A spinal cord injury can be life-changing, not only for injury victims but for their families and friends. Spinal cord injuries are usually severe and likely require intensive and long-term care.
If you were hurt in an accident due to someone else’s negligence, it’s crucial to fight for the full compensation you will require to live with your injury. The Shreveport LA spinal cord injury lawyer team at the Morris Bart law firm will help you hold the liable party accountable and seek an appropriate level of compensation for your injury.
What Is the Spinal Cord, and What Is Its Purpose?
The spinal cord is one of two parts of your central nervous system and controls how your body carries signals to and from the brain and reflexive responses. The spinal cord is split into five distinct parts:
- Cervical spine: Seven vertebrae in your neck
- Thoracic spine: 12 vertebrae in your midback
- Lumbar spine: Five vertebrae in your low back
- Sacrum: Five fused vertebrae forming your pelvic girdle
- Coccyx: Four fused vertebrae in your tailbone
Doctors use these parts to specify the particular vertebrae that are injured. For example, if you have an injury in your L3, it’s referring to the third vertebrae in your lumbar spine.
For a free legal consultation with a Spinal Cord Injury lawyer serving Shreveport, call (318) 553-5470
Understanding the Symptoms of Spinal Cord Injuries
According to the Mayo Clinic, spinal cord injuries are considered either complete or incomplete. For complete spinal cord injuries, all feeling and the ability to control body movement below the injury site is lost. It is an incomplete spinal injury if a person can feel or move the body below the injury.
Spinal cord injuries also include the following categories referring to paralysis:
- Paraplegia: Affects all or part of the abdomen, legs, feet, and organs in your pelvis
- Tetraplegia: Affects your arms, hands, abdomen, legs, feet, and organs in your pelvis
The Mayo Clinic reports that paralysis can come on gradually, so it’s essential to seek immediate medical treatment. At the Morris Bart law office, we believe that seeing a doctor after an accident is vital for your health and ensures there is a documented link between the accident and your injuries.
What Is the Most Common Type of Spinal Cord Injury?
The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) reports that the most common type of spinal cord injury is incomplete tetraplegia, followed by incomplete paraplegia.
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What Types of Accidents Can Cause a Spinal Cord Injury?
A spinal cord injury can happen in an accident where your head, neck, or back suffer trauma. Spinal cord injuries can also be caused by:
- Car accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Boating accidents
- Sporting or recreational accidents
- Assault or other violent acts
- Offshore drilling accidents
- Oilfield accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Defective products
Spinal Cord Injuries Often Require Expensive and Long-Term Care
Intensive care is usually necessary for those with a spinal cord injury after an accident in Shreveport. According to the NSCISC, the estimated average yearly cost of treatment for an individual suffering from paraplegia is $560,287 and $74,221 for every year after.
Spinal care treatment usually begins with emergency treatment like surgery. Recovering outside the hospital may entail extensive and often painful physical, occupational, speech, and emotional therapy. For many, long-term, at-home nursing help is required to help families manage life with the injury. Many accident victims also require expensive home modifications to allow them to live at home after the accident.
People with a spinal cord injury are also likely to be in and out of the hospital, with the average stay lasting 18 days. Injury victims also chronically suffer from kidney, urinary tract, liver, digestive, and respiratory issues.
Who May Be Liable for My Spinal Cord Injury After an Accident?
Depending on your case’s facts, several people may be liable for your injuries. Any person who engaged in negligent, intentional, or reckless behavior that led to your injury may be responsible.
You may even be able to name multiple parties in your claim. The spinal cord lawyers at the Morris Bart law firm will use the facts to determine all liable parties and make sure they are included in your claim or lawsuit.
What Damages Can I Recover for in My Shreveport Spinal Injury Case?
Spinal cord injury accident victims in Shreveport have a wide range of damages available to them, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment
- Loss of consortium
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
Working with our spinal cord injury lawyers in Shreveport can help you fight to recover from all your losses. Additionally, we can work with you to include accurate figures for future losses, like ongoing medical treatment and future lost earnings.
Can a Spinal Injury Lawyer in Shreveport Help My Accident Case?
Due to the long-term complications from spinal cord injuries, building a solid case with evidence to prove your claims is essential to getting all the compensation you need for recovery. Our attorney for spinal cord injuries can help you in several ways. They will help you:
- Gather evidence
- Work with experts to determine an appropriate value for your case
- Compile documentation to show future expenses related to your injury
- Work with your doctor to develop a comprehensive treatment plan
- Handle all your case’s paperwork
- Negotiate for a settlement on your behalf
Our Shreveport Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys Will Fight to Protect Your Rights
Often, in injury cases, especially in severe cases like spinal cord injury cases, insurance companies will work to pay you less than you deserve. Insurers may try to downplay liability, blame the victim, and employ other tactics to reduce the compensation you get in your case.
The Morris Bart law office will work tirelessly for a settlement from the insurance company that pays you the compensation you need to live after your accident. In addition, our injury lawyer team will work to counter insurance disputes of liability and prove the severity of your injuries and requirements for long-term care.
Contact the Spinal Cord Lawyers at Morris Bart Today
If you have suffered a spinal cord injury due to someone else’s negligence in Shreveport, you may be entitled to compensation.
Call us at (318) 553-5470 for a free consultation to discuss your case and potential recovery options today.
Questions?Call (318) 553-5470
to find a Morris Bart office near you.
