Spring Hill, FL Spinal Cord Injury Attorney

Every year, thousands of Americans suffer spinal cord injuries (SCIs) due to car accidents, slip and fall accidents, pedestrian accidents, and other traumatic events. A spinal cord injury can have painful and debilitating effects that can limit a person’s ability to return to a normal life, often permanently.

If you or a loved one have sustained a spinal cord injury because of someone else’s negligence, you have the right to seek justice and to seek compensation for your losses. The Spring Hill spinal injury lawyers at Zervos & Calta, PLLC, can help uphold your legal rights to hold liable the at-fault parties responsible for the accident and pursue the money you deserve.

Contact us for a free case review today to discuss your case with a trusted attorney.

What Are Some Common Causes of Spring Hill Spinal Cord Injuries?

Although diseases such as cancer, arthritis, and osteoporosis can lead to spine injuries over time, most spinal cord injuries result from traumatic accidents. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, the most common causes of SCI include:

• Motor vehicle accidents: Data shows car accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries. Motorists who are drunk, distracted, speeding, or otherwise driving negligently can cause an auto accident that leads to catastrophic SCIs.
• Slip and falls: Falls are the second most common cause of spinal cord injuries, representing 32.2 percent of all cases. Many slip-and-fall accidents (premises liability accidents) occur because of property hazards or unsafe workplace conditions.
• Violence: Roughly 14 percent of SCI cases are caused by acts of violence, primarily gunshot wounds. Stab wounds are also a common cause of SCIs.
• Sports and recreational accidents: High-impact sports or recreational activities such as football, soccer, diving, or skiing contribute to about 7.8 percent of spinal cord injuries.
• Medical malpractice: Medical and surgical negligence account for about 4.2 percent of SCI cases. Medical malpractice could lead to a spinal cord injury if providers make surgical errors or fail to diagnose a patient’s condition properly.

What Are Different Types of Back and Spinal Cord Injuries?

SCIs are divided into two main categories based on the severity of the damage to the spinal cord:

• Complete: In complete spinal cord injuries, victims suffer a total loss of sensory and motor function below the site of the trauma. This can occur if the spinal cord is severed or otherwise damaged beyond repair.
• Incomplete: Partial damage to the spinal cord can result in an incomplete SCI. With an incomplete spinal cord injury, individuals retain some movement and/or feeling below the site of the injury. The amount of motor or sensory function that remains after an incomplete SCI depends on the location and severity of the trauma.

In addition to the two main types of spinal cord injuries, doctors recognize four different levels of spinal cord injuries based on the segment of the spinal cord that was affected:

• Cervical: The cervical spine includes the top portion of the spinal cord, located just below the brain in the neck. Cervical SCIs tend to be the most severe because nerve function is often cut off to the entire body below the neck.
• Thoracic: The thoracic spine is located in the upper and middle back. Thoracic SCIs typically affect abdominal muscles, lower back muscles, and legs, sometimes resulting in paralysis below the waist.
• Lumbar: The lumbar spine is the second-lowest portion of the spine, located in the lower back. Lumbar SCIs affect the hips and legs, so patients often require wheelchairs or braces to move after the injury.
• Sacral: The sacral spinal cord is located below the lumbar region and protected by five fused bones above the tailbone. Sacral SCIs may result in some loss of function in the lower body, but many patients retain or regain the ability to walk.

What Are the Symptoms of a Spinal Cord Injury?

People with spinal cord injuries experience a wide range of symptoms, some of which may not appear right away. Common signs of SCI include:

• Severe pain or pressure in the head, neck, or back
• Unusual positioning of the neck or back
• Stinging sensations caused by nerve damage
• Weakness, loss of coordination, or paralysis
• Tingling or loss of sensation in extremities
• Altered sensation or inability to feel cold, heat, or touch
• Loss of bladder or bowel control
• Loss of movement or exaggerated reflexes
• Changes in sexual function or fertility
• Difficulty breathing or coughing
• Difficulty maintaining balance or walking

What Are Examples of Spinal Cord Injury Treatment?

There’s currently no way to heal direct damage to the spinal cord. However, various treatments are available to minimize complications and help patients return to an active lifestyle. These include:

• Emergency care: First responders who suspect that an individual suffered a spinal cord injury will provide urgent care to immobilize patients to keep them breathing and avoid further damage.
• Medication: Prescription drugs can help with pain relief and restore bladder or bowel control for SCI patients.
• Surgery: Surgical intervention may be required to remove bone fragments, repair herniated discs, or set fractured vertebrae.
• Physical rehabilitation: Once a patient’s condition is stable, long-term physical therapy and rehabilitation are essential to improve functioning muscle tone, relearn motor skills, and find alternative ways to complete daily tasks.

How Much Money Can You Get from a Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit?

If someone else was at fault for the incident that caused your SCI, you could be entitled to compensation through a spinal cord injury claim. A Spring Hill spinal cord injury lawyer can help you recover money for:

• Past, current, and future medical costs
• Lost wages
• Incidental expenses, such as the costs of transportation to medical appointments
• Lost earning potential, if your SCI leaves you disabled and you cannot return to your previous job or work at the same capacity as you did before the injury
• Pain and suffering
• Lost enjoyment of life
• Emotional distress

Please take note: The state of Florida does impose a time period during which you may pursue a personal injury lawsuit. That time period is known as the Statute of Limitations. The statute states that you have two years from the time of the accident to bring your lawsuit. If you should allow that time period to lapse without any action taken, you have lost your right to bring legal action. So, time is of the essence.