The Dangers of Spinal Cord Injuries

At Buzzell, Welsh & Hill, we see clients with all types of personal injuries, ranging from torn ligaments to broken bones. Any injury can cause major disruptions in someone’s life, leading to time off of work, difficulties with childcare, and long-term physical therapy and pain management.

But it’s especially hard to help clients through the challenges of a spinal cord injury, which often requires lifetime care. Because spinal cord injuries are so serious, it’s critical that you have an attorney who knows how to get you the compensation you deserve.

What are the symptoms of a spinal cord injury?

Any spinal cord injury can have severe results. Usually, doctors judge severity as either complete or incomplete. With a complete injury, the patient has no feeling or motor function below the affected area. With an incomplete injury, the patient has some feeling and some motor function.

According to the Mayo Clinic, common symptoms of spinal cord injuries include:

• Loss of movement
• Loss of sensation
• Loss of bowel or bladder control
• Fertility or sexual changes
• Pain due to nerve damage
• Breathing difficulty

After a possible spinal cord injury, it’s important to get immediate medical treatment. Spinal cord injuries don’t always seem obvious at first. Even something like the loss of sensation can take time to show up. If you’ve been in a crash and hurt your head, neck or back, it’s safest to assume you may have a serious spinal cord injury and seek care.

What are the challenges of a PI case involving spinal cord injuries?

Spinal cord injuries complicate personal injury compensation. They’re high stakes. Clients face appointments with specialists, expensive surgeries and lifetime care. When you’re up against insurance companies denying fault or low policy limits, you need an attorney who can secure the best settlement possible.

Sometimes, insurance companies will try to lowball early settlement offers before doctors have the chance to fully understand the client’s injuries. Because accepting a settlement cuts off potential future compensation, it’s important that the dollar amount covers all future care.

An experienced personal injury attorney needs to understand not only the legal side of spinal claims, but the medical side as well. At Buzzell, Welsh & Hill, we know Middle Georgia’s doctors—both neurosurgeons and orthopedists. We also know the right questions to ask your provider. Having a complete assessment of your medical care and possible future costs allows us to fight for a fair settlement.

It’s also important to have compassionate representation during this trying time. Spinal cord injuries are not only painful, they’re emotionally challenging. Patients may be facing a completely changed life. We understand how hard it is after an accident. That’s why we work to make sure that the financial aspect of your injury is one thing you don’t have to worry about.

Personal Injury Attorneys

If you’ve suffered a spinal cord injury because of someone else’s negligence, you need a lawyer with both expertise and experience. The Macon personal injury lawyers at Buzzell, Welsh & Hill understand these types of cases. Contact us for a free consultation today.