Have you suffered a life-changing spinal cord injury in Fort Worth, TX? Spinal cord injuries are one of the most severe injuries you can experience. Your life may be changed forever as you face significant financial expenses and a long recovery process. Here is what you should know about recovering compensation for your spinal cord injury.
Overview Of Spinal Cord Injuries
The brain and spinal cord together comprise the central nervous system (CNS). The spinal cord transmits messages back and forth between the brain and the body’s vast network of nerves. The CNS controls feeling, movement, and thought.
The spinal cord is protected by membranes, and the spine (or spinal column) is a structure made up of vertebrae and soft discs. The spine allows you to stand and bend while protecting the delicate spinal cord.
A spinal cord injury is any damage to the spinal cord or the nerve bundle at the end of the spinal cord called the cauda equina. Spinal cord injuries can affect:
- Bodily functions
- Motor function
- Sexual function
- Sensation
- Breathing
- Reflexes
- Muscle strength and movement
When the spinal cord is damaged, the flow of messages below the site of the injury can be reduced or stopped completely. Spinal cord injuries can result in permanent paralysis. This may be total or complete paralysis with no control over affected muscles or partial with limited control and sensation.
Types Of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are classified in many ways: severity, location, or level, and whether the injury is complete or incomplete.
Severity
The ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS) was developed by the American Spinal Injury Association to grade spinal injuries. This system assigns a letter grade to injuries based on their severity. The following describes the letter grades:
- E – Normal motor and sensory function.
- D – Incomplete impairment. Motor function is preserved with at least half of the key muscles below the injury with a muscle grade of 3 or more. This means joints can be moved against gravity.
- C – Incomplete impairment. Motor function is preserved, but more than half of key muscles have a muscle grade below 3. This means they do not have the strength to move against gravity.
- B – Incomplete impairment. Sensory function is preserved, but not motor function. Some sensation is preserved in the sacral S4 and S5 segments.
- A – Complete impairment. No sensory or motor function.
Grading is based on tests of motor strength and sensory functions. Even with a Grade E injury, there may be neurological issues, abnormal reflexes, and other effects.
Complete or Incomplete
The difference between a complete and incomplete injury can sometimes be subtle. However, it has a major implication on the prognosis.
A complete spinal cord injury leaves the victim with no sensory or motor function below the site of the injury. An incomplete injury leaves some sensory and/or motor function. With some messages still getting through to and from the brain, the victim may have limited muscle control and sensation.
Just one-fifth of spinal cord injuries are complete.
Level of Injury
The injury location determines the level of impairment or how much of the victim’s body is affected. The higher the injury, generally, the greater the level of impairment because the flow of messages is stopped or impaired below the injury site.
Spina cord injuries can occur at any of four spinal sections:
- Cervical (head and neck). This is the most severe type of spinal cord injury.
- Thoracic (upper chest and back). At this level, an injury usually leaves normal function of the arms.
- Lumbar (lower back and hips). Spinal cord injuries at the lumbar level may allow walking with braces or require a wheelchair.
- Sacral (pelvis, buttocks, and thighs). At this level, most victims retain the ability to walk.
Paraplegia refers to a spinal cord injury at the thoracic, lumbar, or sacral level that causes paralysis of the legs. People with paraplegia may or may not have impairment of the arms, chest, and abdominal muscles as well.
Tetraplegia or quadriplegia is a spinal cord injury at the cervical level that causes total or partial paralysis of all four limbs. Some people retain some sensation and function. This is the most severe spinal cord injury, as it affects the entire body from the neck down. At the highest level (C1 and C2), it can paralyze the muscles responsible for breathing.
Around 60% of spinal cord injuries cause tetraplegia. 48% of SCIs are incomplete tetraplegia.
How Common Are Spinal Cord Injuries?
Every year, about 17,000 new spinal cord injuries happen in the United States, usually in preventable accidents. The average age at the time of a spinal cord injury is 43. Males account for about 80% of all spinal cord injuries. Men are more likely to be involved in serious car accidents, on-the-job falls from heights, and sports-related accidents.
What Are The Long-Term Consequences Of A Spinal Cord Injury?
A spinal cord injury is life-changing, with a range of long-term consequences. SCI victims may face the following:
- Permanent loss of sensation and function
- Chronic pain, particularly back pain
- Mental health issues, including depression
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Pressure ulcers or bedsores affect one-third of people with spinal cord injuries during initial hospitalization
- Skin infections
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Osteoporosis or bone loss
- Fractures
- Autonomic dysreflexia (AD), a serious complication when the autonomic nervous system overreacts to stimulation
- Respiratory complications
- Cardiovascular complications
- Pain syndromes
After a spinal cord injury, most victims face a range of chronic complications and health challenges that require ongoing medical care.
What Causes Spinal Cord Injuries?
Spinal cord injuries are usually caused by high-impact accidents or penetrating injuries. The spinal cord can be injured directly, or it can be injured due to crushing or damage to the vertebrae.
Car accidents and other traffic collisions are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries. About 38% of all new SCIs happen in motor vehicle accidents. People under 65 are most likely to suffer a spinal cord injury in a crash.
Falls are the primary cause of spinal cord injuries among seniors. They cause 30% of spinal cord injuries each year. Serious SCIs can happen in a fall on the same level or from a height.
About 13% of spinal cord injuries are caused by violence, such as shootings, physical assault, stabbings, and domestic violence.
Around 8% of SCIs are the result of sports and recreational activities. Children and young adults are most likely to suffer a spinal cord injury while playing sports. High-impact activities and contact sports like football, horseback riding, hockey, and boxing have the highest risk of serious injury.
What Is My Spinal Cord Injury Case Worth?
The value of your personal injury case depends on many factors. Every case is unique, but major factors that may impact your case include:
- The severity of your injury and prognosis
- How your injury affects your daily life, including the impact on relationships, independence, quality of life, and more
- Your age at the time of your accident
- Whether you can perform any gainful employment
- The circumstances of your accident
- Whether you shared fault for the accident
- Insurance policies that may cover your damages
A thorough assessment is necessary to estimate a value for your case. Our legal team may work with experts to calculate long-term medical expenses, reduced earning capacity, and other damages that need a specialist’s assessment. The best way to estimate what your case is worth is to schedule a free consultation with our personal injury attorneys.
What Compensation Can I Recover For My Spinal Cord Injury In Fort Worth, TX?
The purpose of a personal injury claim is to hold the at-fault party financially responsible for the damages you have suffered. After proving the other party is liable, you are entitled to compensatory damages. These damages are divided into two categories: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages compensate for the financial costs of your injury. Non-economic damages compensate for the psychological and emotional effects that have no financial value.
You may recover compensation in a spinal cord injury case for:
- Current medical bills, including ambulance rides, hospitalization, surgery, doctor’s visits, medications, and more
- Projected future medical expenses you will need
- Physical therapy
- Rehabilitation
- Counseling
- Home and vehicle modifications
- Supportive devices
- Supportive services
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Lost wages while receiving treatment
- Diminished earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish and emotional distress
- Loss of quality of life
- Disfigurement
If your case goes before a jury, there is a rare chance you could also receive punitive damages. These damages are designed to punish the defendant for egregious behavior, not compensate you for specific losses. To recover punitive damages, you must show clear, convincing evidence of gross negligence, fraud, or malice.
How Long Do I Have To File A Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit In Texas?
In most cases, you have only two years from the date of your injury to file a personal injury lawsuit in Texas. There are very few exceptions to this statute of limitations. If you miss your deadline to file a lawsuit, you will be barred from pursuing compensation from the at-fault party.
Contact Our Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers For A Free Consultation
Cases involving catastrophic injuries, including spinal injuries, can take time to settle due to the high value and complexity of the damages. It’s important to take action as soon as possible to preserve your claim and build a case for the fair compensation you deserve.
Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers is ready to give you the tireless representation you deserve. Contact our law office for a free consultation with a spinal cord injury lawyer to discuss your case and how we can help you.
Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers Fort Worth, TX
209 N Hampton St
Fort Worth, TX 76102
Phone: (817) 839-3143
Bedford Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers
2317 Plaza Parkway #100
Bedford, TX 76021
Phone: (817) 503-9200
