Damaging your spinal cord can have a devastating impact on your life and overall well-being. These complex injuries often cause loss of sensation and mobility below the affected area.
When a preventable accident causes a spinal cord injury, you could seek compensation from the people whose careless or reckless conduct led to the incident. An experienced catastrophic injury attorney can guide you through the process.
Speak with a Litchfield spinal cord injury lawyer at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC, as soon as possible after the accident. The law provides a narrow window to file a lawsuit, so acting quickly is essential.
Medical conditions like spina bifida and polio can impact the spinal cord, but most spinal cord injuries result from accidents and other preventable events. Vehicle accidents are the overall leading cause of spinal cord injury, although falls are the primary cause among people over 65. Sports injuries and violence, like gunshots and stabbings, also produce a significant number of spinal cord injuries.
Accidents that lead to spinal cord injuries happen when someone is careless or reckless. The legal term for this is negligence, which means failing to use the degree of caution a reasonable person would have used to prevent injury to others. A person, company, or government entity could be negligent, leading to accidents with severe consequences.
A Litchfield lawyer can investigate any incident that causes a spinal cord injury to collect evidence of negligence. They can then file a claim against the negligent parties seeking compensation for all the impacts the injury has on your life and well-being. Even when you were partially responsible for the incident that caused your injury, Connecticut General Statutes § 52-572h allows you to collect partial damages from other negligent parties.
The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that travels from the brain down the spine. The nerves conduct electrical impulses from the brain to the rest of the body and vice versa. When the spinal cord is damaged, communication can be disrupted.
In a complete spinal cord injury, the nerves are severed. You typically would have no sensation or ability to control movement below the injury site. When the damage is incomplete, some nerves are undamaged, and you may retain some sensation and control in some parts of the body. Medicine has made great strides in preserving and even restoring function when some nerves remain intact.
Almost everyone with a spinal cord injury must use a wheelchair or other mobility device at least some of the time. People with complete injuries will not be able to walk and may also lose the use of their upper limbs, depending on the placement of the injury. Spinal cord injuries can lead to serious secondary health issues.
Losing mobility and control in people with spinal cord injuries can lead to serious secondary health problems. Bedsores, other skin problems, and blood clots can arise because you spend so much time seated or lying down. You might suffer spasticity in your limbs. An inability to control your bladder and bowels can lead to infections. If your injury is higher on the spine, it could impact your breathing.
People with spinal cord injuries often experience significant mental health challenges due to the injury. You might suffer depression or anxiety due to the limitations the injury imposes, and you might have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to the accident that injured you.
A Litchfield spinal cord injury attorney will thoroughly review your medical records to understand the full impact of the accident on your health. They will speak with you and your family about how your life has changed since the accident. This information will be the basis for your claim for compensation. You can receive reimbursement for all the expenses related to your injury—past and future—plus compensation for your pain and suffering.
Spinal cord injuries change your life forever. When somebody else’s recklessness or carelessness led to your injury, you must hold them accountable.
Speak with a Litchfield spinal cord injury at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC, right away. We have extensive experience handling these cases and a long record of success. Schedule a free, in-person or remote consultation today.
