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The Cooper Law Firm are spinal cord injury attorneys who help victims and families seek recoveries for these types of catastrophic injuries following car and truck accidents in Texas. These injuries can leave victims with permanent paralysis, requiring either adaptive equipment like wheelchairs or long-term nursing care. According to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation the cost of high tetraplegia (a neck or upper back spinal cord injury) can cost victims and their families $1,064,716 in the first year alone, and approximately $184,891 every year thereafter. The cost of paraplegia (spinal cord injury to the middle or lower back), in the first year alone can be $518,904, and $68,739 in subsequent years. Some victims who suffer spinal cord injury retain some motor function. These types of injuries can leave victims also suffering from serious medical bills, lifestyle changes, and rehabilitative costs.
Spinal cord injury is one of the most serious types of injuries a victim can suffer in a car accident because it can have life-long effects and can impact all aspects of a person’s life. If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal injury in Texas, consider speaking to the Cooper Law Firm, car accident lawyers today. You may be entitled to seek damages for your medical costs, nursing care, rehabilitation expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Victims of spinal cord injuries can sometimes collect significant pain and suffering damages because of the serious nature of these injuries.
The Cooper Law Firm are spinal cord injury lawyers for car accident victims serving Texas. Contact our firm today for a free initial consultation during which our attorneys can review your case, estimate your damages, and help you understand the next steps to possibly receive the recovery you may deserve. You might be entitled to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars to millions in damages. Contact the Cooper Law Firm today to learn more.
Understanding Spinal Injuries
The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that send signals from your brain to your body. Victims who suffer spinal cord injuries may fracture their spines. When the spine is fractured, bone fragments can damage the spinal cord. The spinal cord can also be damaged if the back is subjected to forces that causes the cord to tear or suffer injury. Car accidents are one of the leading causes of spinal cord injuries. Victims can suffer serious neck or back injuries because of the forces involved. With a spinal cord injury, victims can experience loss of motion or sensation below the area of injury. The nerves in the spinal cord, unlike other parts of the body, don’t heal and don’t regenerate, meaning that this serious injury can be life-long. While there is promising research for the care and treatment and healing of spinal cord injury, as of today, these injuries can result in major lifestyle changes and challenges for victims.
Symptoms of spinal cord injury include:
- Lost sensation below the site of injury
- Lost mobility in the arms or the legs or both
- Loss of bladder and bowel control
- Breathing problems
- Changes in sexual function
- Blood clots
- Pain
If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury in a car or truck accident in Texas, you may have the right to seek compensation for this injury. In fact, spinal cord injury victims can often receive significant settlements due to the serious and catastrophic nature of these injuries. Contact the Cooper Law Firm, car accident and truck accident lawyers in Texas today to learn more.
Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation and Expenses
Spinal cord injuries can impact all aspects of a victim’s life. Receiving the right type of medical and rehabilitative care can often result in better outcomes for spinal cord injury patients. What types of care might a patient need? According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, here are some areas where patients may need care and assistance:
- Medical Care. In the aftermath of a spinal cord injury, a patient may require surgery or many surgeries. Patients may require long-term stays at rehabilitation centers where they re-learn basic life skills and self-care skills.
- Mobility Aids. Individuals who have survived spinal cord injuries in car accidents may require mobility aids like wheelchairs, electric wheelchairs, adaptive vehicles, or they may need changes to their homes to accommodate new mobility needs. Individuals with tetraplegia may require nursing care or support services to assist them with mobility and basic needs.
- Respiratory Treatment. Individuals with high tetraplegia may be unable to breathe on their own and may require breathing support, nursing care, or equipment to aid with breathing.
- Vocational Training. Individuals suffering from spinal cord injury may not be able to continue working at their former jobs. They may need vocational training to gain skills to find alternative forms of employment.
- Psychological Counseling. A spinal cord injury can drastically change a person’s self-concept, ability to engage in former life activities, and many other aspects of his or her life. Psychological counseling can help spinal cord injury survivors adapt and grow.
These are just some of the services that spinal cord injury victims may need. Families may also need additional help caring for a loved one and educating themselves on how they can support a loved one with this type of injury. The team of doctors and rehabilitation specialists that may need to help a spinal cord injury victim recover can include neurologists, orthopedists, internists, rehabilitation specialists, psychologists, counselors, social workers, vocational counselor, respiratory therapist, and more. If you or a loved one has suffering a spinal injury in a car or truck accident in Texas, you may have the right to seek damages for your medical care, lost wages, rehabilitation, and pain and suffering. Quality care is essential for spinal cord injury patients. If costs are an issue for you or your family, you may have the right to seek damages from negligent parties following your car accident or truck accident in Texas. Contact the Cooper Law Firm, Texas car and truck accident lawyers today for a free initial consultation.
