Oakland Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys
Spinal cord injuries are very serious and life-changing events. Each year, more than 10,000 people suffer spinal cord injuries, which often result in partial or total paralysis below the level of the injury. The most common causes of spinal injuries are motor vehicle accidents (including car accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, and motorcycle accidents), shootings and other acts of violence, and sports accidents. Spinal cord injuries are also associated with other serious injuries, including broken and fractured vertebrate, head injuries, and blunt trauma injuries.
Because they often cause permanent disability, spinal cord injuries are considered catastrophic injuries. Sadly, most spinal cord injury victims never return to the quality of life they had before an injury. In addition to quadriplegia and paraplegia, spinal cord injury victims often suffer a range of associated medical problems including respiratory problems, bowel and bladder problems, neurological problems, and emotional depression and sadness. Victims of spinal cord injuries often also have shorter lifespans.
What is the Spinal Cord?
The spinal cord is a long tubular organ that runs from the medulla at the base of the brain to the lower back, via the spinal canal. As part of the central nervous system, the spinal cord controls virtually every movement your body makes. An injury to the spinal cord can damage the nerve roots that carry signals from the brain to and from the rest of your body. As a result, a spinal cord injury can cause paralysis, the loss of sensation and the ability to voluntarily move.
Financial Costs of Spinal Cord Injuries
The financial costs of caring for a permanently disabled spinal cord injury victim can easily exceed one million dollars. According to the Alabama National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, the average cost of the initial hospitalization following an injury is $140,000. Spinal cord injury victims frequently need around-the-clock medical care, and may need to live in a skilled nursing facility. The type of medical treatment and rehabilitation a spinal cord injury victim will need will vary depending on the age of the victim, the location and severity of an injury, and how an injury affects a person. Rehabilitation and therapy following an injury may include doctors, dietitians, neurologists, nurses, occupational therapists, orthopedists, physical therapists, vocational therapists, psychologists and recreational therapists. If another person or company is responsible for an accident that caused a spinal cord injury, that party may be liable for all medical care costs associated with an injury, along with compensation for lost earnings and emotional pain and suffering, which may be substantial. The Oakland personal injury attorneys at Estey Bomberger have obtained a number of seven and eight figure verdicts and settlements for spinal cord injury victims and their families.
Maximum Compensation For Your Injuries
Full and fair compensation for a spinal cord injury allows injury victims to receive the best possible medical care for the rest of their life, and live free of financial hardship. At Estey Bomberger, our Oakland personal injury attorneys are dedicated to protecting the rights of victims, and ensuring they receiving nothing less than the maximum possible compensation for their injury.
If a member of your family has suffered a spinal cord injury, you may have many questions about who was responsible for the accident and what types of compensation your loved one may be entitled to. For more information about your rights following an accident, contact us today to discuss your case with an Oakland spinal cord injury lawyer at Estey Bomberger.