Any accident that causes trauma to the spinal cord can have exceptionally devastating consequences. The spinal cord is vital to normal bodily function as it is the central pathway of the nervous system. It is encased within the spine’s vertebrae and is responsible for transmitting signals to and from the brain. Unfortunately, the spinal cord cannot heal itself when damaged, meaning that injuries to this area often cause permanent and debilitating harm.
In a situation like this, demanding civil compensation from those liable for your harm could be vital to maximizing your long-term quality of life. Enlisting the guidance of a Braselton spinal cord injury lawyer could be just as important to pursuing your civil claim effectively. Contact the qualified catastrophic injury attorneys at Smith Hulsey today if you are dealing with spine damage because of another party’s negligence.
Whether an accident victim suffers a minor injury or sustains devastating spinal cord damage, they may only hold another party liable for ensuing losses if they can prove that person was legally negligent. Simply put, negligence occurs when someone owes a duty to another person to act responsibly, and that duty is then breached through reckless or careless behavior. This violation must have directly caused the injured party’s suffering and required some form of professional medical care.
Various types of accidents—and accordingly, multiple forms of negligence—can cause or contribute to causing spinal cord trauma, most commonly including:
An experienced Braselton spinal cord injury attorney could help demand fair financial recovery after any incident resulting in harm to this degree.
Two main factors help determine how severe a spinal cord injury is: the location of the damage, and the “completeness” of the injury. In general, injuries higher up the spine and closer to the neck cause paralysis in more parts of the body compared to injuries that are lower and closer to the tailbone. As for the latter factor, “complete” spinal cord injuries, which involve the spinal cord being totally severed, are virtually always irreversible and result in the total loss of nerve function below the injury site. Alternatively, “incomplete” injuries may only cause partial paralysis and may even allow for some amount of recovery in the long term.
The severity of a person’s spinal cord injury, in turn, determines the value of an ensuing lawsuit or settlement demand. The more harmful the effects of the injury are, the more losses the injured person will have to deal with, and the more compensation they would need to cover these losses. Depending on the circumstances, a spinal cord injury attorney in Braselton could work on a plaintiff’s behalf to recover for long-term medical bills and other out-of-pocket costs, lost working ability and income, physical pain, and various forms of psychological suffering and distress.
Spinal cord injuries are uniquely severe and, therefore, may be difficult to recover for effectively through civil litigation. If someone else’s misconduct directly caused your spinal cord injury, having knowledgeable legal counsel on your side could make all the difference in your ability to protect your best interests.
A conversation with a Braselton spinal cord injury lawyer could provide much-needed answers to any questions you have. Contact us at Smith Hulsey today to set up a consultation.
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