Spinal cord injuries are among the most debilitating forms of injuries that anyone can suffer. Individuals who suffer spinal cord injuries may require lifelong care, which can prove quite expensive. If you suffered a spinal cord injury in any setting, please seek the services of a skilled Douglasville spinal cord injury lawyer. An experienced lawyer can help fight for the compensation you need and deserve to help you cope with the aftermath of the injury.
Located in Douglasville, Georgia, Hartley, Rowe, & Fowler P.c. was established in 1975 with the sole purpose of helping injury victims get justice and the compensation they are owed. Our personal injury lawyers are professional, competent, and trusted. More so, we are committed to providing outstanding legal services which are personalized and tailored to help our clients.
After sustaining a spinal cord injury, filing a claim can prove quite helpful for you and your family. A spine injury can leave you with a permanent disability, unable to work or even support your loved ones. By securing the compensation you’re owed, you can access the best medical care to help you get your life back. Let the skilled spinal cord injury lawyers at Hartley, Rowe & Fowler fight for you. Call us at 678-825-6004 for a free consultation.
How Much Are Spinal Cord Injuries Worth?
After a spinal cord injury, you need effective treatment, support, and care. Spinal cord injuries bring along with them large sums of bills and a loss of income that can leave victims unable to access proper medical care. Fortunately, you may be entitled to receive compensation by filing an injury claim.
Compensation for a spinal cord injury can include:
- Reimbursement for current and future medical expenses, including the cost of care, surgeries, and treatment
- Compensation for lost wages and lost earning potential. A spine injury can take away a career and leave the victim unable to earn a living.
- Pain and suffering. Spinal cord injuries can result in lifetime physical and psychological trauma.
- In the case of couples, there can be damages for loss of consortium. A spinal cord injury can cause prevent sexual intimacy.
What Are The Most Common Types of Spinal Cord Injuries?
Spinal cord injuries can be either complete or incomplete loss of muscle function. The severity of the damage largely depends on the affected by the injury. Some common types of spinal injuries include:
Paraplegia
Paraplegia is a form of injury that causes paralysis and commonly affects the lower body’s movement ability.
People with paraplegia may be unable to voluntarily move their legs, feet, and sometimes their abdomen. Some people may experience incomplete paraplegia in that paralysis only affects one leg. It is considered a permanent injury.
Tetraplegia
Also known as quadriplegia, and refers to paralysis of both the upper and the lower body. Tetraplegia is considered one of the most severe forms of spinal cord injury as it affects parts of the chest, abdomen, and back. This damage is irreversible and is, therefore, a permanent condition.
Anterior Cord Syndrome
This occurs when the spinal cord becomes compressed along the midline anterior to the spinal cord resulting from completing motor paralysis below the injury site.
Central Cord Syndrome
It is distinguished by a disproportionate impairment of motor function in the upper extremities than in the lower ones, as well as by bladder dysfunction and a variable amount of sensory loss below the injury.
Brown-Sequard Syndrome
This condition occurs due to lesions in the spinal column. It causes one side of the body to experience complete paralysis or weakness while the other side loses sensation.
Herniated Disc
When people get involved in accidents, injuries can also occur to the discs in the spinal cord. These discs can become herniated or bulge, or they can completely rupture. When any of these injuries occur, it is excruciating for the victim. It often takes months or even years to recover from a disc injury.
At Harley, Rowe & Fowler, we understand the severe implications of a spinal cord injury – your life may never be the same again. We offer compassionate yet aggressive representation to help you receive maximum compensation to help you get your life back on track.
What Are Common Symptoms of a Spinal Cord Injury?
Below are some of the most common symptoms of a spinal cord injury:
- Loss of mobility
- Changes or complete loss of sensation, including the ability to feel heat, cold, and touch
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- Sexual dysfunction
- Intense life-long pain as a result of the damage to the nerve fibers of the spinal cord
- Breathing difficulties and secretions from lungs
Why Should You See a Doctor Right Away After a Back Injury?
For a person who has experienced a back injury, or head or neck injury, it is advisable to seek medical evaluation to check for the possibility of damage to the spine.
Prompt action is necessary because spinal injuries are rarely predictable, and if not ruled out, they could be fatal. The time between an injury and its treatment goes ahead to determine the extent of damage and the recovery process. If you hurt your back in a slip and fall accident or any other incident, seek medical attention right away.
What Are Some of the Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries?
Different accidents can lead to spinal cord injuries. Some of the common incidents that lead to spinal cord injuries include:
- Motor Vehicle Accidents: Vehicle accidents are at the top of the list of spinal injury causes. During such accidents, the spine may be crushed or compressed, causing a direct impact on the area.
- Falls: Most spinal cord injuries at an advanced age result from a fall that may emanate from neglect or falls from a higher surface to the ground. Falls result in back, neck, or head injuries which may cause severe damage to the spine
- Assaults: About 13% of spinal injuries result from violence, gunshots, or stab wounds.
- Sports Accidents: Spinal cord injuries can be caused by sporting activities, either through negligence or the use of defective equipment.
What Can I Expect to Recover If I Have a Spinal Cord Injury?
For spinal injury caused by the negligence of another party, the victim should get compensated. A personal injury lawsuit can help the client get compensation for damages and losses caused, and this includes:
- Medical expenses, ongoing/anticipated care expenses
- Lost wages or earning capacity,
- Pain and suffering,
- Funeral and burial expenses if death occurred and you are filing on behalf of a deceased loved one.
The skilled and dedicated Douglasville spinal cord injury lawyers can investigate your case, calculate damages and fight for the maximum compensation you deserve. Let our legal team help you get your life back on track.
How Are Spinal Cord Injury Cases Different From Other Personal Injury Cases?
Typically, for most personal injury cases, the victim has higher chances of recovering and moving on with their lives. On the other hand, individuals who sustain spinal cord injuries end up suffering long-term physical and psychological effects on their victims. Victims of spinal cord injury need care on a full-time basis. In addition to this, the cost of treatment is relatively high.
It is possible to live an everyday life even after a spinal cord injury through better treatment and therapy. With an experienced Douglasville spinal cord injury lawyer from our team, you can recover maximum compensation for medical care.
Is There a Time Limit to File a Spinal Cord Injury Claim?
According to Georgia law, the statute of limitations to file any personal injury claim, including a spinal injury claim, is two years. However, there are instances where the deadline can be shorter or longer.
Remember, if you fail to file your spinal cord injury claim within the set deadline, you risk being barred from recovering any compensation. That’s precisely why spinal cord injury victims should seek the services of an attorney as soon as the injury occurs to give a lawyer ample time to gather as much evidence as possible, document injuries, and help clients receive proper medical treatment.
Call Our Douglasville Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers for a Free Case Review
If you suffered a spinal cord injury, Hartley, Rowe & Fowler is the right firm to trust. Our experienced Douglasville spinal cord injury lawyers have the history, resources, and skills to successfully fight for compensation and obtain justice for you and your loved ones.
Our team comprises personal injury attorneys with the best knowledge and experience to represent your best interest, regardless of the case’s complexity, with respect and compassion.
Injuries to the spinal cord and subsequent spinal cord injury lawsuits involve more complex medical and legal issues than those in just a typical personal injury case, and we can help. If you’ve suffered an injury in a car accident or any accident caused by someone’s carelessness, it would be wise to seek counsel from a skilled spinal cord injury lawyer. Let us help you recover the compensation you deserve.
At Hartley, Rowe & Fowler, we offer free case evaluations and take on spinal cord injury cases on a contingency basis. If you don’t receive compensation, you don’t pay us. Call us at 678-825-6004 to schedule a free consultation today.
