain to the end of your spine. These nerves send essential information throughout your body, through a serious of chemical signals. Information coming from the brain and going to the body tells you which muscles to move and what action to take. Information coming from the body and going to the brain makes you aware of what you are touching and feeling.
Without a fully functional spinal cord, your brain may not correctly send or receive messages through the body, which can reduce or eliminate your ability to move or feel. Although the bones of your back, called the vertebrae, provide some protection for the spinal cord, these bones cannot always prevent serious damage.
Injuries to the spinal cord are extremely severe and often irreversible. Unlike many other parts of the body, such as your skin or your bones, the nerves in the spinal cord do not regrow and repair themselves. This means that the consequences of your spinal cord injury may be permanent.
Symptoms of a Spinal Cord Injury
The nerves in your spinal cord act as a relay system, sending information in a straight line between your brain and your body. To successfully transmit a signal, every part of the spinal cord must receive and transmit the information. Therefore, the location of your spinal cord injury will play a large role in determining the type of symptoms you experience. In most spinal cord injuries, you will lose some level of function in your body from the point of the injury downward. This is because the relay of information stops at the location of the damaged nerves.
However, spinal cord injuries differ greatly in severity, depending on whether you have a complete or partial injury. A complete spinal cord injury refers to a total and permanent loss of nerve function in a portion of your spine, eliminating movement and feeling. A partial spinal cord injury, on the other hand, means that you still have some nerve function, and you may experience reduced mobility or sensations.
Some of the common symptoms of both complete and partial spinal cord injuries include:
- Reduced or abnormal sensations of touch, heat, and cold
- Problems with moving
- Muscle spasms or excessive reflex responses
- Loss of bladder control
- Reduced sexual function
- Problems with breathing or coughing
- Pain from nerve damage at the site of the injury
These common symptoms can be devastating for both you and your loved ones, as they may change your ability to work and even care for yourself.
If you have a complete spinal cord injury, in addition to these common symptoms, you may also experience paralysis in your lower body, called paraplegia, or paralysis in your upper and lower body, called quadriplegia.
Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
Any time you hurt your back or neck, you are at risk of a spinal cord injury. The bones surrounding the spinal cord provide some protection for this important group of nerves. However, when you experience serious physical trauma, your vertebrae may not be enough to prevent a severe or even life-threatening injury.
Life-changing accidents happen in numerous different ways, and sometimes there is nothing you can do to avoid or stop a disastrous event. However, in many cases, another person’s negligent or reckless actions can cause you serious harm. If this person had followed the laws or taken steps to protect your safety, you may not have the spinal cord injury you are facing today. Some of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries include:
- Car accidents
- Bicycle or motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Work-related accidents
- Falls
- Sports or recreational activities
In any of these situations, your body may experience an extreme force that leads to an injury. Although you can injure any part of your body during an accident, an injury to your back or your neck poses one of the greatest risks to your overall health and well-being. The consequences of a spinal cord injury are long-lasting and can have a serious impact on your life and your future.
If another person caused your spinal cord injury, either through reckless or careless behavior, they need to take responsibility for the harm they caused. You should not have to suffer because of someone else’s poor judgment, and a spinal cord injury lawyer will help you seek justice.
Possible Compensation After a Spinal Cord Injury
A spinal cord injury can turn your life upside down in a matter of seconds. You are now facing the physical pain of a serious and potentially permanent injury, and you must manage the devastating emotional impact this injury has on you and your loved ones. In addition to all of this, you may also have to consider the extensive costs of treatment and rehabilitation for your injury.
When you pursue a spinal cord injury lawsuit, however, you have the right to demand compensation for your injuries, which can help you avoid significant financial burdens. After a spinal cord injury, you may be entitled to compensation for:
- Emergency medical services
- Hospitalization and surgery
- On-going treatment and medication
- Medical devices
- Rehabilitation services
- Lost wages
- Permanent or temporary disability
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
This is not a comprehensive list of all of the possible types of compensation available after a spinal cord injury. You will need to take into account the specific details of your case and your injury to determine the appropriate type and amount of compensation. You must discuss your case with a skilled personal injury lawyer to fully understand your right to compensation and ensure that your lawsuit ends in a fair settlement.
Contact Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers in Valparaiso
If another person caused your spinal cord injury, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation. However, you need to act quickly after your injury to ensure that you receive the greatest amount of compensation possible. The Valparaiso attorneys at Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers are ready to begin building your case and fighting for your rights now. Contact us any time by calling our 24/7 phone line at (219) 286-7361.
