What You Need To Know About Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries can be life-altering. Even a mild spinal cord injury can result in prolonged pain, loss of use of limbs, and other permanent and irreversible changes to your life which impact your ability to work and enjoy life. That is why it is important to work with an experienced Knoxville spinal cord injury attorney to obtain compensation for your injuries.

If you have suffered a spinal cord injury as the result of a car accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, or slip & fall, you need an experienced attorney on your side. At The Law Offices of G. Turner Howard III, we help clients throughout Knoxville and Eastern Tennessee make full financial recoveries for their injuries, and we will work hard to do the same for you. Contact our office today to schedule a free consultation.

Understanding Spinal Cord Injuries

The spinal cord is the bundle of nerves that runs through the vertebrae of the spinal column. Normally, it is protected by these vertebrae, but the spinal cord can be damaged by serious trauma.Because the spinal cord is what sends nerve signals to the rest of the body, this often results in serious nerve damage and even permanent partial or total paralysis for some body parts. While spinal cord injuries in Knoxville can be treated to some extent, they often cause irreversible damage – even with proper medical care.

What Is The Outcome Of A Spinal Cord Injury?

The result of a spinal cord injury depends on the extent of the damage, the location of the trauma, and other such factors. No two people are completely alike. According to the NSCSC, spinal cord injuries result in the following outcomes:

Incomplete tetraplegia – 47.4% of cases result in incomplete tetraplegia, meaning a person loses some sort of function in both their upper and lower extremities, while still maintaining some motor control and sensation. Treatment could result in improvements in the condition.
Incomplete paraplegia – 19.7% of cases result in incomplete paraplegia, meaning a person loses function in their legs and lower extremities. Again, some kind of sensation and motor control may remain. It may be possible to recover walking ability and some other functions, depending on the case.
Complete paraplegia – 19.9% of cases result in complete paraplegia, meaning there are no connections between the brain and the lower extremities, including the legs. It will not be possible to walk.
Complete tetraplegia – 12.4% of cases result in complete tetraplegia, meaning there are no connections between the brain and any of the limbs, and many other parts of the body. This is the most severe type of spinal cord injury.

The most staggering statistic is that only 0.6% of people are considered to be “normal” after a spinal cord injury. In short, a serious spinal cord injury is extremely likely to result in life-altering changes to your health and lifestyle. Seeking compensation for a spinal cord injury after an accident can help you and your family meet the high costs of medical treatment, ongoing care, and rehabilitation.

Common Causes Of Spinal Cord Injuries

Almost any traumatic injury to the back could result in a serious and debilitating spinal cord injury, but about 90% of spinal cord injuries are attributed to just 4 different causes, according to the aforementioned study by the NSCSC.

Automobile accidents – Automobile accidents involving cars, trucks, motorcyclists, pedestrians, bicyclists, etc. make up about 38.2% of all spinal cord injuries, making them the most common cause of spinal injuries by a large margin.
Slips and falls – Falls and slips are the cause of 32.3% of spinal cord injuries. Even a minor slip and fall could result in spinal damage, and falls from heights are very likely to involve damage to the spinal cord, as well as other injuries like broken bones and head trauma.
Acts of violence – Acts of violence like being shot with a gun, physical assault with fists or blunt objects, and other such violent acts cause 14.3% of spinal cord injuries.
Sports and recreation – Contact sports and recreational activities like skateboarding and other such “extreme” hobbies are responsible for 7.3% of spinal injuries.

Liability For Spinal Cord Injuries

Depending on the circumstances of the spinal cord injury, a Knoxville personal injury attorney may be able to help you pursue compensation from the responsible party and hold them liable for your injuries.

For example, if you experienced a spinal cord injury after being hit by a truck while driving on Western Avenue in Knoxville, it may be possible to find the truck driver and the trucking company liable – particularly if the driver was drowsy, asleep, distracted, or otherwise negligent when operating the truck. Or, if you were to slip and fall while visiting a shop in Turkey Creek and your fall results in a spinal injury – the property owner could be found liable for the injury.

Regardless of how the accident occurred, or who was at fault, your spinal cord injuries will require serious medical care and treatment. Getting the compensation you need to pay medical bills and make up for lost wages starts with a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney.

Compensation For Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injury victims may be entitled to compensation in the form of economic and noneconomic damages. In most cases this would include payment for medical bills, ongoing treatment, lost wages, and more. In addition, spinal cord injuries can result in permanent partial or total disability, interfering with a person’s ability to work. In these situations, compensation for future earnings is appropriate for accident victims.

Depending on the circumstances of your case, you will usually also be able to pursue damages for pain and suffering, emotional distress, and necessary lifetime care. In some cases, punitive damages may be awarded by the court as a further penalty against an extremely negligent individual who has caused a spinal cord injury.

Get Help From A Knoxville Spinal Cord Injury Attorney – Call Us Today!

At The Law Offices of G. Turner Howard III, our personal injury attorneys are standing by to help with spinal cord injuries in Knoxville. If you or a loved one has been injured, we are here to help you pursue your personal injury claim and obtain the compensation you deserve. Contact us online or call today at (865) 658-4012 to get started.