Topeka Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers

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A spinal cord injury is a catastrophic injury that can happen to anyone at any given point in time. It is a common injury received as the result of a car accident, motorcycle accident, or trucking accident, but it can happen in any high-impact injury scenario. The effects of spinal cord injuries are often physically, mentally, and financially devastating. Severely injured spinal cords can result in permanent loss of feeling, sensation, strength, and mobility below the site of injury. If you or a loved one is a victim of a spinal cord injury due to the negligence of an individual or corporation, you do not have to deal with it alone. Let the Topeka spinal cord injury lawyers at Joseph, Hollander & Craft assist you.

Paralysis and Spinal Cord Injuries

Depending upon the location and severity of a spinal cord injury, some degree of paralysis is common. The severity of the paralysis is classified in one of two categories:

• Complete paralysis is when all feeling, sensation and the ability to control movement are lost below the location on the spine where the injury is located.
• Incomplete paralysis is defined as the retention of some motor or sensory function existing below the location on the spine where the injury is located.

A medical professional who is treating a spinal cord injury can diagnose a victim with one of many spinal cord injuries, including:

• Sprains or strains
• Contusions
• Nerve damage
• Herniated discs
• Fractured vertebrae
• Quadriplegia
• Paraplegia
• Anterior cord syndrome
• Central cord syndrome
• Tetraplegia
• Triplegia

All are significant, and a personal injury claim may be warranted to address them.

Surgical Procedures Typically Used to Treat Spinal Injuries

The procedure a medical professional may employ to treat an injury to the spine or spinal cord depends on the severity and location of the injury.  A few of the more common procedures used to treat injuries to the spine include:

• Anterior Cervical Discectomy: This procedure involves the removal of any herniated material from nerve tissue in the cervical spine (neck) by creating a small incision in the front of the neck. Surgeons will then remove the disc bone spurs that have herniated.
• Disc Replacement Surgery: Using current technology, medical experts can create an artificial disc which can be implanted into the spine to replace a damaged disc. These artificial discs are made of metal or a plastic-like biopolymer material. Some artificial discs use a combination of metal and plastic. Disc replacement surgery is complex. The surgeon usually makes an incision on the front of the body, which makes it easier to see the other side of the spine. The bad disc is removed and the replacement disc is put in its place.
• Thoracic Fusion Surgery: The most common treatment for a compression fracture is pain medication and rest. In cases when the injury is more severe, surgery might be required. The most common surgery for a compression fracture is thoracic fusion surgery. This procedure involves removing any broken bone fragments and then using metal screws and rods to put the vertebrae in the proper alignment.
• Epidural Steroid Injections: A less invasive procedure that can provide relief from lower back pain and from some types of neck pain is an epidural steroid injection. A medication is injected into the spine that coats the nerve roots and the outside lining of the facet joints of the spine, allowing them to heal.

JHC’s Topeka spinal cord injury lawyers are familiar with the damages that can result from a spinal cord injury and the treatments that may be required to address them. We can help you obtain compensation for your immediate and ongoing medical care, as well as lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages specific to your case.

Contact Our Topeka Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Today

If you have endured a spinal cord injury as a result of someone else’s negligence, it is important to speak with a qualified Topeka personal injury attorney about your claim. Call our Topeka office at (785) 234-3272 to speak with our skilled personal injury litigators today.

FAQs

What damages can you claim in a spinal cord injury lawsuit?

A Topeka spinal cord injury lawyer from JHC may be able to help you recover the following damages:

• Medical Expenses: Plaintiffs can claim money paid for all medical bills and expenses incurred as a result of the injury. This includes hospital bills, prescription drugs, doctor visits and rehabilitation, as well as any future medical expenses.
• Lost Wages: Any time lost from work as a result of the injury, including time spent getting medical care and treatment, can also be claimed. Additionally, a claim can be made for the loss of earning capacity.
• Pain and Suffering: A spinal cord injury can result in lasting physical and emotional pain. Victims can claim damages for this pain and suffering caused by their injury.
• Wrongful Death: If a spinal cord injury results in death, the family of the victim may be able to make a claim based on the pain and suffering of the victim, as well as money to ease the financial burden left by a loved one’s absence.

What are some symptoms of a spinal cord injury to watch for after an accident?

If you were involved in an accident and are experiencing any of these symptoms, you might have a spinal cord injury:

• Unconsciousness after a catastrophic accident
• Headaches
• Severe pain in the back, head or neck
• Difficulty breathing
• Numbness or tingling in your arms or legs
• Weakness in your extremities
• Difficulty walking
• Trouble controlling your bowels or bladder

If you are suffering from any of these symptoms, even if they seem minor or manageable, seek medical treatment immediately. In some cases, the symptoms of a spinal cord injury can take hours or days to progress and can cause extreme pain or limited mobility. A delay in seeking and receiving treatment can cause the injury to get worse and could damage your prospects of making a full recovery.

Once you receive medical treatment, contact the attorneys at JHC so we can help you determine whether to make a claim for monetary damages.