Have You Suffered a Spinal Cord Injury in Tennessee?
At Tennessee Injury Attorneys, we understand how the unexpected and life-changing implications of a spinal cord injury (SCI) can drastically affect your future plans, daily experiences, expenses and financial circumstances, how others perceive you, and how you perceive yourself. Our Tennessee spinal cord injury attorneys are committed to helping spinal cord injury victims seek full and appropriate compensation for the wide range of losses they suffer following a spinal cord injury caused by the negligent or wrongful conduct of another party.
While this is a difficult and emotional time, you must recognize that many of these harms may correspond to legal claims for financial compensation against the careless party that caused your injuries. An experienced spinal cord injury attorney can calmly and thoroughly assess your case to help you seek financial recovery and build a path to reclaim your future.
Serious accidents involving spinal cord injuries often lead to lifelong disabilities. We further understand the astronomical expenses often associated with medical treatments and therapy in the short and long term. Understanding that someone else’s negligence often causes such accidents is vital – meaning an experienced spinal cord injury lawyer can assess and investigate in pursuit of a personal injury claim.
Motor vehicle accidents account for 37% of all spinal cord injuries, posing a significant risk to drivers and passengers on the road every day. High-impact crashes and collisions involving trucks or other large vehicles account for a large percentage of spinal cord injury accidents. Motorcycle riders are especially susceptible to injuries due to their limited protection from other vehicles and the surrounding environment.
If you or someone you love has recently experienced a spinal cord injury due to an accident in Tennessee, contact us today to schedule a free consultation. Our spinal cord injury lawyers fully understand the far-reaching consequences of such catastrophic events on your life, well-being, and overall health. We will assess the unique details of your case to identify a path forward to seek appropriate compensation for the full scope of applicable damages. Our spinal cord injury attorneys can guide you with individualized attention and manage your case from its start through its resolution. These steps begin with a free consultation, and we welcome your call.
Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries in Tennessee
Spinal Cord Injuries (SCIs) can be caused by a variety of incidents, and the liable parties in spinal cord injury claims will likewise vary depending on the nature of the incident. In Tennessee, some common causes of spinal cord injuries include:
- Vehicular Accidents: These are frequent causes of spinal cord injuries in Tennessee. Car, truck, and motorcycle accidents account for almost half of these injuries. A given auto accident may involve various liable parties, depending on the type of vehicle involved and other complex factors.
- Slip and Fall Accidents: Falls, particularly those from a significant height or on slippery surfaces, can lead to severe trauma to the body, including spinal cord injuries.
- Acts of Violence: Instances of domestic violence, gunshot wounds, child abuse, and other forms of assault can lead to injuries to the spinal cord. The intentional nature of such acts, combined with their severity and maliciousness, may potentially significantly impact your case.
- Medical Malpractice and Surgical Complications: Errors during surgical procedures or improper medical treatment can lead to damage to the spinal cord. Additionally, neglecting a patient’s complaints of spinal stroke symptoms could lead to significant injury for that patient.
- Workplace Injuries: Certain occupations carry a higher risk of SCIs due to the nature of the work. These jobs may involve heavy lifting, operating machinery, or working at heights.
- Sports Injuries: Contact sports, diving in shallow water, trampoline accidents, and other high-impact activities can lead to spinal cord injuries.
Our spinal cord injury lawyers at Tennessee Injury Attorneys can assess the details of your case to identify the cause(s) of your spinal cord damage in coordination with medical professionals. We will use this detailed information to pursue a spinal cord injury lawsuit seeking to recover compensation on your behalf to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and other applicable damages from your injury.
Implications for Quality of Life and Long-Term Expenses — What Happens After a Spinal Cord Injury
The extent of the damage caused by an injury depends on its location and severity. However, it should be noted that nerve damage is irreversible and cannot be repaired. People living with spinal cord injuries will require lifelong care and face additional financial burdens. Your attorney will collaborate with medical and industry experts such as physiatrists, neurologists, economists, and care planners to accurately estimate the long-term expenses for necessary care and services.
As part of trial preparation, our lawyers frequently create films that depict the daily challenges faced by the injured client, showcasing the impact of the injury. These visually and emotionally impactful videos often hold significant value during settlement negotiations or when presented to a jury.
Envisioning the Path to To Proving Your Spinal Cord Injury Case
Proving a spinal cord injury (SCI) case in Tennessee involves several steps and often requires cooperation from medical professionals and rehabilitation specialists. Here’s an envisioned path for this legal process:
- Immediate Medical Care: After the accident, seek immediate medical attention to establish a link between the incident and the injury. The treating physicians can provide evidence about the severity of the injury, required treatment, and potential long-term implications.
- Documentation: Keep detailed records of all medical appointments, treatments, and expenses. This includes hospital bills, prescription costs, physical therapy sessions, and any other related expenses. This will serve as evidence of the financial impact of the injury.
- Legal Consultation: Engage a knowledgeable personal injury attorney experienced with spinal cord injury cases. They can guide you through the legal process, help gather necessary evidence, and represent you in negotiations or court proceedings.
- Investigation: Your attorney will likely conduct an investigation to gather additional evidence. This may involve interviewing witnesses, reviewing police reports, and consulting with experts in fields such as accident reconstruction or medical care.
- Physical Therapy Evaluation: A physical therapist can provide an assessment of the victim’s current and future therapy needs. This helps quantify the cost of future medical care, which represents a critical component of the damages you will seek in the lawsuit.
- Life Care Plan: In severe SCI cases, a life care planner may be involved to outline the lifetime needs of the victim, including ongoing medical care, home modifications, assistive devices, personal care, and other anticipated costs.
- Filing a Lawsuit: If a fair settlement cannot be reached through negotiation, your attorney may recommend filing a lawsuit. Unless a settlement is reached first, this would lead to a trial where all evidence would be presented, and a judge or jury would decide the outcome.
- Negotiation & Settlement: The majority of cases are resolved through a settlement before reaching trial. Your attorney will negotiate with the defendant’s insurance company to reach an agreement on the compensation amount.
Each case is unique, so this path may vary based on the specific circumstances of the injury. Your spinal cord injury lawyer at Tennessee Injury Attorneys will guide you throughout your case, providing personalized attention.
How a Spinal Cord Injury Attorney Can Help You With Your Case in Tennessee
Your Tennessee spinal cord injury attorney plays a critical role in helping you recover financially following a spinal cord injury, directing you through legal steps and managing your case in various facets as it proceeds:
- Legal Advice and Guidance: Your attorney will provide legal advice on how to proceed with your case, explaining the complexities of personal injury law and how it applies to your situation.
- Gathering Evidence: Your attorney will conduct a thorough investigation to gather all necessary evidence to support your claim. This may include medical records, police reports, witness statements, and medical or industry expert testimonies.
- Negotiating with Insurance Companies: Experienced attorneys know how to deal with insurance companies and can negotiate on your behalf to seek fair compensation. They can help protect you from tactics that insurance companies often use to minimize payouts.
- Calculating Damages: Determining the value of a spinal cord injury claim can be complex, requiring consideration of current and future medical costs, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, and other damages. A serious spinal cord injury can have enormous expense implications, and underestimating these costs can lead to financial ruin in the long run. The importance of identifying the full scope of damages and determining appropriate values for them cannot be overstated. An attorney can coordinate accurate calculation of these damages.
- Representing You in Court: If a fair settlement cannot be reached, an attorney can represent you in court, presenting your case and arguing on your behalf to seek the maximum possible compensation.
- Managing the Legal Process: Filing a personal injury lawsuit involves meeting certain deadlines and following specific procedures. A spinal cord injury attorney can manage this process, ensuring all paperwork is submitted correctly and on time.
In essence, a spinal cord injury attorney is a crucial ally for SCI victims seeking justice and compensation for their injuries.
Symptoms of a Spinal Cord Injury
Sustaining even a minor spinal injury can lead to long-term consequences. If your spine is injured in an accident, you may encounter the following symptoms:
- Numbness
- Restricted movement
- Balance difficulties
- Migraines
- Persistent pain
- Paralysis
Anatomy of a Spinal Cord Injury
The spinal cord, a bundle of nerves, runs along the spinal column, sheltered within the 33 vertebrae that compose the backbone. All nerve signals flow through the spinal cord, acting as the intermediary between the brain and body parts. If the spinal cord sustains injury, total communication between the brain and nerves below the point of damage ceases. Consequently, loss of sensation and motor function (paralysis) occurs.
The spinal column can be categorized into three separate regions:
- Cervical
- Thoracic
- Lumbar
Below the lumbar region, the remaining vertebrae fuse together to form the sacrum, a region that governs bowel and bladder control as well as sexual functioning. Since these nerves are situated low in the spine, they are impacted in nearly all cases of spinal cord injuries.
Types of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can be categorized in multiple ways, including by the severity of the injury (complete or incomplete) and the area of the spine that is affected (cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral). Here are some key categories:
- Complete Spinal Cord Injury: A complete spinal cord injury occurs when there is total loss of sensory and motor function below the level of the injury. This leads to paralysis.
- Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: An incomplete injury means the spinal cord is still able to send some messages to or from the brain. The degree of function depends on the nature and severity of the injury.
- Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: This type of injury occurs at the neck level and can lead to quadriplegia/tetraplegia (paralysis of all four limbs), difficulty breathing, and loss of bladder and bowel control.
- Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury: This injury happens in the mid-back area. It may affect the trunk and legs, and may also cause bowel and bladder issues. Arm and hand function usually remains normal with this level of injury.
- Lumbar Spinal Cord Injury: This injury occurs in the lower back. It can lead to paraplegia (paralysis of the legs), and it can also affect bowel and bladder control. Individuals suffering this level of injury may require a wheelchair, or in some cases they may walk with braces.
- Sacral Spinal Cord Injury: This type of injury affects the bottom section of the spine and can lead to loss of function in hips and legs. It can also disturb bowel and bladder function. However, many individuals with this level of spinal cord injury remain able to walk.
Syndromes Associated with Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries
The following syndromes are among several that may be caused by partial damage to the spinal cord:
- Central Cord Syndrome: This is often caused by damage to the center of the spinal cord, and it typically leads to greater loss of function in the arms than in the legs.
- Brown-Sequard Syndrome: This is caused by damage to one side of the spinal cord. It may cause loss of motor function on the side of the injury and loss of sensation on the opposite side.
- Anterior Cord Syndrome: This happens when the front part of the spinal cord is damaged, leading to impaired temperature, touch, and pain sensations below the level of the injury.
The Importance of Thorough Spinal Cord Injury Documentation
Your spinal cord injury attorney can help you coordinate with the right medical professionals to provide assessment, treatment, and documentation to support your case, helping you towards holistic medical and financial recovery. It will be important to define the scope of your injury in detail in order to identify the implications for your physical functioning and financial expenses that will be required for your treatment and therapy. Additionally, we will assess your need for services to perform various personal or household tasks that you may no longer be able to perform for yourself and your family.
This thorough documentation of your spinal cord injuries will also affect valuation of non-economic damages pertaining to quality of life concerns, and it helps to set a baseline to measure and track your health status. There are myriad health concerns associated with spinal cord injuries, and consistently following doctors’ orders and attending medical appointments can help to determine the efficacy of treatments and provide important feedback that can guide medical professionals as they pursue your health interests.
Create a Special Needs Trust with our Firm
Our attorney not only assists with life care plans, but also aids in the establishment of special needs trusts for individuals affected by spinal cord injuries. These trusts act as a means of ensuring care and well-being, offering financial support while preserving eligibility for public assistance.
Regardless of the level of funding for a special needs trust, the assets held within it do not impact eligibility for government benefits such as Social Security and Housing. Discuss any questions you have with your spinal cord injury attorney.
Contact Tennessee Injury Attorneys Today to Schedule a Free Consultation and Plan a Strategy for Your Spinal Cord Injury Case
If you’re seeking a law firm that comprehends the unique requirements of individuals with spinal cord injuries and is ready to advocate for a complete and just compensation against the negligent party accountable for the accident, look no further. Our spinal cord injury lawyers at Tennessee Injury Attorneys provide personal attention and gain in-depth knowledge of your case details and your concerns, operating on a contingency basis.
We understand the heartache and frustration that comes with a severe spinal cord injury, and we are prepared to seek the compensation you need to move forward in your life. We are prepared to guide you every step of the way.
Call Tennessee Injury Attorneys today to schedule a free consultation. Alternatively, we invite you to fill out our online form, and we will follow up with you soon. We will carefully assess the details of your unique spinal cord injury and work closely with you to begin planning a strategy to secure your future — Hablamos español.
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