Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries can have a devastating impact on your life. A victim may become permanently disabled and require ongoing care.
Those suffering due to another's negligence are entitled to compensation and our spinal cord injury lawyers at Tawwater Law Firm can help.
Not sure whether you have a case?
To Have a Viable Case, There Must Have Been:
Negligent Action
Your injury was caused by the careless behavior of another. This could be an individual such as a property owner or an entity such as the manufacturer of a faulty product, depending on the circumstances of your accident.A Direct Connection
You must be able to prove that the other party's negligent actions directly contributed to your injuries.Demonstrable Damages
To be eligible for compensation, you must show that your spinal cord injuries have significantly affected your life through losses such as physical hardship, emotional suffering, and expenses.
The Extent of Your Spinal Injury Will Impact Your Compensation
Typically, a spinal cord injury causes life-long disability or paralysis at and below the site of injury. An injury in the lower portion of the spinal cord can cause paralysis in the legs (paraplegia), and an injury near or at the neck can cause paralysis in both the arms and legs (quadriplegia). The extent of your spinal cord injury, complete or partial, can impact the damages you are entitled to. While any spine injury can be life-altering, some are more debilitating than others and may have farther-reaching consequences to take into account.
Warning Signs Include Impairment of:
Sensory Function
If your nerves are damaged in the accident, you may be unable to feel hot and cold temperatures, experience numbness, and lose sensation in your extremities.Physical Function
This can range from pain and weakness to complete paralysis. You may also experience difficulty breathing, lose control of your bladder and bowels, or suffer from sexual dysfunction.We Can Help You
If you or a loved one has suffered a spine injury, you should speak with one of our lawyers as soon as possible by calling:
(405) 607-1400
Why Does Causation Matter?
The circumstances surrounding your accident will be critical in determining how to approach your case. For instance, if you fell and injured your spine because of a poorly maintained property, you may have a claim against the property owner. In a car accident (which accounts for the majority of spine injuries) you may have a claim against a driver or the manufacturer of a faulty part. Fully understanding the cause of your injuries can allow your lawyer to strategize properly to maximize your compensation.
Common Causes of Spinal Injury
A staggering 42 percent of spinal cord injuries are due to motor vehicle accidents, including car, truck, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents. About 22 percent result from falls. Other common causes include:
- Slip and fall accidents
- Construction accidents
- Industrial accidents
- Blunt trauma
- Sports accidents
- Assault, including stabbings and shootings
- Diving into shallow water, including pools and lakes
Liability in Spinal Injury Cases
When a spinal cord injury occurs as a result of the negligent or reckless actions of another party, victims have the right to seek damages. Most accidents occur because of simple negligence, meaning there was no intent to cause injury, but careless actions created a potentially dangerous situation. Negligence can include failing to look in the rear view mirror before changing lanes, while drunk driving can be considered reckless.
Failing to maintain property frequented by visitors can be considered negligence. In a typical premises liability case, a business or store might ignore a potential hazard located on the premises. A customer then slips and falls down stairs, or is struck by a falling object, resulting in a spinal cord injury. When a store located in a known high-crime area fails to maintain working lights in its dark parking lot, and someone is assaulted in that parking lot, this can also be considered negligence.
Negligence can also be demonstrated when a spinal cord injury is caused by malfunctioning products or equipment. For example, if a car crash is the result of faulty tires or brakes, or airbags fail to deploy to protect the driver, manufacturers and other parties can be held liable. When an item is warranted to work safely and does not, there can be strict product liability on the part of the manufacturer, designer, and distributor.
Careless medical practice can also cause or contribute to a spinal cord injury. For example, if a doctor fails to recognize symptoms of a dangerous spinal condition that eventually leads to paralysis, the doctor may be held liable. Surgical and anesthesia errors have also resulted in devastating spinal trauma.
Determining Damages
The attorneys at Tawwater Law Firm are known for working aggressively to build compelling cases on behalf of our plaintiffs. Our thorough, personalized representation has earned our a reputation as leaders in personal injury and medical malpractice in Oklahoma.
We thoroughly investigate each case, combining advanced technologies with old-fashioned diligence. After years in legal practice, we have cultivated an extensive network of resources. We don’t hesitate to bring in top national experts to help in analyzing and clarifying complex evidence. In addition to medical doctors, we work with experts who can vividly demonstrate the lifestyle implications of spinal cord injuries.
Most victims of spinal cord injury require years, if not a lifetime, of costly medical care. From surgery, medicine, and rehabilitation therapy to wheelchairs and computer devices to assist with daily living, the needs of a spinal cord injury victim are often vast and costly. Some victims require a full-time caregiver, a change of residence, or extensive remodeling of their home to accommodate their disability. The consequences extend to family members, and the impact cannot be overstated.
Spinal cord injury plaintiffs and their families can recover general damages and special damages. Potential areas of compensation include:
- Medical bills, past and future
- Lost wages and loss of earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment
- Property damage
- Life care costs
- Loss of consortium
- Punitive damages
Statistics show that spinal cord injury care costs more than $200,000 in the first year alone, and can reach millions over the span of a lifetime. Our record of verdicts and settlements demonstrates the types of compensation awarded to victims of catastrophic injury.
Protecting Victims' Rights
Although victims are entitled to file a claim for compensation related to their spinal cord injury, there is a statue of limitations, or a time period in which your lawsuit must be initiated. In fact, the clock starts ticking as soon as your injuries occur.
After the statute of limitations runs out, you permanently waive the right to file a claim, and it is extremely important that victims and their families seek legal advice as soon as possible. Quickly contacting our attorneys also helps us begin gathering the evidence, testimony, and other information critical to winning your case.
We are dedicated to protecting the rights of accident victims, and we are unconcerned with the size of the opposing insurance company or national corporation. We successfully handle cases against the largest companies in the world. We will do everything we can to assist you from the outset, including planning for the future and minimizing hardships as much as possible.
Contact Us Today
We know that the stress and financial burden placed on spinal cord injury victims and their families can be tremendous. Let the attorneys at Tawwater Law Firm, PLLC put our expertise to work for you, so you can focus on taking care of yourself and your loved ones. Schedule your free consultation with us today.
