While injuries to most parts of the body will eventually heal over time, the same cannot be said for the spinal cord. If the bundle of nerves enclosed within the vertebrae of your spine is severed, the damage done is permanent, and the effect the injury will have on your life can be devastating.
If you suffered harm of this severity due to someone else’s negligence, working with a skilled attorney from the area may be a viable option for legal recourse. Managing the economic burdens of this injury is not something you should have to do by yourself, and a dedicated Creve Coeur spinal cord injury lawyer could work tirelessly on your behalf to ensure you do not have to.
The spinal cord’s primary function is to serve as the main “superhighway” of the body’s nervous system. Every signal the brain sends out to the body and receives from the nerves travels through the spinal cord, and any trauma to the spine could completely prevent those messages from getting through, resulting in permanent loss of sensory and motor function below the point of impact.
Accordingly, the severity of a spinal cord injury generally depends on where on the spine it occurs. Injuries to the lower part of the spine may result in paraplegia, or paralysis of the feet, legs, and pelvis, while injuries higher up the spine can sometimes lead to quadriplegia, or complete paralysis below the neck.
The degree of damage done also plays an important role. A partial tear or bruising of the spinal cord is an incomplete injury that a victim may sometimes be able to recover from, but the total severing of the spinal cord is a complete injury that will have permanent effects. Regardless of the exact nature of a spinal cord injury, a compassionate attorney could help anyone in Creve Coeur who suffers this type of harm seek fair compensation from the party who caused it.
Since spine damage almost always results in a permanent loss of bodily function, it is impossible to calculate exactly how much compensation to seek in advance for damages that have yet to actually occur. However, it is possible to make educated estimations based on accidents and civil cases that have occurred in the past, which makes a local spinal cord attorney a vital asset.
In addition to losses that a plaintiff has already suffered such as emergency medical costs and missed work wages, skilled legal counsel could negotiate for a settlement or damage award to account for various expenses the plaintiff will experience in the future, like modifying their home to allow for mobility, retaining in-home assistance, and going through rehabilitative physical therapy. A dedicated legal representative could also seek restitution for non-economic forms of harm such as loss of consortium and emotional anguish.
Spinal cord damage is a uniquely tragic outcome in an accident, as this type of injury is often permanent and may prevent an individual from holding gainful employment or even taking care of themselves again. If you experienced this degree of loss as a result of another person’s negligence, you deserve to hold that person accountable for every loss you have suffered and will suffer because of their reckless or careless behavior.
A spinal cord injury lawyer from the area could provide tenacious and knowledgeable representation throughout the entirety of your claim. Call today to find out what a seasoned attorney could do for you.
