Baton Rouge Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
Spinal cord injuries are usually caused by trauma to the back, and can change a person’s life forever. A Baton Rouge personal injury attorney from Murray Law will fight for you in your injury claim.
How Much Does It Cost to Treat a Spinal Cord Injury?
The answer depends on the individual who was injured and how severe the accident was. On average, spinal cord injury victims spend over a million dollars on medical care in their lifetime.
What Is the Life Expectancy of Someone With a Spinal Cord Injury?
Usually people who suffer spinal cord injuries in an accident also suffer other injuries, like bone fractures, a traumatic brain injury, or skin injuries. There are three parts to the spine: the cervical spine at the top, the thoracic spine, and the lumbar spine at the bottom by the tailbone.
If the patient suffered a spinal cord injury at the cervical spine and requires a ventilator, they may live another 1.5 years. For patients with some preserved motor functioning, they could live up to another 20 years. However, they require tremendous care during that time from family, doctors and professional caregivers. Medical Malpractice attorneys Baton Rouge can and should be brought in to ensure everyone is compensated for this life altering event.
What Is the Most Severe Injury to the Spinal Cord?
The most severe spinal cord injuries render the victim unable to voluntarily control their muscles, bladder or bowels, and have resulted in total loss of all feeling below the injury site.
What Causes a Spinal Cord Injury?
Spinal cord injuries are caused by a variety of traumatic events like motor vehicle accidents, slip and falls and construction accidents. Spinal cord damage occurs when a person is struck in the back or when the back is contorted to the point of tearing the nerves. Sharp edges of broken vertebrae, the bones that surround the spinal cord, can tear the spinal cord and sever nerves.
Is Spinal Cord Injury Considered a Disability?
The spinal cord is necessary to carry messages from the brain to the rest of the body. Nerves spread out from the spinal cord that report back sensory information. A severe spinal cord injury could tear the bundle of nerves that make up the spinal cord, ceasing that necessary connection from the brain to the body.
Any damage to that connection between the brain and the body will cause some level of disability. If you are unable to return to work, then you may have a qualifying spinal cord injury to file a claim for Social Security disability. Our Baton Rouge spinal cord injury attorneys can discuss your options with you in a free consultation.
Levels and Types of Spinal Cord Injury Cases
An incomplete spinal cord injury is when there is damage to the back, spine and spinal cord – not to mention any other injuries sustained during the accident – but the victim still has sensation and motor functioning. Depending on the extent of the victim’s spinal cord injuries and access to quality physical therapy and medical intervention, they can regain strength and control their movement again.
A complete spinal cord injury is when the victim loses all sensory and motor functioning below the site of the spinal cord injury. Often also called Paraplegia or Tetraplegia, the nerves no longer communicate between the brain to the affected body parts.
How Are Spinal Cord Injuries Treated?
Spinal cord injuries are emergencies and must be treated right away at the nearest hospital in Baton Rouge. Doctors may need to perform surgery and the patient may require critical hospital care for days or weeks before starting physical therapy. Doctors may also prescribe back braces, soft neck collars, and treatments to promote nerve regeneration.
When Do I Need a Spinal Cord Injury Attorney?
Although your spinal cord injury lawsuit seems straightforward to you and it may seem obvious who is at fault (i.e. a driver in a car accident, a doctor in a medical malpractice case), the judge needs to see evidence and clear arguments proving the defendant’s liability. Our spinal cord injury attorneys are experienced in representing Baton Rouge victims in front of large insurance companies. We know how to build a strong case to get you to the compensation you deserve in your personal injury lawsuit.
Proving a Personal Injury Case with a Spinal Cord Injury
In order to win damages in your personal injury lawsuit, you must prove:
- That the liable party owed you a duty of care
- The defendant breached their duty of care, resulting in the accident or traumatic event
- The plaintiff suffered significant injuries as a result
- Their injuries have led to damages, like medical debt, lost wages and future lost earning potential
Your medical records will serve as one of the key pieces of evidence in your case.
How Our Attorneys Can Help You
Murray Law has been guiding people through spinal cord injury claims in Baton Rouge and successfully fighting for their fair and just compensation. Call us (225) 396 5143 to schedule your free consultation with us.