Have you sustained a spinal cord injury in the Duluth, Georgia, area? If so, you know that such an injury has the potential to turn your life upside down.

Spinal cord injuries often cause serious long-term difficulties like paralysis. They can require extensive medical treatment and interfere with your ability to earn an income.

At Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC, our Duluth spinal cord injury lawyers might provide some answers. If your injuries were the result of someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, you may be eligible to receive financial compensation. Learn more about your legal options for pursuing the money you need by calling us or contacting us online today for a free case review.

Symptoms of Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injury symptoms may vary widely depending on an injury’s severity. According to the Mayo Clinic, common ones include:

  • Loss of ability to move a part of the body
  • Changes in ability to detect certain sensations (such as hot or cold)
  • Changes in bladder and/or bowel control
  • Spasms
  • A stinging pain that may result from damaged spinal cord nerve fibers
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Trouble coughing or clearing the lungs
  • Decrease in sexual function and/or sensitivity

The Mayo Clinic also lists these emergency spinal cord injury symptoms:

  • Intense back pain
  • Extreme pressure affecting the back, neck, or head
  • Sudden loss of coordination or control of certain body parts
  • Sudden weakness
  • Loss of feeling or a sense of numbness in the extremities
  • Balance issues
  • Sudden loss of bladder control
  • Difficulty breathing that may strike immediately or shortly after an injury
  • A feeling that one’s neck and/or back is “twisted”

See a doctor as soon as possible if you experience any of these spinal cord injury symptoms. Immediate treatment might prevent your spinal injury from worsening. Seeking medical care as soon as you notice an issue may also improve your chances of receiving spinal cord injury compensation.

Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC), the most common causes of spinal cord injuries are:

Other common causes of spinal column injuries we see include:

A person could be entitled to compensation if their injuries were due to others’ actions or negligence. Someone might also be eligible if their spinal cord injury is work-related. In that case, they could seek compensation by filing a workers’ comp claim.

Types and Levels of Spinal Cord Injuries

According to the Mayo Clinic, there are two main types of spinal cord injuries:

  • Complete Spinal Cord Injuries – A complete spinal cord injury is one in which a person loses all ability to control the body beneath the site of their injury.
  • Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries – A person with an incomplete spinal cord injury may still possess some degree of feeling and control over the parts of the body below their injury.

Spinal cord injury levels can also vary depending on what part of the spine has been injured. Per the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, these levels are:

  • Cervical Spinal Cord Injuries – These may affect the entire body.
  • Thoracic Spinal Cord Injuries – Such injuries could result in paraplegia, loss of bladder control, and general loss of control in the lower half of the body.
  • Lumbar Spinal Cord Injuries – These can affect the legs and lower body in general.
  • Sacral Spinal Cord Injuries – Such injuries might exclusively affect sensation in the feet. However, there is a possibility for a sacral spine injury to affect control of the bladder and bowels as well.

The type of spinal cord injury sustained will influence how the injury affects an accident victim’s life. It could also influence how much compensation they may be eligible to receive in a spinal cord injury claim.

Compensation Available in a Georgia Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit

Spinal cord injury compensation may compensate a victim for the following types of losses:

  • Economic losses, which are those with a specific dollar value, like medical bills
  • Noneconomic losses, which are subjective losses with unspecified value, like pain and suffering

A spinal cord injury will often require costly medical treatment. Because such injuries affect mobility and bodily control, such an injury may prevent someone from working as well. A person who can’t work due to their spinal injury will have trouble paying their medical bills.

Someone who is a victim of a spinal column injury may seek compensation for their medical expenses and lost wages. They may do so whether they’re filing a personal injury claim or a workers’ compensation claim.

If an injured person files a personal injury claim or lawsuit, they may also seek compensation for certain noneconomic losses, such as accident-related post-traumatic stress disorder or loss of enjoyment of life.

Determining how much compensation you should seek when filing a spinal cord injury claim or lawsuit can be a complex process. This is one of the most important reasons to retain an attorney. First, they’ll need to gather documentation of all your losses. A seasoned attorney will know how to assess the potential cost of future medical treatment and lost wages. Additionally, they can evaluate how much compensation you deserve for your noneconomic losses.

Treatment for Spinal Cord Injuries

Treatment options for spinal cord injuries can depend on the type of spinal cord injury a person sustains. According to the Mayo Clinic, spinal cord injury treatments could include:

  • Emergency treatment to prevent a spinal cord injury from worsening
  • Medication
  • Temporary immobilization to allow the spinal cord to rest and heal
  • Surgery
  • Physical therapy

The Mayo Clinic explains that new treatments for spinal cord injuries are frequently emerging. Additionally, once-popular treatments may no longer be common due to research indicating they’re ineffective or risky.

It’s not unusual for spinal cord injury victims to require ongoing care. You may seek compensation for such long-term care when filing a spinal cord injury lawsuit or claim.

Do I Need a Lawyer If I Suffered a Spinal Cord Injury in GA?

Reviewing your case with an attorney after sustaining a spinal cord injury is a wise idea. Our Duluth, Georgia, brain and spinal cord injury law firm offers free case reviews. You won’t be risking any money by meeting with a lawyer to discuss your spinal cord injury case.

One of our attorneys can explain your options for pursuing compensation from the at-fault party. They can help you determine what type of claim to file.

If you hire a Duluth spinal cord injury attorney, they could further assist you by:

  • Investigating the cause of your injuries to identify liable parties and gather evidence of negligence
  • Documenting your medical bills, lost wages, etc., to strengthen your claim
  • Completing all paperwork and filing it with the appropriate parties by the applicable deadlines
  • Negotiating with the insurance company
  • Aggressively representing you in court if necessary

An insurance adjuster may pretend to be on your side. However, their actual goal might be to settle your claim for the lowest payout possible. Hiring a spinal cord injury attorney is one way to protect yourself in these circumstances.

Perhaps you’re still reluctant to hire an attorney. You might hesitate to contact a lawyer because you’re not sure whether you can afford one. That shouldn’t stop you from making the call. A reputable Duluth spinal cord injury attorney will typically enter into a contingency fee agreement when taking on your case.

What does a contingency fee agreement mean? Under this arrangement, your lawyer won’t charge upfront legal fees. Instead, they will take their fee as a percentage of the compensation they recover for a client. Further, the injured party won’t pay for any legal services if their lawyer doesn’t recover money for them.

With the contingency fee model, a lawyer has no incentive to accept an unwinnable case. By taking your case, odds are that they believe your case has merit. Additionally, the more money they get for you, the larger their fee will be. A contingency fee arrangement incentivizes the attorney to work your case diligently.

Statute of Limitations on Georgia Spinal Cord Injury Claims

Under Georgia law, you have two years from the time of your injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. In Georgia, you only have a year to file a workers’ compensation claim.

You’ll likely be ineligible to receive compensation if you miss these deadlines. Avoid waiving your right to compensation by speaking with a spinal cord injury lawyer about your legal options soon.

Duluth Spinal Cord Injury FAQ

Spinal cord injuries can result in serious medical complications and potentially lifelong consequences. However, the scariest part of these injuries is that their full impact is not always known immediately. In some instances, it may take days or weeks before the nature and extent of the spinal cord injury become known.

If you believe that you or a loved one may have suffered a spinal cord injury in an accident that another person caused, you should seek experienced legal representation right away. The skilled Duluth spinal cord injury lawyers at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC can begin investigating your case and pursue compensation from the at-fault individual or entity right away.

If a person suffers an injury to their neck or back in an accident, spinal cord damage may be the result. The type of accident in which the accident victim is involved, along with the specific injury sustained, will dictate the complications that may ultimately arise from the injury.

In a serious accident, a person may sustain an injury to the cervical (upper) area of their spine, the thoracic (mid-spine) area, the lumbar (lower) region, or the sacral spinal region. Even if they are just soft tissue in nature, any of these injuries can lead to severe complications, symptoms, and problems that may last the rest of the accident victim’s life.

Of the different types of spinal injuries, cervical spinal injuries are arguably the most serious. The cervical region of a person’s spinal column (vertebrae C1 through C7) is closest to the accident victim’s head and brain. Victims of cervical spinal injuries may ultimately suffer from quadriplegia or tetraplegia, both of which are forms of paralysis.

Cervical spinal injuries can lead to other medical complications as well, including the loss of certain senses. Individuals who suffer these injuries may require one or more surgical procedures and extensive rehabilitation, including physical or occupational therapy, to recover some degree of functionality in the affected body parts. In some cases, depending on the circumstances, the victim of a cervical spinal injury may have to spend the remainder of their life in an extended care facility, such as a nursing home.

As with injuries to the cervical spine, thoracic spinal cord injuries are also serious and can lead to various complications. If you suffer an injury to the thoracic spinal cord, one or more of the T1 through T12 vertebrae were affected. A person who sustains a thoracic spinal cord injury in an accident may suffer symptoms not only in the middle-back but also in the upper chest region and the abdominal muscles. In addition, the accident victim may have difficulty controlling their rib cage, diaphragm, lungs, and breathing muscles following an injury to the thoracic spinal column.

Individuals who suffer a thoracic spinal cord injury may end up becoming paraplegics who cannot move or control their abdominal muscles, lower back muscles, or legs. Despite these deficiencies, however, the accident victim may retain the ability to control their arms and hands following a thoracic spinal injury.

Unlike injuries to the cervical and thoracic spine regions, an injury to the lumbar spine affects the lower back area. When a person suffers a lumbar spinal injury in an accident, they can’t move the legs or hips, or, at the very least, have only limited ability to function in those areas.

Victims of lumbar spinal injuries sometimes have problems controlling their bowel and bladder functions and may require a medical device to retain those abilities. Moreover, even if these individuals have limited functionality in their legs or hips, they may never again move without the assistance of a wheelchair or other medical device.

Sacral spinal injuries are those injuries that impact the triangular area of the spine that is located under the lumbar spinal region and between a person’s tailbone. This triangular area of the spinal cord controls the pelvic organs, sexual functions, bowels, and bladder.

Similar to lumbar spinal cord injuries, a person who sustains a sacral spinal injury may not have control over their legs or hips. It is crucial to keep in mind, however, that sacral spinal injuries are relatively rare, and when a person does suffer a sacral spinal injury, it is usually because of a direct impact to this area, such as when a person lands directly on the tailbone in a slip and fall accident that occurs on a hard surface.

If you or a loved one has endured one of these types of spinal cord injuries in an accident that was brought about by someone else’s negligence, you may assert a Duluth spinal cord injury claim against the person or entity that caused your accident. The experienced Duluth spinal cord injury attorneys at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC can help you pursue compensation for your injury and, if necessary, your future long-term care costs.

The various types of spinal cord injuries that a person may suffer in a serious accident divide into two primary categories: incomplete and complete spinal injuries. An incomplete spinal cord injury is an injury to some region of the spinal column that does not lead to a permanent complication. Instead, the victim of the accident suffers partial damage to the affected area. For example, the accident victim may have limited sensory abilities in the affected region but may still have some limited functionality.

Depending on the circumstances and the severity of a particular accident, an individual who suffers an incomplete spinal cord injury may ultimately recover some losses in functionality. They may gain back that functionality through physical therapy and rehabilitation.

On the other hand, there are complete spinal cord injuries that result in permanent symptoms and complications. If a person suffers tetraplegia or paraplegia in an accident, as a result of damage to one or more areas of the spinal cord, then the accident victim has suffered a complete spinal injury.

The experienced Duluth spinal cord injury attorneys at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC understand the severe symptoms and complications that are associated with both complete and incomplete spinal cord injuries. We can help you pursue the compensation that you deserve for the loss of your ability to use a body part and the loss of life enjoyment you felt following your accident.

Spinal cord injuries in Duluth can happen under a variety of different circumstances. In many cases, these injuries come about when a person is in an extremely serious accident. Some of the most common types of accidents that may result in a spinal cord injury include accidents that occur on the job, slip and fall accidents, and car and truck accidents.

A person may become involved in a slip and fall accident when the property owner fails to take the necessary precautions preventing falls from occurring. For example, the premises owner may not inspect the premises regularly to look for dangerous defects, both known and unknown. If the property owner does not correct or warn about these defects in a reasonable amount of time, and a slip and fall accident befalls another individual, the premises owner may be responsible for all of the injuries and damages that result.

Moreover, in a slip and fall accident, the accident victim may fall on their back or tailbone, sustaining an injury to one or more areas of the spinal column and resulting in serious medical complications and symptoms.

In addition to slip and fall accidents, a person may also suffer a spinal cord injury while working on the job. For example, an accident victim may fall off of a ladder or from scaffolding and land on their neck or back, sustaining a severe spinal cord injury. In those instances, when an individual is injured while on the job and working within the scope of their employment, the accident victim may assert a claim for workers’ compensation benefits.

As part of the workers’ compensation case, the accident victim may recover monetary benefits for a portion of their lost wages, as well as permanency benefits, in the event they suffered a permanent spinal cord injury while on the job. Construction workers and builders are especially prone to spinal cord injuries while working on the job.

In addition to spinal cord injuries an accident victim suffers while in the scope of their employment, an accident victim may also sustain an injury to the spinal column when they are in a motor vehicle accident, whether as a driver or passenger.

Spinal cord injuries are relatively common in serious motor vehicle accidents, most especially when the accident victim’s body is thrown about in a vehicle or snapped forward and backward very quickly. In the case of a motor vehicle accident, the injured accident victim may file a claim or lawsuit against the at-fault motor vehicle driver for spinal cord injuries and damages.

If you were involved in any of these types of accidents and suffered an injury to your spinal cord, you can rest assured that the Duluth spinal cord injury attorneys at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC will zealously advocate for your legal rights and help you pursue the compensation that you need for your spinal cord injury.

In personal injury cases where an accident victim has suffered a spinal cord injury, time may be of the essence. In Georgia, accident victims have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit arising from their spinal cord injury. If the accident victim does not sue the at fault person or entity within those two years, they can’t file a claim for monetary damages and compensation.

Given this short statute of limitations for Duluth personal injury cases, get knowledgeable legal representation for your case as soon as you possibly can. The Duluth spinal cord injury lawyers at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC will file your lawsuit on time, safeguarding your ability to pursue compensation for your spinal injuries.

Victims of spinal cord injuries can file a claim for compensation and damages against the individual or entity that caused the accident that led to their injuries.

In the event the accident victim suffers their spinal cord injury while working on the job, then the accident victim may file a Georgia workers‘ compensation claim against his or her employer. In other cases, the accident victim may file a claim or lawsuit against the at-fault person or entity for money damages.

Money damages in a spinal cord injury case may include compensation for past and future medical bills, lost earnings, loss of future earning capacity, pain and suffering, inconvenience, loss of the ability to move or use a body part, or loss of enjoyment of life.

The skilled Duluth spinal cord injury attorneys at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC will use their advocacy skills to help you pursue the maximum amount of compensation available to you for your spinal injuries. We know these are complex, costly, and life-changing injuries, and we want you to move forward in the best position possible.

Talk to an Experienced Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer in Duluth, GA, Today

Sustaining a spinal cord injury can be a life-changing experience, and you may be entitled to compensation for it. But you shouldn’t try to handle an insurance claim or lawsuit on your own while you’re trying to recover from your injuries.

At Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC, a Duluth, GA, spinal cord injury attorney can offer the representation you deserve. Get started today by contacting us online or calling our offices for your free, no-obligation case review.