Expert Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Serving South Jersey

Trusted Legal Advocacy in Millville, Bridgeton, and Cumberland County

Spinal cord injuries are counted among the most serious and devastating of all personal injuries. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) reports that about 12,000 Americans suffer a spinal cord injury every year, with most of these injuries caused by auto accidents.

Spinal cord injuries are especially devastating when they affect someone in the prime of life. What few people realize is that spinal cord injuries are actually more common in young adults. Although spinal cord injuries can happen at any age, data gathered by the NSCISC shows that most spinal cord injuries happen to people between the ages of 16 and 30. As the population has aged, the median age for spinal cord injuries has also risen and now stands at 42.6 years old.

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If you’ve suffered a spinal cord injury, our experienced attorneys are here to help. Contact us today at (856) 502-1655 for a free consultation. Hablamos español!

At Rosner Law Offices, P.C., we help people who have suffered serious personal injuries. Our Vineland spinal cord injury lawyers know how a catastrophic injury affects both the accident victim and his or her family members. These injuries come at a high personal and financial cost. If you have been injured in a car accident or any other type of accident, don’t pay the price of someone else’s negligence. If you have suffered a spinal cord injury in a car crash, slip and fall, work-related incident, or any other type of accident, we can help you get justice and compensation for your injuries.

Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries can occur in many ways. Some of the most common causes include:

• Car Accidents: The most frequent cause of spinal cord injuries, often due to high-impact collisions or sudden movements that force the spine out of alignment.
• Slip and Fall Accidents: A fall from a height or even a simple slip on a wet surface can result in serious spinal injuries, particularly in older adults.
• Workplace Injuries: Jobs that require lifting, operating heavy machinery, or working in dangerous environments can increase the risk of spinal injuries.
• Sports Accidents: Contact sports like football or accidents during activities like diving or horseback riding are common sources of spinal cord injuries.

Understanding these causes helps in preventing injuries and recognizing when someone may need medical attention after an accident.

Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries can be classified based on the location of the injury and the severity. Here are the key types:

• Cervical Injuries (Neck): These injuries affect the neck region of the spine and can result in paralysis from the neck down, often leading to quadriplegia.
• Thoracic Injuries (Upper Back): Injuries to the upper back can impact the chest and abdominal muscles, possibly leading to paraplegia, which affects the lower limbs.
• Lumbar Injuries (Lower Back): These injuries usually affect the legs and lower body, but patients may retain some upper body movement.

Each type of injury has different implications for movement and sensation, making early diagnosis critical.

Long-Term Rehabilitation for Spinal Cord Injury Victims

After a spinal cord injury, rehabilitation is crucial for improving quality of life. Here are some common rehabilitation options:

• Physical Therapy: Focuses on helping individuals regain strength, balance, and mobility through exercises tailored to their needs.
• Occupational Therapy: Helps individuals learn new ways to perform everyday tasks and adapt to changes in their ability to function.
• Assistive Devices: Tools like wheelchairs, braces, or prosthetics can enhance mobility and independence, enabling individuals to live more comfortably.

Rehabilitation can be a long and challenging process, but it plays an essential role in helping spinal cord injury victims regain as much independence as possible.

Understanding the Impact of Spinal Cord Injuries

Although medical research has come a long way in the past few decades, spinal cord injuries remain an area in which many patients are given a bleak prognosis. Because the spinal column is such an integral part of every bodily function, individuals who sustain these types of injuries often experience a drastically reduced quality of life. 

Depending on which part of the spine is injured, accident victims can suffer:

• Breathing problems
• Bladder and bowel incontinence
• Nerve damage
• Loss of motor function
• Muscle weakness
• Sexual dysfunction
• Complete or partial paralysis

The costs associated with spinal cord injuries can easily exceed millions of dollars over a lifetime. When individuals are injured during their working years, they can miss out on decades of income and retirement benefits. Even partial paralysis of a limb can stop a person from working. In the most serious cases, a spinal cord injury victim is permanently confined to a wheelchair or forced to use a ventilator to breathe. The costs associated with these cases can be astronomical.

Money can’t make these problems go away, but it can help ease the burdens of coping with such a devastating injury. Many health insurance policies exclude experimental and alternative treatments that show promise for spinal cord injuries. Moreover, many spinal cord injury victims quickly exhaust their medical benefits after just a few short years following their accident.

When you have been injured by another person’s carelessness, getting hit with stacks of medical bills can feel like a slap in the face. You shouldn’t have to adjust your lifestyle or stop doing things you love just to make ends meet. Our Vineland spinal cord injury lawyers work hard to hold negligent people accountable for their actions. We also work hard to make sure spinal cord injury victims never have to compromise their financial security due to their injury.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• What is a spinal cord injury?
  A spinal cord injury (SCI) occurs when there is damage to the spinal cord, which can disrupt communication between the brain and the rest of the body. This injury can lead to loss of sensation, movement, and even function in parts of the body.
• Can spinal cord injuries be fully treated or cured?
  Currently, there is no cure for spinal cord injuries, but medical advancements, including surgery, therapy, and assistive devices, can help manage symptoms and improve the quality of life for many individuals. Ongoing research offers hope for future treatments.
• How long does it take to recover from a spinal cord injury?
  The recovery time for a spinal cord injury varies depending on the severity and location of the injury. Some people may see improvement within months, while others may require long-term rehabilitation. Recovery can be a lifelong process.
• Can someone with a spinal cord injury walk again?
  Whether someone can walk again depends on the level and severity of their injury. In cases of partial paralysis, some individuals may regain some mobility with intense therapy and medical intervention, but full recovery of walking ability is rare.
• Will my insurance cover the costs of spinal cord injury treatment?
  Insurance coverage for spinal cord injury treatment can vary widely. Many insurance policies may cover immediate medical expenses but may not cover long-term care or experimental treatments. It's important to carefully review your policy and discuss coverage options with your insurer.
• How do I know if I have a case for a spinal cord injury lawsuit?
  If your spinal cord injury was caused by someone else’s negligence or wrongful actions, you may have a case for a lawsuit. A personal injury lawyer can evaluate the circumstances surrounding your injury and help determine if you are entitled to compensation.
• What types of compensation can I receive for a spinal cord injury?
  Spinal cord injury victims may be eligible for compensation for medical bills, rehabilitation, lost wages, pain and suffering, and long-term care costs. The exact compensation depends on the severity of the injury and the impact on the individual’s life.

Seek Justice with Rosner Law Offices, P.C.

Our lawyers are available to discuss your case. Call us to learn about our approach to spinal cord and catastrophic injury cases. We look forward to meeting you and helping you achieve your goals.