If you suffer a spinal cord injury, you could experience 10 common symptoms that include pain, numbness, weakness, loss of movement, difficulty speaking, loss of bladder and bowel control, loss of sexual function, difficulty walking, breathing problems, and paralysis.
It could take time for spinal cord injury symptoms to present, so if you were in an accident, we strongly urge you to see a medical professional for evaluation and treatment as soon as possible. A spinal cord injury could quickly become a medical emergency.
A spinal cord injury lawyer from our firm will assist you if you want to learn more about the legal options available after someone has suffered a spinal cord injury including specifically, filing an insurance claim or lawsuit to recover compensation. Spinal cord dysfunction is likely to negatively impact your life, and you should not have to pay for the result of an accident you didn’t cause.
- What Are Common Symptoms of Spinal Cord Injuries?
- What Is a Spinal Cord Injury?
- Is It Possible to Have a Spinal Cord Injury Without Having Symptoms?
- How Will a Spinal Cord Injury Impact You?
- What Damages Are You Able to Recover in a Spinal Cord Injury Case?
- How Will Our Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Help You?
What Are Common Symptoms of Spinal Cord Injuries?
You might have a spinal cord injury without realizing it, as symptoms don’t necessarily present right away. That’s why we urgently recommend that you seek medical treatment as soon as possible after an accident. The sooner your doctor treats your injury, the greater the likelihood that further damage is preventable.
Maybe you are waiting to see a doctor. As you wait for an appointment, there are 10 common symptoms of a spinal cord injury that you should be aware of, including:
- Pain
- Numbness
- Muscle weakness
- Loss of movement
- Difficulty speaking
- Loss of bladder function and bowel control
- Loss of sexual function
- Difficulty walking
- Breathing problems
- Paralysis
Spinal cord injuries often cause a range of other symptoms, including pressure sores and chronic pain. If you experience any of these symptoms, please seek immediate medical treatment. A spinal cord injury has the potential to impact you for the rest of your life. Your doctor will document your injuries to help you build a personal injury case and mitigate the damage, so your injury doesn’t worsen.
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What Is a Spinal Cord Injury?
Extending from the brain down to the lower back, the spinal column of vertebrae protects the spinal cord and the nerve bundles your body relies on. The spinal cord contains the bundle of cells and spinal nerves that send signals throughout the body so it functions.
Your movement, sensory function, and strength are functional because of the messages the brain sends through the spinal cord. If you suffer a complete injury, your motor function and overall well-being could be at great risk.
A spinal cord injury is any injury that damages the spinal cord. There are two main types of spinal cord injuries. An injury to the upper spinal cord typically paralyzes most of the body, while a lower spinal cord injury could paralyze the lower body. Any injury to the spinal cord has the potential to be catastrophic whether the cause is a car accident, a fall, medical malpractice, or a sports injury.
Is It Possible to Have a Spinal Cord Injury Without Having Symptoms?
Yes, you could have a spinal cord injury without having any symptoms, at least at first. Adrenaline and shock are likely getting you through the initial impact of the injury, but as that wears off, you might begin noticing symptoms such as pain in the head, neck, and back. You could also feel pressure from swelling and bleeding around the spinal cord. If you suffer bone fractures in the vertebral column, you will likely feel significant pain.
Spinal cord injury victims could also feel numbness or tingling in their hands or feet and write it off. It’s crucial that you pay attention to what your body might be trying to tell you and get treatment from a medical professional who will order diagnostic tests to confirm whether you have a spinal cord injury. Serious health conditions like spinal cord injuries should never go untreated.
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How Will a Spinal Cord Injury Impact You?
A spinal cord injury could change your life completely. If a spinal cord injury paralyzes you, you might require long-term care that includes physical therapy, modifications to your home, and special equipment from your healthcare providers.
You might be unable to work to earn an income and might suffer a loss of enjoyment because you can’t spend time with family and friends like you could before your injury. In addition, your paralysis could prevent you from participating in physical activities that you once enjoyed. Our lawyers are prepared to seek justice for the losses you suffered.
We will connect with your healthcare team to gather evidence of your injury and its cause.
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What Damages Are You Able to Recover in a Spinal Cord Injury Case?
If your spinal cord injury is the result of negligence by another person or entity, you might have a case to recover compensation by filing a personal injury lawsuit.
Choosing to file a lawsuit is a big decision, and you often only have a limited period of time to file your case before you risk losing your right to recover damages through the legal process.
There are several types of damages that you might be able to recover in your case, including:
- Loss of income or earning capacity
- Medical bills, including future medical bills and costs of assistive devices
- Home modification expenses
- Cost of hiring someone to provide household services
- Childcare
- Physical therapy and counseling
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Disability
- Disfigurement
- Diminished quality of life
The damages you will be able to recover often depend on your injury level, how your daily living is affected, and the symptoms you present. If you have already incurred costs associated with your injury, such as the cost of occupational therapy, visits to the intensive care unit (ICU), or rehabilitation services, your lawyer will help you seek reimbursement for these items as well as for additional medical care and any other damages you suffered.
How Will Our Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Help You?
You might be looking at a long road to recovery if you suffer a spinal cord injury. Handling a personal injury case at the same time can certainly be a major additional source of stress on you, but you don’t have to navigate this process alone. A personal injury lawyer with experience handling spinal cord injury cases will guide your case through the legal process and protect your rights every step of the way.
A personal injury lawyer from our firm will investigate the cause of your injuries and work to prove that someone else’s negligence is why your life will never be the same. We will also calculate the value of your claim so we will be able to seek an amount of compensation that covers your losses.
We will evaluate every settlement offer and negotiate with the liable party on your behalf to reach a settlement agreement. Of course, major decisions regarding your case -for example, whether to accept a settlement offer or proceed to a trial before a judge and jury- are always yours to make, but we will provide counsel and advise you based on our training and experience. Learn More About Spinal Cord Injury Symptoms Today
Spinal cord injuries are some of the most devastating injuries anyone could suffer. You must take care to receive medical treatment as soon as possible, especially if you begin experiencing common symptoms that indicate a problem.
To learn more about the legal ramifications of spinal cord injuries and how an attorney from Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. will help you, please contact us for a free consultation today.
Call or text 516-932-0400 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form