The Firm

A spinal injury is a catastrophic injury that affects the ability of the victim to perform everyday tasks. The spinal cord controls essential, basic functions that may be gone forever after an injury. When the spinal cord is damaged, it cannot heal and grow back the way other body tissues can. Victims are left with permanent, lifelong disabilities that range from difficulty moving hands, feet, toes or fingers, to quadriplegia which is paralysis from the neck down. The New York spinal injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates understand that a catastrophic injury to the spine is physically and emotionally devastating for victims and their families. We are here to help victims hold the personal responsible for their injury accountable. We serve clients throughout Nassau County, Manhattan, Suffolk County, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, Staten Island, and Westchester County.

While there are diseases that can cause damage to the spinal cord, many spinal injuries are the result of accidents caused by someone other than the victim. Some of the most common causes of catastrophic injuries to the spinal cord include:

• Car, SUV, truck and other vehicle accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Assaults, including shootings
• High impact sports collisions or falls, such as during football games or horseback riding
• Slip and Fall Accidents
• Falling objects
• Construction site accidents
• Workplace accidents

The majority of accidental injuries to the spinal cord are caused by motor vehicle accidents, followed by falls and falling objects, and acts of violence.

The most severe spinal cord injuries leave the victim paralyzed. Such injuries result in exceedingly high medical and hospitalization costs and a requirement for a lifetime need for prescription medication, rehabilitation, and in-home care. Paraplegia involves the loss of motor function from the waist down. Typically this means that the victim’s legs and feet are paralyzed so that he or she cannot walk. Depending on the age of the victim when the accident occurred, the lifetime costs for caring for a victim with paraplegia is over $2 million.

The cost for treating victims with quadriplegia is even more. Quadriplegia involves the loss of motor function in the lower and upper half of the bodies. Typically a quadriplegic is paralyzed from the neck down, and is not able to use his or her arms and legs. Quadriplegics often require the assistance of breathing machine. Depending on the age of the victim when the accident occurred, the lifetime costs for caring for a victim with quadriplegia is over $3.5 million.

We understand the financial burden faced by accident victims who suffer spinal injuries. Such injuries are expensive to treat and victims are often unable to earn the income they were able to earn prior to the injury. It is critical that victims injured because another person was negligent receive just compensation.

With over 2 decades of experience representing clients with serious injuries such as injuries to the back and spine, Mr. Bilkis understands that claims involving such injuries can be complex. Whether the injury was caused by car accident, motorcycle accident, or fall, building a case against the negligent defendant will require a meticulous investigation of the accident scene, a review of complex medical records, speaking to witnesses, working with experts, and reviewing police records. Mr. Bilkis and the team at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates have the skill, knowledge, and resources to conduct a full and thorough investigation.

The attorneys at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates believe in fighting for injured victims to help them get a fair settlement to compensate them for the pain and suffering they have been through. We are passionate in our pursuit of maximizing our client’s recovery. We fight to get our clients the results they deserve. While we often are able to negotiate favorable settlements for our clients without litigation, we are willing and capable of going to trial when necessary. Call us at 800.696.9529 or contact us online for a FREE consultation.