Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys

The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves housed with the spinal column of the body. An injury to the spinal cord can result in partial or full loss of motor function and sensation.

These types of injuries may also leave the victims paralyzed from the waist down (also known as paraplegic) or in all four limbs (also known as quadriplegic). The spinal cord is very pivotal to a range of bodily functions including breathing, bladder control, sexual function, and much more. Therefore, accident victims tend to suffer a broad range of permanent, and very serious health issues following their injury.

A spinal cord injury relates to damage to any part of the spinal cord or nerves at the end of the spinal canal. These injuries can cause changes in strength or other body functions impacting an individual’s employment, as well as their mental, emotional, social, and well-being.

According to the World Health Organization, every year, between 250,000-500,000 people suffer from a spinal cord injury. These injuries are associated with lower rates of school enrollment, economic participation, and it carries substantial individual and societal costs. The severity of the injury can be:

Complete: impacts all sensory feelings and control

Incomplete: impacts some sensory and motor function

According to the Mayo Clinic, spinal cord injuries may result in one or more of the following signs and symptoms:

• Loss of movement
• Loss or altered sensation, including the ability to feel heat, cold and touch
• Loss of bowel or bladder control
• Exaggerated reflex activities or spasms
• Changes in sexual function, sexual sensitivity and fertility
• Pain or an intense stinging sensation caused by damage to the nerve fibers in your spinal cord
• Difficulty breathing, coughing or clearing secretions from your lungs

Emergency signs and symptoms of a spinal cord injury after an accident may include:

• Extreme back pain or pressure in the neck, head or back
• Weakness or paralysis in any part of your body
• Numbness, tingling or loss of sensation in your hands, fingers, feet or toes
• Loss of bladder or bowel control
• Difficulty with balance and walking
• Impaired breathing after injury
• An oddly positioned or twisted neck or back

Traumatic injuries to the spine are often caused by the following.

• Motor Vehicle Accidents – including auto accidents, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, and bus accidents (42% of all spinal cord injuries)
• Falls – including workplace accidents
• Violent Acts – including shootings
• Medical Malpractice or Surgery Complications
• Sports related injuries
• DUI
• Distracted driver
• Auto manufacturing issue
• Pedestrian/cyclist related accidents 
• Unsafe roads
• Unsafe worksite conditions
• Slippery surfaces
• Tripping hazards
• Poorly-maintained property
• Physical contact
• Surgical error
• Medical negligence
• Medical product defects

Spinal cord injuries can also lead to secondary conditions that can be debilitating or even life-threatening. Symptoms may also include one or more of the following:

• Loss or altered sensations (including the ability to feel temperature and touch)
• Sharp or chronic pain caused by damaged nerves
• Loss or difficulty with movement
• Loss of bowel or bladder control
• Difficulty breathing or coughing
• Ongoing medical care is critical to preventing and managing these conditions

Monetary awards in spinal cord injury cases are to compensate the injured for the losses caused by their injuries. Compensation helps the injured party cope with a new way of life and in somes cases restore them to their pre-accident condition with proper medical care.

Damages typically include compensation that goes beyond the victim’s incurred medical expenses and reimbursement for “pain and suffering.” Due to the nature of these injuries, often with permanent effects, the damages awarded can include compensation for long term healthcare. They may also include the cost of motorized devices and modifications that may be made to the victim’s home to make it more accessible.

Compensation for an L&I spinal cord injuries may include: medical care, time loss, loss of earning power (LEP), vocational re-training, permanent partial disability (PPD), and injury pension awards.

There’s a misconception that personal injury lawyers cost too much money and that you can’t afford one. Washington Law Center is different. We do not get paid upfront and we don’t charge you unreasonable fees before any work has been done. Unless we get you compensated in your personal injury case, there are no lawyer fees.

Video Transcript: How Much Does A Lawyer Cost?

ATTORNEY ASHTON DENNIS: The question is often asked, “How much does an attorney cost?” And there’s a misconception in that “an attorney costs way too much and you can’t afford one.” We’re different. We do not get paid up front. We do not take a deposit. We do not take a retainer. We don’t ask for your credit card information. We simply are paid based on the value and money earned on your case. So if there’s no recovery, then there are no attorneys fees. It’s as simple as that.

Following an injury is often when people have the least amount of resources. They may be out of a job. They may need to pay medical expenses and just keep food on the table. We let you focus on the things you need to for your family, and we’ll focus on your case, on your specific claim, so that you don’t have to. Unless we get you compensated, there are no attorneys fees. So, give us a call early, maybe following the injury, and we’d be more than happy to get going.

No two spinal cord injury cases are the same. It is important to find an experienced attorney who puts in the work to learn and understand all the details of your case before giving you a number or making false promises to you and your loved ones. Washington Law Center is committed to results and always has your best interest in mind.

Video Transcript: What Is My Personal Injury Claim Worth?

ATTORNEY ASHTON DENNIS: Wondering what your case is worth is a natural question to ask. It’s something that all of our clients have asked: what is my case worth? If an attorney is willing to give you what your case is worth over the phone, without meeting you, without understanding the facts, they’re doing you a disservice. Knowing precisely what your case is worth requires a lot of work and a lot of understanding. That’s not something that you can just simply answer off the cuff.

If that’s advice you’ve gotten, we’d encourage you to give us a call because we’ll ask the right questions. We’re going to ask you how this injury affected your life. How did it affect your family’s life? Are you able to work again? How much work did you miss? What type of treatment did you go through? What is the future going to look like? Those are the questions we’re going to ask you. We’re not just going to give you some boilerplate answer that your case is worth ‘x’.

That’s not what good injury attorneys do. They look at the specific facts. They look at how you’ve been hurt, how it has impacted your family, and then they determine how to best approach it and whether that’s through negotiations, through a trial process, but no two cases are the same.