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The spinal cord facilitates most, if not all, body functions. All the nerves that connect the brain and the rest of the body are located in the spinal cord. Any personnel handling you has a duty of practicing caution to ensure that they do not damage your spine. Besides, you are most vulnerable when undergoing a medical procedure.
If the worst happens and you get a spinal cord injury, you can seek legal redress. The medical personnel or the medical facility that contributed to the problem ought to take financial responsibility for the injuries. A Little Rock personal injury attorney can walk the legal journey with you.
How Do I Know if I Have Suffered a Spinal Cord Injury?
Most people experience the signs of a spinal cord injury immediately after the incident involving malpractice. The symptoms would fully appear after 30 minutes or four days. Victims might notice signs such as:
- Extreme back pain
- Pressure in the back, head, or neck
- Tingling sensations in the toes, feet, fingers, or hands
- Loss of bladder or bowel functions
- Spasms
- Breathing problems
- Lack of reflexes
- Loss of sensation in the body
- Loss of function in the muscle of some or all of the limbs
If you notice any of the above symptoms after a medical procedure, it is advisable to seek another doctor’s opinion. It is safer to do this within the shortest time possible. After that, it is advisable to contact a Little Rock spinal cord injuries attorney to look at your case from a legal perspective.
Is a Lawyer Necessary for My Spinal Cord Injury Case?
The wrongdoer’s insurance company often tries to offer victims a quick yet inadequate settlement. And if you give in and accept their settlement, you will have given up your right to pursue a fair damages award.
Every spinal cord injury victim needs a Little Rock spinal cord injury lawyer who can thoroughly investigate the circumstances and clearly articulate the value of the damages. Experience is also necessary for navigating an insurance company’s settlement tactics.
How Will an Attorney Help with the Investigations?
An attorney gets the confidence to fight for a specific amount of damages once they have done in-depth investigations. Some of the activities a spinal cord injury attorney in Little Rock, AR, can undertake include:
- Conducting witness testimonies
- Gathering photographic evidence of the scene
- Reviewing medical records
- Assessing your physical and non-physical injuries and developing a treatment plan with the help of vocational rehabilitation specialists, pain management specialists, and orthopedic surgeons
- Calculating the value of expected future loss of income and wages with the help of financial planners
Notably, these investigations require a lot of resources that you might not have after spending a lot of money in recovery. Luckily, our law firm won’t ask you to pay for our services until you win the case and recover settlement.
What Compensation Is Available for Spinal Cord Injury Victims?
If you get compensation, you will be able to ease your financial burdens and afford a lifetime of quality medical care.
There are a few categories of damages available for spinal cord injuries:
Punitive Damages
The court awards punitive damages when the offender’s behavior was particularly egregious. It is meant to discourage other professionals from neglecting their duty of care.
Non-Economic Damages
These damages are meant to compensate you for the emotional suffering and physical pain caused by the spinal code injury. And if it affects your ability to engage in physical relationships, you might get compensation for loss of consortium.
Economic Damages
This category of compensation can help you cover the following:
- The cost of a new vehicle that accommodates your condition
- The cost of hiring a driver
- Rehabilitation costs
- Lost income
- Future and past medical bills
- It might be impossible to get this compensation without a fight. You must first link the careless professional with your injuries and show what the case is worth.
Does the Severity of the Spinal Cord Injury Matter?
A spinal cord injury can occur anywhere along the spine. The severity of your injuries matters when pursuing a personal injury case.
Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury
The injury is considered incomplete if signals are still transmittable below the site of injury. This is usually visible in the patient’s ability to have sensations or movements. And if the injury was mild, the victim might enjoy full recovery at some point.
Complete Spinal Cord Injury
This degree of damage happens when the spine is fully compressed or severed. Movement and sensation below the injured area are usually lost. Still, there might be potential for a full recovery.
Generally, victims of complete spinal cord injuries might get more compensation than those who suffered incomplete injuries. However, it will depend on other specific factors of the case.
What Happens When the Victim Succumbs to the Injuries?
Spinal cord injuries can be severe because they affect vital body organs. If someone you love succumbs to the severity of their injuries, you might not file a personal injury claim.
Instead, you will file a wrongful death claim and fight for:
- Past medical expenses
- Emotional grief
- Loss of income
- Loss of consortium
- Burial expenses
The procedure for fighting for these damages is similar to that of seeking compensation for personal injuries. But instead of including the expenses for the victim’s affected lifestyle, the family gets compensation for what they have lost.
A Lawyer Securing Compensation for Injury Victims
Medical malpractice can change your day-to-day life in a blink. Worse if it affects your spinal cord. The financial resources required to treat and manage such injuries are immense and can leave you and your family struggling to get by.
While you recover from the physical and non-physical injuries, a personal injury attorney could be fighting for you to get compensation. The lawyers at Denton & Zachary can hold the responsible parties accountable and ensure that you are fully compensated. Schedule a consultation with us today to get started.