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Spinal Cord Injuries And California Personal Injury Claims

A California accident involving a spinal cord injury could leave victims facing months of mobility issues. In the worst cases, injured patients can lose the ability to fully control their bodies permanently.

When someone’s negligence causes a serious spine injury, the support of the victim must be the priority. Insurance companies for the at-fault party must be held accountable for the hardships a victim faces now and perhaps over a lifetime.

Contact a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer for a Free Consultation

Earning the maximum in compensation from your spinal cord injury claim starts with being informed about your rights as a victim and every benefit available. Schedule a no-risk, free consultation with a real California traumatic injury lawyer to learn what the long-term hardship of living with a spine injury can be worth.

Contact Maison Law of California for this confidential case evaluation that comes with no obligation for you or your family. It’s the best way to learn how to earn the most out of your spine injury insurance claim to make sure you have what you need to rebuild your life.

Primary Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

A spinal cord injury is damage to any part of the spinal canal or the nerves that make up the cord, and a motor vehicle collision is one of the most common causes of spinal cord injury.

An injury can come from a direct blow to the cord itself or impact to any part of the canal which then affects the spinal cord.There are many types of accidents that can cause a spinal cord injury, and at Maison Law, we’ve seen just about every type. Some of the more common accidents that have led to a spinal cord injury are:

  • T-Bone or Broadside
  • Head-On Collision
  • Passing Accident
  • Rollover Accident
  • Ejection Injuries
  • Rear-End Collision
  • Single Car Crash
  • Construction Site Accident
  • Slip and Fall Injury
  • Industrial Accident
  • Farming Accident

What to Do After a Spinal Cord Injury

There are safety precautions to take right after any accident that may involve a spinal cord injury. Whether the victim has been in a car accident or taken a dangerous fall, it’s important not to move an injured person that may have spinal cord damage unless they are in an unsafe spot.

If you are a victim and unable to move, you should have someone with you or a helpful witness try to gather some important evidence from the scene. This proof of what happened will be a big help when it comes time to convince an unhelpful insurance company that its policyholder was to blame.

Your California traumatic injury lawyer uses this evidence to help force an insurance company to provide maximum compensation for you and your family.

Try to ensure that this evidence is collected:

  • Call 911 and give a full report to dispatchers and police. Get checked out by paramedics and let them transport you to a trauma center if it’s deemed necessary.
  • Make sure photos of the scene are taken. In a car accident, get pictures of the damage to cars, any visible injuries, and traffic signs pertaining to what happened. After a fall in a public place or an accident at work, take photos of the hazard that caused you to damage your spine.
  • Get contact information from witnesses.
  • Exchange information with everyone involved but don’t make any statements about how badly you are hurt. You may not even realize you’ve suffered a spinal cord injury and saying you’re “okay” could allow an insurance company to use your words against you later.
  • Keep any damaged clothing and personal items. Don’t throw evidence out.

Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

Any one of the above injuries and many more types of accidents can turn into a spinal cord injury. The effects of the damage can onset immediately or take time to manifest. The severity of the injury can determine the significance of how the injury will impact the victim.

  • Cervical Spinal Cord Injuries: An injury in the neck and head area above the shoulders.
  • Lumbar Spinal Cord Injuries: Lower mid-back spine region injury, and it can affect the hips and legs.
  • Thoracic Spinal Cord Injuries: Upper spinal cord region below the shoulders. An injury here will affect the upper chest, mid-back, and abdomen. This injury affects the upper chest, mid-back, and abdominal muscles.
  • Sacral Spinal Cord Injuries: Injury to the lower region of the spinal cord can cause pain and weakness to the hips, back of thighs, buttocks, and pelvic organs.

Medical Outcomes of a Spinal Cord Injury

The victim can have a range of possible seriousness of the injury which will determine the extent of any disability. A person can endure paraplegia, where the trunk, legs, and pelvic organs are affected or tetraplegia where arms, hands, trunk, legs, and feet are affected.

Any injury can result in one or more of the following:

  • Loss of control of movement
  • Loss or decreased ability to feel sensations.
  • Loss of bowel or bladder control
  • Spasms or involuntary reflexes.
  • Loss or diminished sexual function
  • Burning and stinging pain
  • Phantom pain where the Limb used to be.
  • Trouble breathing uncontrollable coughing

Damages Allowed to be Claimed for a Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal Cord damage is a serious injury and changes the life of the victim forever. Because of this, the law allows for compensation to be awarded to the victim for all medical costs, other tangible costs, and many intangible but important things like pain and suffering.

To be properly claimed, the damage asked for must have come from the injury or be a direct cause of the injury. Some of the more common of these allowed in California are:

  • Medical Bills
  • Rehab
  • Pain and Suffering
  • Mental Anguish
  • Lost Time from Work
  • Diminished Future Earnings
  • Loss of Quality of Life
  • Loss of Consortium
  • Future Medical Treatment
  • Medical Equipment
  • Change of Physical Living Space

If you’ve suffered a spinal cord injury, come and talk to us at Maison Law. We know what you will be facing, and we know how to make sure that you don’t suffer financially for something that wasn’t your fault.

Frequently Asked Questions After an Accident Involving a Spinal Cord Injury

 

Can my family count on support if a loved one dies after a spinal cord injury?

Yes. Families should file a wrongful death claim after losing a loved one to an individual’s or a company’s carelessness. Support for funeral costs and the income the deceased can no longer provide in the future could be sought.

How long do I have to file a claim over an accident that causes a spinal cord injury?

Two years from the date of the accident. Taking action well before this deadline is best for your case. Your lawyer will have an easier time collecting fresh evidence and you may receive compensation sooner.

What if I am partially to blame for the accident that causes my spinal cord injury?

You should still file an injury claim. California allows multiple parties to share blame in an accident. You may bear a small percentage of blame, but the other party might be assigned more and would have to provide substantial compensation.

 

Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer.

After an accident involving a serious injury in the Central Valley, contact attorney Martin Gasparian for a free consultation and case evaluation. Mr. Gasparian takes a hands-on approach to every case. He believes that every client should work directly with their lawyer, get honest advice and personalized attention to detail their case deserves.

If you feel we can help you get the most out of your spinal cord injury claim, you won’t need any money now. We don’t get paid unless we secure support for you from an insurance company.

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