One of the most devastating injuries one can experience is a spinal cord injury. This type of injury causes damage to the central nervous system in the spinal cord and can cause extreme discomfort, pain, and disability.
If someone’s negligence caused this injury to your spine, you have a strong case to claim compensation in a Pasadena personal injury claim. Pasadena personal injury attorneys take such cases seriously because of the severe repercussions a victim can experience.
Personal injury law categorizes it as a catastrophic injury. It could result in a personal injury lawsuit if someone’s negligence caused it. Most personal injury victims don’t know what to do after someone else has overturned their lives. Learn what you should do to protect your rights and your health.
What Happens to Your Spine During an Accident?
Your discs are likely to rupture or get displaced shortly following an impact accident. This force can compress and cause it to strain. Your red blood cells rapture therefore damaging nearby organs, which in turn causes swelling in the spinal cavity.
When your spinal cavity is swollen, it cuts off blood and oxygen in that section, affecting the neurons and nerves. Communication between your brain and body parts below the point of injury is impaired. Without immediate medical attention, the risk of permanent damage and paralysis grows.
What Spinal Cord Injury Symptoms Should I Watch for?
Spinal cord injuries can result in motor and sensory function loss in the body’s lower extremities and the torso and four limbs. Some of the common symptoms of spinal cord injury include:
- Loss of bowel or bladder movement
- Alterations in sexual function/ fertility
- Stinging sensation or pain due to damaged nerve fibers
- Loss of movement
- Altered sensation, e.g., ability to feel cold, heat, touch
- Reflex activities/ spasms
- Coughing or clearing secretions from the lungs and breathing difficulty
- Neck pain
- Muscle tightness
- Loss of height over an extended period
What Steps Should I Take After Suspecting a Spinal Cord Injury?
After an accident affecting your spine, you may not know who to turn to. Take these critical steps if you suspect a spinal cord injury in Pasadena.
Report The Accident to The Authorities
There’s always an official you can report the accident to. Don’t wait to report the incident because you may have a legal responsibility to report it, e.g., calling the police if it’s a motor vehicle accident. Reporting also ensures there are records that will be used as evidence when pursuing claims for your damages. The authorities may also help you preserve evidence and interview any witnesses before their memories fade. You may also have to report it to your insurance company.
Seek Immediate Medical Attention
Whether you feel hurt or not, you should seek medical attention immediately. You should do everything to protect your own health. Internal injuries such as soft tissue and brain injuries develop even days later.
If you delay seeing a doctor, you may end up causing irreparable harm. Your Pasadena spinal injury lawyer will use these medical records to compile a solid case against the negligent parties.
Talk to an Experienced Spinal Injury Lawyer in California
You may not think of talking to a lawyer when you’re still reeling in pain. But this is a critical step that shouldn’t be wished away. The earlier you talk to your Pasadena injury attorney, the better the outcomes of your case will be. An experienced accident attorney knows how to preserve evidence and document your damages diligently at every step of the journey. In addition, you get to focus on your own recovery and let the attorney deal directly with the negligent parties or insurance companies.
How Can I Prove Negligence After the Spinal Cord Injury Is Authenticated?
In injury cases like spinal cord injuries, you will be required to prove negligence. This is so because the party that acted carelessly will be legally liable for any harm caused by their actions.
You will have to prove four elements to win a negligence case. These are:
- Duty
- Breach
- Causation
- Damages
If you’ve missed work and have racked up medical expenses, get in touch with a Pasadena spinal cord injury lawyer to prove negligence.
What Damages Are Available in A Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit Caused by Negligence?
Any accident victim in California will typically be eligible to recover two types of damages regardless of the nature of their injuries. They are damages for:
- Economic losses, and
- Non-economic losses
Economic Losses
- You can recover both current and future economic losses in California. These include:
- Medical expenses
- Loss of income and earning capacity
- Prescription costs
- Physical and physiological therapy
- Cost of vehicle and home modifications
- Cost of adaptive devices
Non-Economic Losses
If you suffered spinal injuries due to someone’s negligence, you could recover current and future non-economic losses like:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Humiliation
- PTSD
- Anxiety, depression, grief
- Scarring and disfigurement
Your spinal cord injury lawyer in Pasadena will work closely with your doctor to determine your current and future medical expenses. The attorney will also incorporate a financial expert to calculate how much money you will lose due to being unable to work.
Compassionate and Aggressive Injury Professionals in Pasadena, CA
If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury in a California accident, you need to learn more about your rights. The negligent behavior of another person should not render you helpless and impoverished. A skilled personal injury attorney can help you pursue the compensation you deserve.
The Pasadena spinal injury lawyers are ready to walk with you on this recovery journey. Call us today to talk to one of our attorneys and discuss your case in confidence. Don’t wait. Get started today!
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