If you or a family member is an accident victim who has suffered the devastating injury of permanent damage to their spinal cord, we urge you to contact us. We are not "fast settlement" lawyers. We take extra care to ensure that clients with catastrophic injuries receive the total compensation they will need. As spinal cord injury attorneys, we hire the best medical and financial experts to develop a life care plan that anticipates surgeries, physical therapy, medical equipment and other health care needs. We also seek damages for the loss of earning potential and loss of enjoyment.

A spinal cord injury (SCI) is an injury to the spinal cord resulting in varying degrees of loss of function and paralysis, depending on which part of the spine was injured and the severity of the injury. The injury can occur from a traumatic event, such as a motor vehicle accident, or from illness or disease. Over 250,000 people in the United States currently live with a spinal cord injury.

If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury, there are legal options available to you, contact us online or call at 480-281-3838 to arrange a consultation. When results matter, choose The Watkin Law Office, P.C.

Traumatic Spinal Cord Injuries - Monoplegia, Paraplegia, Quadriplegia - Tetraplegia

The most common causes of spinal cord injuries are:

• Motor vehicle accidents
• Deliberate acts of violence (stabbings, shootings)
• Falls
• Sports-related accidents (diving, skiing, contact sports)

The severity of the spinal cord injury depends on where the injury occurred. The spine is separated into five parts from top to bottom, with each part controlling different bodily functions:

• Cervical vertebrae (neck) - controls back of the head, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, diaphragm
• Thoracic vertebrae (upper back) - controls chest muscles, some back muscles, parts of the abdomen
• Lumbar vertebrae (middle back) - controls lower abdomen, lower back, buttocks, some parts of the legs, some parts of the external genital organs
• Sacral vertebrae (hips) - controls thighs, lower parts of legs, feet, most of the external genital organs
• Coccygeal vertebrae (tailbone) - controls sensation from the skin on the lower back

Spinal cord injuries can be complete or incomplete. A complete spinal cord injury means that the spinal cord is unable to receive and send messages to the brain past the level of injury on the spine. An incomplete injury means that the spine still is able to receive and send some messages from the brain past the level of injury.

Treatment of Spinal Cord Injuries

At this time, the treatment options for spinal cord injuries are limited. If the injury resulted in a fracture to the vertebrae protecting the cord, surgery may be performed to correct the fracture and relieve the compression on the spine. After surgery, some function may be recovered. There is not a current surgical option that will recover all function lost due to SCI.

Rehabilitation is the main cornerstone of treatment designed to help the injured person retain as much function as possible. Rehab treatments may include working with a number of specialists, including physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, nutritionists, neurologists, psychologists and others. Rehab focuses on a range of issues, from preventing muscle atrophy to providing job training.

Pursuing a Lawsuit

Spinal cord injuries are some of the worst types of injuries suffered today. Not only do the victims suffer paralysis, but there are also many other health consequences from a SCI, including bowel and bladder problems, breathing difficulty, blood pressure and heart dysfunction, spasms, loss of reproductive and sexual function and increased risk of blood clots, bed sores and pneumonia. People with SCI generally also have a shorter life expectancy.

If a spinal cord injury resulted because of another person's negligent acts, the injured person may want to consider taking legal action against the responsible party to recover damages. Depending on how the injury occurred, there are different types of lawsuits that may be filed:

• Personal injury lawsuit: if the injury resulted from an individual's negligence, like a car accident
• Medical malpractice: if the injury resulted from a surgical mistake or misdiagnosis
• Products liability: if the injury resulted from a defective product, like a seatbelt
• Premises liability: if the injury occurred on another person or entity's property

The types of compensation available in SCI cases vary depending on state law, but typically include:

• Loss of wages
• Loss of future earning capacity
• Medical expenses
• Future anticipated medical expenses
• Pain and suffering

Compensation for Spinal Cord Injuries

If you have suffered a spinal cord injury (SCI) due to another person's negligent acts, you may be eligible for compensation for your injuries. The amount of compensation will depend on the individual circumstances of your case and your state's laws. Contact an attorney in your area today to find out if you are entitled to damages for your spinal cord injury. An attorney experienced in spinal cord injury cases can determine if a lawsuit is in your best interests.

IMPORTANT: If an insurance claims agent for the person at fault calls to "interview" you, decline -- at least until you have spoken with an attorney. Despite what the insurance agent might tell you, he is NOT "just trying to help."

To recover compensation for your injury, you may be required to show:

• That the SCI occurred due to reckless or negligent disregard for your safety by another
• That you were injured
• That your injury was caused by the accident and is not due to a pre-existing condition or unrelated occurrence
• That you suffered compensable damages

In some states, under the doctrine of comparative negligence, your compensation can be decreased proportionately if it is found that you contributed to your injuries. For example, if the court finds you are 20 percent at fault, then your recovery will be decreased by that percentage. A minority of states follow the restrictive contributory negligence rule. In these states, if the court finds you contributed in any way to the injuries you suffered — even as little as 1 percent — you will be barred recovery altogether.

Available Damages

The damages you may be entitled to collect will vary by your state's laws and may not include all of those listed here. You will want to consult with a local attorney about the compensation available in your jurisdiction for spinal cord injuries.

• Medical Expenses: Costs incurred by you for health care, including ambulance bills, hospital bills, and charges for surgical, medical or chiropractic care.
• Future Medical Expenses: The cost of future medical care for injuries or disabilities, including costs for rehabilitation, bioengineering equipment (wheelchairs, electrical equipment to assist breathing and eating) transportation, attendant care
• Lost Income: Payment for wages lost as a result of your injury
• Lost Future Earning Capacity: The sum of money that will compensate you for the earnings you would have made in the future if you had not sustained the injury
• Pain and Suffering: The pain, suffering, disfigurement, disability and loss of life's pleasures you have experienced from your spinal cord injury
• Property Damage: Repair or replacement of any property that was damaged in the accident

Treatment & Surgical Options for Spinal Cord Injuries

The cost of treating and caring for people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) in the US tops over $4 billion ever year. For the thousands of Americans living with spinal cord injuries, current treatment options focus on helping them learn to live with their disabilities and become as independent as their injuries allow. If you or a loved one have suffered a spinal cord injury, contact a personal injury attorney in your area to learn more about the legal remedies that may be available to you.

The surgical options immediately following a spinal cord injury are limited and performed for two reasons: if the spinal column needs to be stabilized by the use of pins and/or plates; or if a fracture, break, bone fragment or other object is compressing the spinal cord and the pressure needs to be decompressed. While it is not uncommon for some function to be regained after surgery to stabilize or decompress the spine, all lost function cannot be restored by either surgery. Surgery also may be performed to transfer nerves and tendons to help activate muscles and restore function. These surgeries are normally employed to improve hand/arm functions, such as bending and straightening the elbow and wrist and gripping with the fingers and hand.

Rehabilitation focuses on helping people with spinal cord injuries retain maximum function and live as independently as possible. Rehab uses massage, passive movements, exercises and other approaches to invigorate muscle groups and prevent atrophy. Rehab also can help people who require wheelchairs and prostheses become more comfortable with the equipment and learn how to use it. Besides focusing on physical health, rehab also may include the services of vocational therapists, psychologists, nutritionists, social workers and other professionals to help people adjust to living with their disabilities. People with severe injuries may be unable to live independently and require long-term care from a live-in nurse, nursing home or other care facility.

Researchers are working hard to find a cure for spinal cord injuries. Current research focuses on regeneration of damaged spinal cord tissues to restore some, and ultimately all, of the lost function from the injury. Some of the treatments researchers are developing to meet this goal include:

• Transplantation - transplant tissues into or near the damaged portions of the spinal cord to facilitate growth of new nerve cells and supply a source of nerve cells to help repair the ones damaged by the injury.
• Stimulation - the adult spinal cord does not provide a positive environment for growth of new nerve cells. Researchers are trying to discover a way to "turn off" the proteins that inhibit growth and "turn on" or stimulate the proteins that encourage growth.

Spinal cord injuries are serious and it may not be obvious that someone has a spinal cord injury. The treatment given to a person immediately after he of she has suffered one of these injuries is critical to limiting the amounting of harm done and preventing secondary injuries from occurring. Contact an attorney in your area today if you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury. You may be eligible for compensation for your injury.

The spinal cord is surrounded by bone called the vertebrae that protects the fragile cord from injury. The spinal cord and vertebra make up the spinal column. The spinal cord is part of the central nervous system and delivers signals between the brain and the rest of the body. The cord is made up of many types of nerve fibers and cells. The spinal column is divided into five distinct segments from top to bottom:

• Cervical vertebrae (neck) -- controls back of the head, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, diaphragm
• Thoracic vertebrae (upper back) -- controls chest muscles, some back muscles, parts of the abdomen
• Lumbar vertebrae (middle back) -- controls lower abdomen, lower back, buttocks, some parts of the legs, some parts of the external genital organs
• Sacral vertebrae (hips) -- controls thighs, lower parts of legs, feet, most of the external genital organs, area around the anus
• Coccygeal vertebrae (tailbone) -- controls sensation from the skin on the lower back

Level of Injury

The level of injury refers to the segment damaged by the injury, below which function has been lost, either completely or partially — meaning that the ability of the brain to send and receive messages down the spinal cord has been impaired or severed altogether. The higher up the level of injury on the spinal column, the more function lost. For example, a person in a car accident who suffers a C5 injury will have lost more function than a person in a similar accident with a L4 injury.

Complete vs. Incomplete Injury

An incomplete injury means that the injured person retains some level of function below the level of injury. This function can be mobility (ability to move) or sensory (ability to feel sensation). A complete injury means that the injured person does not retain any function below the level of injury on either side of the body, meaning he or she cannot move or feel anything below this level.

Immediate Treatment of SCI

While a spinal cord injury can occur from an illness or disease (like a tumor), the most common cause is a traumatic injury that dislocates or fractures the vertebra protecting the spinal cord. This contact can cause hemorrhage and swelling of the spinal cord, tearing of the cord or disruption of the spinal nerves. The spinal cord is rarely severed completely. Immediately after a suspected spinal cord injury, it is vitally important to take action to stabilize the spine and prevent or minimize secondary injuries. Secondary injuries are those that occur after the initial trauma and can exacerbate the damage to the spinal cord.

Thus, immediate treatment of a spinal cord injury includes:

• Determining if there are any structural problems with the spine that need to be surgically repaired
• Determining if there is compression on the spine that needs to be surgically relieved
• Minimizing the damage to the nerve cells with the use of steroids (methylprednisolone)
• Stabilizing and reducing the vertebrae
• Immobilizing the patient

If the person suffered a high spinal cord injury in the cervical vertebrae, he or she may be unable to breathe without the help of a ventilator. If you come into contact with a person you suspect has suffered a spinal cord injury, call an ambulance and do not attempt to move him or her, or you could make the injury worse.

Frequently Asked Questions About Spinal Cord Injuries:

What types of compensation are available for those who have suffered a spinal cord injury because of someone else's negligence?

An attorney can file a lawsuit on your behalf and seek recovery for several types of damages, including for pain and suffering, lost past wages, lost future earning capacity, current and future medical expenses, among others. The types of recovery may be limited by your state's laws, so it is important to consult a lawyer if you are contemplating legal action.

What is the difference between paraplegia and quadriplegia?

Paraplegia refers to spinal cord injuries that result in paralysis to the lower back, legs and lower extremities. Quadriplegia occurs when most of the body is paralyzed from the neck down, including both arms and legs.

What types of treatment are available for people with spinal cord injuries?

If there is a fracture or dislocation of the spinal cord, surgery may be performed to decompress and stabilize the spinal cord. Some function may be returned after the surgery, but the surgery will not be able to recover all lost function from the injury. Rehabilitation is the mainstay of treatment. Rehab focuses on helping a person with a spinal cord injury gain as much independence as possible and includes exercises to restore and build muscle. Rehab also can include working with vocational therapists and other trained professionals.

What are some of the medical complications caused by a spinal cord injury?

Depending on which segments of the spine were injured, people with spinal cord injuries face a number of other health problems because of the injury, including chronic pain, bladder and bowel dysfunction, irregular heart beats, low blood pressure, pressure sores, spasms and reproductive and sexual dysfunction. They are also at risk for heart and respiratory problems and blood clots, among other conditions.

Can a spinal cord injury be corrected with surgery?

At this time, no. If there is compression on the spinal cord or the spine needs to be stabilized, surgery can be performed in an attempt to correct these problems. After surgery, some function may be restored, but surgery is currently unable to restore all lost function from a spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injuries are devastating and have life-long consequences. Contact us online or call at 480-281-3838 to arrange a consultation. When results matter, choose The Watkin Law Office, P.C.

Clark Watkin of The Watkin Law Office, P.C. is a Scottsdale bicycle accident lawyer and Scottsdale motorcycle accident attorney who represents serious personal injury and wrongful death clients throughout Arizona, including Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Peoria, Cave Creek, Carefree, Fountain Hills and Paradise Valley.