A spinal cord injury can turn your life upside down in an instant. From losing the ability to walk to facing a lifetime of medical care, the road to recovery is often long and difficult. If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury in Decatur, you don't have to go through this alone. Our dedicated Decatur Injury Lawyers understand the challenges you're facing and the financial strain that comes with it.
Call Marks Law Group today at (678) 251-9309. We’ll review your options in a free consultation and stand by your side every step
Common Causes and Types of Spinal Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are often the result of sudden, traumatic accidents. A spinal injury is a serious event that can affect your entire life. The spinal canal protects the delicate spinal cord, which sends messages between your brain and body. When this "highway" is damaged, it can have catastrophic consequences.
Here are some of the most common causes of these injuries:
- Motor Vehicle Accidents: A car crash, trucking accident, or motorcycle crash can cause severe damage to the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar vertebrae. Whiplash, for example, can cause herniated discs or other serious back and neck injuries.
- Workplace Accidents: Falls from heights at construction sites, slip-and-fall accidents, and being struck by heavy objects are often the cause of devastating back and neck injuries.
- Slip-and-Fall Incidents: When a property owner fails to maintain a safe environment, a fall can cause compression fractures or other severe injuries.
- Sports and Recreational Activities: High-impact sports and activities like diving can lead to serious spinal injuries.
- Acts of Violence: Gunshot wounds or stabbings can cause a traumatic spinal injury.
These traumatic accidents can cause different types of injuries, from a broken vertebra to a slipped nucleus pulposus in a spinal column disk. These injuries require immediate emergency room treatment and a detailed medical care plan.
Learn More: How to File an Injury Claim in Georgia
Common Symptoms of a Spinal Injury
A spinal injury can have a wide range of symptoms, depending on where the injury is located and how severe it is. The physical, emotional, and financial impact can be immense. One of the biggest challenges is that a serious spinal injury can affect your motor function, your ability to feel things, and your overall quality of life.
Common symptoms include:
- Pain: Severe pain or a stinging sensation in your back or neck.
- Limited Mobility: Difficulty moving or a complete loss of motor function.
- Numbness or Tingling: A loss of sensation or a tingling feeling in your arms or legs.
- Loss of Bladder or Bowel Control: This is a very serious symptom and requires immediate medical attention.
- Difficulty Breathing: An injury to the cervical cord can affect your ability to breathe.
- Chronic Pain: Even a seemingly minor injury like a herniated disc can lead to long-term pain, affecting your ability to work and enjoy life.
These symptoms often require a lifetime of care, from needing vocational rehabilitation services to home modifications to accommodate a wheelchair. The pain and suffering alone can be overwhelming, not to mention the ongoing medical expenses.
Learn More: Why are spinal injuries serious?
What Compensation Can You Get?
The financial burden of a spinal cord injury is often staggering. You might be facing a future with a serious permanent injury, and the costs of long-term care can be astronomical. A personal injury lawsuit can help you get the compensation you need to live with dignity and cover your expenses.
Potential damages you could recover include:
- Medical Expenses: This includes all of your past, present, and future medical bills, such as surgeries like a spinal fusion, physical therapy, prescription medication, and even home care services. Life-care planning is often needed to figure out all the costs for a severe injury.
- Lost Wages and Lost Earning Capacity: If your injury has forced you to miss time from work, you can get compensation for lost income. If your injury is so severe that you can't return to your old job or work at all, you can also be compensated for the loss of earning capacity.
- Pain and Suffering: This is for the emotional and physical distress that the injury has caused. This includes things like chronic pain, emotional distress, and the loss of the ability to participate in recreational activities.
- Home Modifications: If your injury requires you to make changes to your home, such as installing ramps or making bathrooms accessible, these costs can be included in your settlement amount.
How Can a Lawyer Help with a Spinal Injury Case?
Navigating the legal world after a serious injury is a complicated process. This is where a personal injury lawyer can make a world of difference. When you're dealing with the pain of an injury, trying to get better, and worrying about medical bills, the last thing you want to do is fight with insurance companies. That's what a legal team is for.
Here's how a lawyer can help:
- Investigating the Incident: A lawyer will investigate the accident. This might involve hiring an accident reconstruction expert for a motor vehicle accident or a medical malpractice attorney to review your medical and surgical errors.
- Gathering Evidence: A lawyer will collect police reports, medical records, and witness testimonies. They can also work with medical experts to get a clear picture of your injury.
- Negotiating a Fair Settlement: Insurance companies have insurance defense tactics designed to limit what they pay you. A lawyer knows how to deal with these tactics and will fight for a settlement amount that truly covers your needs.
- Representing You in Court: If the insurance company won't offer a fair settlement, your personal injury attorneys will be prepared to take your case to a personal injury lawsuit. This is especially important in cases involving a large settlement or a wrongful death claim.
Learn More: How to Prepare for a Consultation With an Injury Lawyer
How Is Fault Proven?
Proving who is at fault is the key to winning any personal injury claim. This is a crucial step to get the compensation you deserve. To prove a negligence claim, you have to show that the person or company who caused your injury had a "duty of care" to you. For example, all drivers have a duty to drive safely, and a property owner has a duty to keep their property safe.
Then, you have to prove they "breached" that duty by being careless. For example, reckless driving, medical and surgical errors, or ignoring a dangerous condition on their property. Finally, you have to show that this breach of duty directly caused your spinal injury and the damages you're claiming.
Here's how a legal team proves fault:
- Evidence Collection: Your lawyer will gather all the evidence, from police reports and photos of the scene to your medical records and even security camera footage.
- Witness Testimonies: Eyewitness accounts, and even testimonies from family and friends about how your injury has affected you, are powerful.
- Expert Opinions: Experts, such as accident reconstruction specialists, medical experts, or vocational rehabilitation specialists, can provide key insights.
Injured in an Accident in Decatur? Get Legal Help Now
A spinal cord injury is one of the most serious things that can happen to you. It's not just about the physical pain; it's about the emotional toll, the financial stress, and the fear of the unknown. When you're facing a mountain of medical bills and dealing with uncooperative insurance companies, you need someone on your side.
Don't let the insurance companies pressure you into a lowball settlement. A serious injury requires serious legal representation. The team at Marks Law Group is ready to fight for you. We understand the physical, emotional, and financial hardships you're going through, and we'll work tirelessly to get you the compensation you deserve.
Contact Marks Law Group today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your personal injury claim.