Louisville Spinal Cord Injury Attorney

The spinal cord is a delicate stem of nerves that runs from the brain to the end of the spinal column and sends signals throughout the body. When the spinal cord is impaired, the damage sustained by the spine itself might not be where the injuries manifest. Depending on the injury, various effects of nerve damage will be apparent in different parts of the body, limiting the injured person’s ability to function. Some people lose the ability to walk, some lose the ability to speak, and others may even lose the ability to breathe without the help of a machine. These injuries lead to a lifetime of medical treatment with limited mobility and function, and can deprive a person of basic elements that contributed to their quality of life, which is why retaining an experienced spinal cord injury lawyer in Louisville is critically important to effectively combat the legal portion of this battle.

Typically, in a spinal cord injury claim, the claimant was involved in an accident that may have dislocated or fractured a vertebra of the spine, leading to damage of the spinal cord tissue. Spinal cord injuries can be classified as one of two types:

• Incomplete injuries, which cause nerve damage and immobility with some sensation in parts of the body
• Complete injuries, which cause complete nerve damage and immobility below the injured vertebrae

The severity of a spinal cord injury depends on the damage suffered by the tissue, and sometimes these injuries can be fatal. Both types of injuries can cause paralysis in the forms of:

• Paraplegia, which is paralysis of the legs and part of the torso
• Quadriplegia, which is paralysis from the neck down, and can include the respiratory system

The medical bills tied to a spinal cord injury can be extremely costly to the victim as they will require extensive hospital visits, a wheelchair, and ongoing therapy for the physical and emotional damage in order to support adjustment to the disability. These injuries place a heavy burden on the victim and their family, who must also learn how to live with the permanent handicap, assuming the role of caregiver and responsibility for the accompanying expenses.

If you are the victim of a spinal cord injury, you could feel the symptoms immediately. There could also be a delayed reaction as the severity of the injury progresses. The following are some of the effects of this type of injury that you could experience:

• Loss of movement
• Loss of or a change in sensation including the inability to sense heat or cold to the touch
• Loss of bowel or bladder control
• Exaggerated reflex activities or spasms
• Changes in sexual function, sexual sensitivity, and fertility
• Pain or an intense stinging sensation caused by damage to the nerve fibers in the spinal cord
• Trouble breathing, coughing, or clearing secretions from the lungs

According to a 2022 study, an estimated 294,000 individuals in the U.S. suffer from spinal cord injuries. At least 17,000 individuals are newly diagnosed with spinal injuries every year.

Spinal cord injuries in Kentucky are usually the result of a sudden, strong impact, like those sustained in a motor vehicle accident, or as a result of a crushing heavy object falling on top of the victim. The most common causes of injuries that warrant contact with a Louisville spinal cord injury attorney include:

• Motor vehicle crashes
• Truck/tractor-trailer crashes
• Motorcycle accidents
• Pedestrian-motorist accidents
• Bicyclist-motorist accidents
• Major falls
• Work-related incidents
• Construction site accidents

Because spinal cord injuries result in major physical and lifestyle changes, these are considered catastrophic injuries with permanent disability. When these accidents are the result of negligence by another party, whether that party is a negligent driver, a defective product manufacturer, or an unsafe workplace owner, the victim can press charges. These may fall into one of the following injury claim categories:

• Premises liability claims, if a spinal cord injury is caused by a property owner’s negligence, such as an unstable crane falling on a victim at a construction site
• Product liability claims, if a spinal cord injury is caused by a manufacturer’s negligence in producing a defective product, like a faulty ladder that causes a victim to fall from a dangerous height
• Negligence injury liability claims, if a spinal cord injury is caused by a person’s negligence, like a driver running a red light and hitting a pedestrian who is crossing the intersection

The period after a spinal cord injury can be fraught with emotional and physical pain as the victim and their family must deal with the life-changing accident and its impact on their lives. On top of this distress, the medical bills, work disability, and loss of income can wreak havoc on finances and security in a household affected by this devastating injury.

Find out how a Louisville spinal cord injury lawyer can assist you in the fight for justice and compensation after a major accident by contacting our firm today.