When Negligence Has Lifelong Consequences for Victims

Our spines provide support for almost every aspect of our body, from how our limbs move to ensure our organs function properly. But it also contains a complex series of nerves that allow us to both feel and move. Because of this, an accident that results in a spinal cord injury can lead to chronic pain, difficulty moving or controlling bodily functions, and even paralysis.

Whether you suffered a spinal cord injury at the hands of someone else’s negligence in a slip and fall, motorcycle crash, or car accident, you deserve full compensation for your injuries. At the Tenge Law Firm, LLC, our Fort Collins spinal cord injury attorneys have handled multiple personal injury cases for individuals suffering from severe spinal cord damage. We understand you may be anxious and worried about the future, but we are here to tell you that you do have a legal right to compensation. Please contact us at (970) 212-4777 to schedule a free initial consultation.

Are There Different Types of Spinal Cord Injuries?

When assessing the full effects of an accident, our team will work with medical professionals to evaluate the extent of the damage you have suffered to your spine. The impact spinal cord injury has on your life can depend on two factors – the severity and the level of the injury.

  • Severity of a Spinal Cord Injury: Spinal cords injuries are classified as complete or incomplete. For complete injuries, a victim loses all sensory and motor function below the level of the injury. In contrast, with incomplete spinal cord injury, there is some remaining feeling or ability to control movement below the level of the injury. Degrees of incomplete spinal cord injury can vary.
  • Level of a Spinal Cord Injury: After a serious injury to the spinal cord, the area of the body affected by paralysis will depend on the location of the injury on the spine. Generally, paralysis manifests as either paraplegia (the loss of feeling in the legs and pelvic organs) and tetraplegia, which affects all four limbs and the pelvic organs.

What Are the Short and Long-Term Effects of Spinal Cord Injury?

Depending on the severity of your injury, damage to the spinal cord can cause chronic pain, paralysis, and limited mobility. It can have a significant and lasting impact on daily life and limit your ability to earn a living. You will need to change careers or take extensive time off work for rehabilitation, and you may require assistance in the form of a cane, walker, wheelchair, and other assistive devices. Tetraplegics, who are left paralyzed from the neck down, will require assistance with breathing, bladder, and bowel function, as well as activities of daily living.

Spinal cord injury can also have long-term health consequences. Victims may be susceptible to urinary tract infections, pressure sores, kidney stones, circulatory problems, muscle atrophy, and other health issues. Because of their limited mobility, they may have a higher risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. At the end of the day, a spinal cord injury is life-changing and comes with a high price tag.

What Is The Cost of Recovery?

Medical expenses for spinal cord injuries are likely to be extensive. They may include hospitalization, surgeries, physical therapy, and mobility devices. You may need a specially-designed vehicle or modifications to your home, for example, for wheelchair access. Many people with spinal cord injuries need ongoing medical treatment for health complications, such as urinary tract infections, pressure sores, or circulatory problems.

Who Is Liable for Spinal Cord Injuries?

If you suffered a spinal cord injury in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, the at-fault party may be held liable for your injuries. For example, if you were injured in a truck accident caused by a fatigued driver, the truck driver and trucking company are potentially liable. If the damage to your spinal cord was sustained in a slip or trip and fall accident on someone else’s property, the property owner or manager may be liable if a hazardous condition contributed to the fall.

Proving liability will require a thorough understanding of the incident and you will need to take into account key events that preceded the accident. This can be difficult if multiple parties are involved, such as in a pile-up or trucking accident. To ensure you receive full compensation for your injuries, you will want to speak to a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to avoid losing important evidence.

Securing Experience Legal Aid

Losses resulting from a spinal cord injury can be tremendous, not only financially, but also in terms of physical and emotional pain and suffering. It is critical to your recovery and rehabilitation to pursue the maximum compensation available under the law.

Our Fort Collins personal injury lawyers at the Tenge Law Firm, LLC have decades of experience recovering tens of millions of dollars on behalf of our clients. We will consider every aspect of the accident and the resulting costs you have suffered to make sure not a dime is left out of your settlement. Call us at (970) 212-4777 to begin a thorough review of your case.