Florida Spinal Cord Injury Attorney
Paraplegia, Quadriplegia, Paralysis
The Mayo Clinic states that spinal cord injuries result from damage to the vertebrae, ligaments, or disks of the spinal column or to the spinal cord itself. A traumatic spinal cord injury may stem from a sudden, traumatic blow to your spine that fractures, dislocates, crushes, or compresses one or more of your vertebrae. It also may result from a gunshot or knife wound that penetrates and cuts your spinal cord. Additional damage usually occurs over days or weeks because of bleeding, swelling, inflammation, and fluid accumulation in and around your spinal cord.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes (NINDS), there are an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 spinal cord injuries every year in the United States. NINDS reports that approximately 40% of all spinal cord injuries happen during car accidents (auto, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian), almost 25% percent are the result of injuries relating to violent encounters (guns and knives), and the remaining are due to sporting accidents (swimming pool accidents), slip and falls, and work-related accidents.
Spinal cord injury is among the most devastating type of injury a person can experience because it often involves long term hospital stays, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. Common injuries can include:
- Broken Back
- Spinal Fracture
- Herniated Disc
- Spinal Cord Compression
- Paralysis
- Paraplegia
- Quadriplegia/Tetraplegia
- Hemiplegia
- Fractured Vertebrae
- Loss of Bladder or Bowel Control
- Loss of Sexual Functioning
Unfortunately, in most cases there is no way to reverse damage to the spinal cord despite some major breakthrough with medical research. A spinal cord injury can change a person’s life forever, and many patients suffer permanent injury. Many face a growing number of medical and care expenses, including hospital bills, physical therapy bills, medication, nursing home or in-home care bills, home modifications, and equipment purchases (wheel chairs, ramps), not to mention lost wages, diminished quality of life, and pain and suffering.
If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury due to the negligence of an individual or corporation and would like to learn more about your legal rights, please contact Baker, Zimmerman, & Perez online or call (954) 509-1900 or toll free at (800) 886-LAWS. We offer free consultations and charge you only if we win your case.