Spinal cord injuries involve damage to some part of the spinal cord or the nerves at the end of the spinal cord. Often, these injuries are catastrophic, entailing permanent alteration of function, especially strength and sensation, below the site of the damage. After an accident that affects your spinal cord, you may feel as though all of the aspects of your life have changed, including your emotional state and your social interactions. There are treatment and rehabilitation options that improve independence for people with spinal cord injuries, but they can be expensive. If you suffer paralysis or another spinal injury in a serious accident, you should consult a Syracuse spinal cord injury lawyer at DeFrancisco & Falgiatano.
Bringing a Claim Based on Spinal Cord InjuriesA spinal cord is a long bundle of nerves that runs down the middle of the back, conveying signals between the body and the brain and vice versa. Spinal cord injuries disrupt those signals. They can consist of a blow that dislocates or fractures the vertebrae, the bones that form the spine. The vertebrae may tear into the spinal cord or put pressure on parts of the nerves that transmit signals. A spinal cord injury is considered complete or incomplete. The cord cannot transmit signals below the damage site if the spinal cord injury is complete. By contrast, incomplete injuries are those in which some sensation and movement below the damage site are retained.
Generally, spinal cord injuries are medical emergencies that necessitate immediate care. When medical care is provided promptly and properly, the long-term effects can be reduced. The treatments for the injury can include braces and tractions for stabilization. Other treatments that may later become appropriate include medicine and rehabilitation, as well as assistive devices and mobility aids.
Spinal cord injuries can result in loss of mobility, changed or lost sensation, lack of bladder or bowel control, alterations to sexual function and fertility, breathing difficulties, and pain. Anybody who has experienced a major trauma to their head or neck should seek medical care immediately to minimize or reduce the long-term effects of possible spinal cord injuries. These injuries are not always obvious, and paralysis may occur gradually as swelling and bleeding develop around the spinal cord.
Whether a Syracuse spinal cord injury attorney can recover damages for you depends on the circumstances. In order to recover damages for you, the injury must have been caused by another party's negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct. For example, a spinal cord injury could be a result of a truck driver's negligent driving if it resulted in a truck accident. Negligence can be shown by proving that the defendant did not use reasonable care in the circumstances. In the context of a truck accident, a defendant may breach the duty to use reasonable care in many different ways, including violations of federal or state trucking regulations. Violations of federal or state regulations that cause injuries can be strong evidence of negligence. Other potential truck driver breaches of the duty to use reasonable care include speeding, tailgating, weaving, taking turns too fast, failing to make proper wide turns, failing to check blind spots, failing to obey traffic signals and signs, distracted driving, texting while driving, and driving under the influence. A spinal cord injury attorney can help Syracuse victims build a strong case for compensation.
Spinal cord injuries may occur as a result of a dangerous condition on someone else's property as well. All property owners owe a duty to keep their property safe for lawful visitors. You may be able to recover damages for spinal cord injuries caused by unsafe property conditions by filing a premises liability lawsuit against the property owner or occupier. In most cases, you would need to show that: (1) you were lawfully on the property, (2) you were injured on the property (3) as a result of a dangerous condition, and (4) the property owner or occupier knew or should have known about the dangerous condition that caused the injuries but either (5) failed to repair it or failed to provide warnings.
Consult a Skillful Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer in SyracuseSpinal cord injuries are often life-altering, but our law firm may be able to help you recover damages from the appropriate parties. DeFrancisco & Falgiatano represents accident victims in Syracuse, Rochester, Binghamton, Auburn, Elmira, Norwich, Cortland, Delhi, Herkimer, Watertown, Lowville, Oneida, Wampsville, Utica, Canandaigua, Oswego, Cooperstown, Ithaca, and Lyons. Call us at 833-200-2000 or contact us via our online form.