Charlottesville Spinal Cord Injury Attorney
Providing Compassionate Legal Representation after a Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries are some of the most far-reaching injuries that a victim can suffer. After damaging the spinal cord, many of our clients cannot walk, move their arms, or get dressed. They need help, but they often do not know where to look.
At MichieHamlett, our lawyers have ample experience assisting those who suffer life-changing personal injuries. Please contact one of our Charlottesville spinal cord injury lawyers to schedule a consultation.
Why the Spinal Cord is So Important
Whenever you move your foot or clench your fist, you rely on your spinal cord. This bundle of nerves stretches from the base of your spine all the way to the bottom of your skull, where it connects to the brain. Neurons travel along the cord, allowing us to move and experience sensation in distant limbs.
Helpfully, three dozen bones called vertebrae protect the cord. But these vertebrae can only withstand so much pressure. Many of our clients come to us after car wrecks, truck accidents, or slip and falls that damage the spinal column and the spinal cord itself.
Types of Spinal Cord Injuries
The symptoms our clients face depend on the seriousness of the injury and its location. Doctors classify injuries as “complete” and “incomplete.” With a complete injury, the spine is severed in two, and a person usually loses all function and sensation below the site of injury. With an incomplete injury, by contrast, some sensation and/or function remain.
Our clients have suffered:
- Paraplegia: typically, paralysis in the legs.
- Quadriplegia: paralysis in both arms and legs.
- Brown-Sequard syndrome: an incomplete spinal cord injury that leads to weakness on one side of the body and impaired sensation on the other.
If you experience pain or numbness in your limbs, muscle weakness, or loss of bladder or bowel control, contact a doctor immediately.
The High Costs of Spinal Cord Injuries
Any damage to the spinal cord requires immediate medical treatment. Many people need surgery to strengthen the spinal column or remove bone fragments, which could be pressing on the cord. Other people need their vertebrae replaced or fused together.
Surgery requires many days in the hospital for recovery, along with expensive rehabilitation. Many spinal cord victims amass hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills in the first year. When a person suffers a complete spinal cord injury, they might undergo experimental treatment to assist recovery.
It is rare to feel 100% normal immediately following surgery. Instead, victims and their family members face a grueling regimen of rehab and even mental health counseling, with few having the resources to pay for this care.
Loss of Income
In addition to incurring mammoth medical bills, few spinal cord victims can immediately return to work. They lose out on valuable income at a time when their expenses have skyrocketed.
Even under the best of circumstances, a client might miss work for several months. If the injury is permanent, then might never return to their old jobs—or any job.
Our Charlottesville Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Can Help
Obtaining compensation following an accident is critical, but victims face many challenges. For one, the person responsible for the accident might not have sufficient insurance. Virginia requires that motorists only carry roughly $25,000 per person in bodily injury liability coverage. One surgery can easily exhaust that.
For another, evidence is hard to obtain when struggling with a spinal injury. Fortunately, the lawyers at MichieHamlett can help. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
