Spinal cord injuries resulting from a car crash force a number of sudden and devastating changes on victims and their families. Victims have a lengthy recovery ahead of them, while families face the unexpected emotional and financial pressures.
When seeking compensation for a spinal cord injury, consistent and accurate documentation is critical. Beyond immediate medical care, it is important to make sure your claim includes all your medical costs and other damages, such as compensation for future medical costs.
At PKSD, our knowledgeable Milwaukee car accident attorneys are deeply committed to helping injured victims, including those affected by spinal cord injuries, and want to help you too. Contact our law office today to discuss your situation and potential legal options. There are no upfront costs when you hire our services.
Request your FREE case review today: 414-333-3333
What Happens to Your Spine in a Car Crash?
The sudden force of a car crash can cause extensive damage to the spine and surrounding tissue. When your vehicle collides with another object, the impact causes your body to experience violent forward, backward or awkward sideways movements. This motion can cause severe or permanent damage to the spine, discs and other surrounding soft tissue.
Common Spinal Cord Injuries
The violent impact of a vehicle crash can shatter lives in seconds, causing life-altering damage to the spinal cord and surrounding tissues.
- Severe Spinal Trauma: This injury occurs when nerve connections in the spinal cord are damaged. The result of this injury is complete paralysis and loss of all sensation below where the damage occurred, Unfortunately, this injury permanently changes how the body functions.
- Partial Spinal Damage: A partial injury to the spine leaves some nerve pathways intact. Victims may have limited movement or feeling below the injury site while other functions are either impaired or fully lost.
- Herniated Disc A common spinal injury where a damaged disc’s soft center pushes through its protective outer layer. The damaged disc may press on nearby nerves, triggering intense pain that radiates through the victim’s arms or legs.
- Bulging Disc: This injury occurs when a disc stretches beyond its normal position between vertebrae. The result is extreme nerve pressure, which causes ongoing pain and potential muscle weakness in the affected areas.
- Spinal Stenosis: A progressive condition that may develop when crash trauma damages and constricts spaces within the spine. This narrowing compresses nearby nerves, resulting in pain and weakness that gets progressively worse, if left untreated.
- Fractured Vertebrae: The severity of the crash may cause areas of the spine to crack or shatter from the force. Sometimes, the impact may cause bone fragments to enter the surrounding nerve tissue.
- Central Spinal Cord Damage: When the central region of the spinal cord is damaged, it typically causes more severe impairment in the upper body. While victims with this injury may retain some leg function, they may experience significant loss of motor function and weakness in the area.
Immediate emergency care and specialized trauma treatment offer the strongest hope for optimal healing after spinal injuries.
What Secondary Complications Can Develop and How They Affect My Claim?
Secondary complications from injuries can significantly impact your claim’s value and timeline by potentially increasing medical costs, extending recovery time and requiring additional documentation to prove these complications to the original injury. Early recognition and documentation of these complications is essential for maximizing compensation.
- Depression, anxiety and PTSD often develop after serious injuries, requiring mental health treatment and additional compensation
- Respiratory complications like pneumonia and collapsed lungs frequently occur during extended bed rest
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs) and bladder dysfunction commonly develop from catheterization or limited mobility
- Pressure sores can form within hours of immobility, leading to severe tissue damage and infection risk
- Blood clots and deep vein thrombosis may develop, particularly in lower extremities during recovery
- Chronic pain conditions may emerge, leading to long-term disability claims and ongoing medical expenses
- Secondary infections from surgical procedures or compromised immune function can extend recovery
- Adjacent body parts often develop strain injuries due to compensating for the primary injury
Document and report any secondary complications to your medical providers and legal representation promptly. These additional conditions can significantly strengthen your claim’s value, a car accident lawyer can build a case to properly link secondary complications to the original injury through medical evidence and expert testimony to ensure full compensation.
What Are the Warning Signs of a Spinal Injury After an Accident?
Recognizing the symptoms of a spinal cord injury is critical when it comes to prompt medical treatment. Here are some symptoms to look out for:
Loss of Movement and Sensation: If you experience tingling or are unable to move any parts of your body below the site of an injury, it indicates a possible spinal cord injury. Depending on the severity of the injury, this loss of movement and sensation might be partial or complete.
Breathing Difficulties: Injuries to the cervical spine, the upper part of the spinal cord, can affect your ability to breathe properly. This happens because the nerves that control your diaphragm and respiratory muscles are located in the upper regions of the spine. Breathing difficulties that become severe require immediate medical attention.
Pain: Sharp or aching pain in your back or neck can be another indicator of a spinal cord injury. Lingering or vanishing pains may accompany various symptoms, such as stiffness or discomfort. The pain may be persistent or inconsistent. Persistent pain could also accompany stiffness, discomfort and other related symptoms.
What Does the Recovery Process Look Like For Spinal Cord Injuries?
When addressing spinal cord injuries, the primary goal is to prevent further damage and improve the patient’s quality of life. Treatment typically involves a combination of emergency medical care to stabilize the injury and long-term rehabilitation to promote recovery and adapt to any lasting effects.
Emergency Treatment
- Stabilization: The first step in treating a spinal cord injury is stabilizing the spine immediately. This means carefully immobilizing the spine to prevent any additional movement that could cause further injury.
- Medication: Corticosteroids are often administered as part of the initial treatment to help reduce swelling, pain and inflammation around the spinal cord, which limit the extent of the injury and improve recovery outcomes.
- Surgery: In some cases, surgery may be necessary. Surgical procedures can address issues such as relieving pressure on the spinal cord caused by fractured vertebrae or other obstructions. Surgery may also be required to stabilize the spine and prevent further injury.
Rehabilitation
- Physical Therapy: Physical therapy aims to help patients regain as much movement and strength as possible after the initial treatment. Teaching patients techniques to perform daily activities despite their injuries. Physical therapists tailor treatment to fit an individual’s needs to significantly improve their recovery.
- Occupational Therapy: Occupational therapy focuses on helping patients adjust to their new physical limitations. Providing practical strategies for daily living and skills needed for self-care, work and leisure activities. Assisting patients to achieve as much independence as possible despite the limitations imposed by their injury.
- Counseling and Support Groups: Spinal cord injuries can often accompany heavy emotional toll. Psychological support is essential in helping patients cope with the mental and emotional challenges of their new reality. Counseling provides a space for patients to work through the emotions brought on by the change in their physical health. Support groups offer a chance to connect with others who understand their experiences and can provide encouragement and practical advice.
What Compensation Can I Recover After a Crash-Related Spinal Cord Injury?
Wisconsin’s modified comparative negligence makes it possible for victims who are partially at fault to be able to seek some compensation for their medical costs and other losses. If you are assessed with a percentage of fault for the crash, any compensation awarded to you will be reduced by that amount. A concrete example is if you are found to be 20 percent at fault for the crash and are awarded $100,000 in compensation. That compensation will be reduced by 20 percent, leaving you with $80,000.
When PKSD manages your case, we fight to protect your rights, which includes disputing attempts from the insurance company if they try to unfairly shift blame to you.
Types of Available Compensation:
- Medical Expenses: Coverage for immediate emergency care, surgeries, ongoing rehabilitation, medical equipment and future medical needs related to your spinal cord injury. Including both current bills and anticipated future medical costs for long-term care needs.
- Lost Income and Earning Capacity: Compensation for wages lost during recovery and potential future earnings if your injury affects your ability to work. This includes reduced earning capacity if you must change careers or can no longer work in your chosen field due to your injuries.
- Pain and Suffering: Monetary awards for physical pain, emotional distress and reduced quality of life resulting from your spinal injury. This can include compensation for depression, anxiety and loss of enjoyment in activities you once participated in.
Contacting legal assistance ensures that your fault for the accident is properly represented. An experienced crash attorney will gather the necessary evidence and communicate with insurance companies on your behalf to secure the full compensation you deserve.
Why Working With Our Milwaukee Law Firm Could Benefit Your Claim
Our trusted law firm takes on the complex legal work so you can focus on healing and getting back to living your life. We work to strengthen your claim by thoroughly documenting your injuries, building compelling evidence and assertively negotiating with insurers to maximize your compensation.
We understand how insurance companies try to minimize or deny claims and how to strategically dispute those attempts. We focus on every detail of your case to protect your rights and secure the full and fair settlement you deserve.
Injured In a Car Accident? Call PKSD Today
If you or a loved one suffered a spinal cord injury due to a car accident, it is important to have a knowledgeable attorney managing your case. Our experienced lawyers have been helping injured victims for decades, and we understand complex cases, including car crash cases involving catastrophic spinal cord injuries. We have a history of proven results, recovering millions in compensation for our clients.
At PKSD, we are deeply committed to holding at-fault parties accountable for their negligent actions. When we fight for you, there are no upfront costs or fees to pay. We only get paid if you do.
Experienced Lawyers. Proven Results. Call 414-333-3333
