Spinal Cord Injury

A spinal cord injury can be very serious. They may affect your personal and working life for the rest of your life. Because the spinal cord affects and controls some of your most vital bodily functions, even minor damage to those critical nerve centers can plague you for your remaining years.

The Basics of a Spinal Cord Injury

Any time that your spinal cord or the nerves at the end of the spinal canal are damaged, you have suffered a spinal cord injury. The vertebrae in your spine protect the spinal cord. But when one of those vertebrae has damage or moves like it shouldn’t, it will often lead to spinal cord damage.

While research is ongoing regarding the care of and repair of the spinal cord, there is currently no complete cure or treatment to repair the spinal cord or the accompanying nerves.

Accidents and other similar occurrences are the most common reasons that spinal cord injuries arise. That means that if you have suffered a spinal cord injury, you may need to involve an attorney to help you get money damages to help pay for things like medical bills and lost time away from work.

The Most Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

Traumatic spinal cord injuries are most commonly caused by any sudden or traumatic blow to the spine. It will fracture, dislocate, compress, or crush the vertebrae, leading to damage to the spinal cord.

The most common causes of spinal cord injuries include:

• Vehicle accidents (39.3%)
• Falls (31.8%)
• Violence (13.5%)
• Sports (8%)
• Medical/surgical (4.3%)

Many of the leading causes of spinal cord injuries are due to the fault of some other person, often following an accident or deliberate violence.

When You Should Involve an Attorney

You certainly don’t need to get an opinion from an attorney every time that a spinal cord injury occurs. However, it might be a good idea to speak with a Tulsa personal injury lawyer about your injuries if certain facts are present.

For example, if you were involved in a car accident or your injury arose from a bicycle or pedestrian collision with a car, you may have a legal claim against the driver who hit you. Involving an attorney in this situation can help you get compensation to address expenses related to your injury, including:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering damages
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of consortium (of a spouse or due to a parental relationship)

Because spinal cord injuries can be very severe, it is especially important to involve a lawyer in this type of case. Unfortunately, many car accident victims settle their case with the insurance company too early. Even before they fully understand or appreciate how much this new injury will affect them and their family.

Get Legal Help After a Spinal Cord Injury Accident

Charles Bryan Alred has been helping injured people in Oklahoma since 1987. Let him put that experience to work for you. He and his team serve clients in Tulsa, Sand Springs, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso, and Collinsville. Call today for more information or to schedule a free consultation. (918)745-9960