Anyone suffering from a spinal cord injury could face significant changes in their quality of life. In an instant, everyday tasks like changing clothes or going to work can become an enormous challenge. These injuries bring problems like missed paychecks, extensive medical bills, and the need for permanent care. If you are facing these challenges, contact an Altoona spinal cord injury lawyer.
With the help of a compassionate catastrophic injury attorney, you might be able to recover monetary damages from the entity or person that caused your injury. The financial compensation from a successful injury lawsuit could help cover those large medical bills and help make financial ends meet.
No two spinal cord injuries are alike. These injuries can have different levels of severity and can occur in different parts of the spine. Identifying the nature of a spinal injury is critical for any spinal cord injury lawyer in Altoona preparing an injury suit on behalf of a claimant.
The severity of a spinal injury is also known as its completeness. These spinal injuries fall into one of two categories: complete spinal injuries or incomplete spinal injuries.
A complete spinal injury results from a fully-severed spinal cord. This injury prevents any signals from traveling the length of the spine, preventing any motor control or sensation below the point of the injury. While complete injuries are typically permanent, certain treatments could cause some functions to return.
Incomplete injuries account for roughly 60 percent of all spinal cord injuries. An incomplete spinal injury stems from a partially severed spinal cord. Because the cord is not fully severed, the individual could retain some function below the point of injury.
The type of spinal injury depends in large part on the area of the spine that is injured. In addition to an injury’s completeness, the type of injury can play a significant role in determining what bodily functions might return. The most common types of spinal injuries include:
If a spinal injury case goes to trial, damages are only available if the Altoona spinal injury attorney prevails on behalf of the claimant. The damages stemming from a spinal cord injury are often unlike those in other injury cases.
For example, a spinal cord injury often results in the plaintiff’s inability to walk or even stand. In these cases, the plaintiff may require the use of a motorized chair or another mobility device. An injury lawsuit could pursue damages not only for the cost of the chair but for any home modifications necessary to allow the chair to operate within the plaintiff’s home.
Medical bills are also a major cost for anyone suffering from a spinal injury. Not only are these treatments costly, but the plaintiff could need them for the rest of their life. Because of this, a plaintiff has the right to pursue past and future medical bills from the at-fault party. An experienced lawyer could help an injured individual recover damages.
If you or a family member has survived a spinal injury caused by another person’s negligence, it is important to consider your legal rights. The cost of a spinal injury can be high. It is only fair that the person who caused the injury is held responsible for those costs.
If you believe you have a viable injury claim, it is important to discuss the matter with an experienced personal injury lawyer right away. To talk about your legal options, reach out to an Altoona spinal cord injury lawyer at Marcus & Mack to set up an initial consultation.
