Spinal Cord Injuries can be Devastating
Injuries to the spinal cord can impact the messaging system between your brain and body. A significant disruption could permanently cut off the signaling that takes place in the nerves down your back, resulting in paralysis. Often, spinal cord injuries result from the negligence of someone else. If this sounds like your situation, contact our Jacksonville Office Our spinal cord injury lawyers can investigate who or what caused your spine injury and inform you of your rights during a free case evaluation in Jacksonville, North Carolina.
Common Causes of Spine Injuries
The spine consists of a bundle of delicate nerves that run down the center of the back, as do discs and fluids. An injury to any part of the spinal cord could impact the victim’s strength, motor skills, sensation, and bodily functions. The symptoms will change depending on the level and severity of injury. The spine can suffer injuries in numerous ways, but some of the most common are:
- Auto, motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents
- Trucking accidents
- Falls
- Diving or recreational accidents
- Gunshot or knife wounds
- Surgical mistakes
- Birth injuries
- Infections and certain diseases
If a driver, sports coach, building owner, doctor, or other party contributed to your spine injury, you might have grounds to file a claim against him or her. A personal injury claim can be the most effective way to secure financial stability in the face of an expensive and devastating spinal cord injury. A consult with one of our attorneys can help you discover whether you have the right to file a claim in North Carolina.
Levels of Injury to the Spine
The spinal cord is a complex part of the body and can therefore suffer complex injuries. In general, how drastically the injury affects the survivor depends upon the level of injury. The higher up on the spine the injury occurs, the more drastic the effects. A spine injury can be complete if the victim loses all sensation and motor function, or incomplete if he/she retains some degree of function.
Someone with paraplegia will still have feeling and movement in his/her chest and arms, but not in the legs, parts of the trunk, and the pelvic organs. A tetraplegic or quadriplegic person, on the other hand, will have lost sensation and movement in all four limbs, the trunk, and possibly the respiratory system. At this time, no cure for spine injuries exists, although survivors may be able to see improvement through therapy and rehabilitation.
What to Do if You Have a Spine Injury
The actions you take after suffering an injury to the spine can determine your future. First, don’t move if you feel like you hurt your back. Stay as immobile as you can as you wait for paramedics to arrive. Moving the wrong way could turn a minor back injury into a major one. Get medical attention immediately. Keep track of what the doctor said, where you received treatment, and the cost of your medical bills.
Tell someone about your accident. The appropriate party might be the police, your employer, a store manager, or an insurance company, depending on the situation. Do not accept any quick settlement offers at this stage in the process. Instead, politely decline and explain that you are going to consult with a lawyer first. Initial insurance settlement offers are almost always lower than spine injury victims deserve.
Experienced Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys Serving Jacksonville
Next, contact our Jacksonville lawyers. Our attorneys will help you explore your rights and learn the true value of your claim. You could be eligible to recover your past and all future medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, personal losses, and more. The attorney you choose may make all the difference in your future financial stability when living with a catastrophic spinal cord injury. Choose Riddle & Brantley, to feel confident in your personal injury attorney. Contact us today for your free consultation.