New York Causes of Spinal Injuries

A spinal cord injury is an injury that cuts, bruises or causes any type of trauma to the bones or nerves that are part of the spinal cord. It is one of the most serious types of injuries that you can suffer. A serious injury to the spinal cord will result in reduced function in some part of the body. There are many causes of spinal cord injuries. However, by far the most common cause is an accident that could have been avoided as it was caused by the negligence or intentional act of another person. When the injury is to the spinal cord, the victim's life is forever changed. Spinal cord injuries can cause the victim to lose independence, affect the victim’s ability to work, and leave him or her with significant lifetime medical costs. If you or a family member suffered a spinal cord injury due to the negligence of another person, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries through a personal injury claim. Contact an experienced New York Causes of Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer who will explain to you your legal rights and who will work hard to ensure that you receive the compensation to which you are entitled under New York law.

There are many reasons for spinal cord injuries including illness, medical malpractice, sports injuries. The most common reasons include:

• Motor vehicle accidents. Auto accidents, particularly SUV rollover accidents, are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries. Annually car accidents cause over 40% of new spinal cord injuries in the United States.
• Falls. Spinal cord injury after age 65 is most often caused by a trip and fall accident. However, people of all ages are victims of fall accident, sometimes with catastrophic results. Fall are the second leading cause of spinal cord injuries, account for over 20% of spinal cord injuries.
• Criminal acts. Many spinal cord injuries are caused by acts of violence such as gunshot and knife wounds. Even a grazing injury by a gun or knife can cause serious damage to the spinal cord. Gun-related injuries account for approximately 10% of spinal cord injuries.

Depending on where the spinal cord injury is located and the severity of the injury, there are many different possible symptoms. The most severe symptom is complete paralysis where there is no movement or sensation in the affected body parts. Other symptoms include:

• Pressure or pain
• Poor coordination
• Difficulty walking
• Tingling or numbness in the hands, fingers, feet or toes
• Bladder or bowel problems
• Difficulty in breathing
• Muscle spasticity

A severe spinal injury requires a long, painful course of treatment and period of recovery. Victims face significant medical expenses including fees associated with emergency room treatment, the hospital stay, treatment by doctors, physical therapy, assistive equipment, and medication. To make matters worse, while you are recovering you will not be able to work and earn an income to pay for your medical expenses and support your family.

Fortunately, if your spinal cord injury was due to the accidental or intentional act of another person, under New York law you have the right to pursue compensation through a personal injury claim. You may be able to recover both past and future medical expenses including hospital bills, expenses for surgery, rehabilitation fees, and fees for prescription medication. You may also be able to recover the cost of assistive equipment such as a wheelchair as well as costs associated with any modifications to your home that you may have to make in order to make it accessible. Furthermore, you may be able to recover lost wages if you missed time at work while recovering, as well as loss of future earning capacity if you are no longer able to earn the same amount of money as you did prior to the injury. Because a serious spinal cord injury will likely result in some degree of loss of bodily function, the negligent party may also be required to pay you compensation for your pain and suffering.

If the accident that resulted in your spinal cord injury was work-related, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. However, it is important to know that worker’s compensation benefits are limited. Furthermore, just because the accident occurred at work does not necessarily mean that you are limited to the benefits available through workers’ compensation.

If you or a loved one was injured in an accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury, contact an experienced attorney who understands both the legal issues associated with personal injury cases as well as the medical issues associated with injuries to the spine. The staff at Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC is experienced in handling personal injury and wrongful death cases stemming from auto accidents, construction accidents, slip and fall accidents, other types of accidents, and medical malpractice, including those involving victims who suffered a spinal cord injury, brain injury, or other serious injury. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We serve those injured in accidents in the following locations: