spinal cord injuries

El Paso Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

The spinal cord is an essential part of the body, as it sends messages from the brain to the rest of the body, and vice versa. When the spinal cord is injured, it can have a number of negative impacts on the body. The effects often remain with an accident victim for the rest of their life, and the financial consequences can be devastating.

If you have suffered a spinal cord injury as a result of an accident that was caused by someone else, it’s important to know that you may be eligible for compensation. This compensation can help offset the potentially considerable cost of your treatment, lost wages, and other damages related to your injury.

Please contact our El Paso spinal cord injury lawyer at the Law Offices of Michael J. Gopin, PLLC now to learn how we can help. The consultation is free, and there is no charge for our services unless we recover money for you.

How Do I File a Claim After a Spinal Cord Injury?

In order to file a personal injury claim for your spinal cord injury, you must have been in an accident that was caused by someone else. There are several elements you must prove in order to have a successful personal injury case:

  • The defendant owed you a duty of care, such as drivers have a responsibility to drive carefully at all times.
  • The defendant was negligent or acted carelessly or recklessly.
  • Because of the defendant’s careless actions, you suffered a spinal cord injury.

Our El Paso spinal cord injury lawyer can help you gather the evidence necessary to craft a strong personal injury claim. Our skilled legal team will handle every aspect of your claim so you can focus on your recovery.

How Long Do I Have to File a Claim After a Spinal Cord Injury?

In Texas, there is a two-year time limit for filing any personal injury claim, including those that involve spinal injuries. This is known as the statute of limitations, and all states have them. If you do not file your claim before this time, you will likely be barred from receiving any compensation at all, which is one reason it’s so important to speak to a spinal cord injury attorney in El Paso right away.

What Compensation Is Available for a Spinal Cord Injury?

There are many different types of losses associated with a spinal cord injury claim. As part of your personal injury case, our El Paso spinal cord injury attorneys may demand compensation for your:

  • Current and future medical expenses
  • Lost income
  • Reduced earning capacity
  • Loss of household services
  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional trauma
  • Loss of enjoyment of life

It’s important to take a holistic approach to your recovery, and your claim and understand all the losses you have incurred. A Texas spinal cord injury lawyer from our firm can advise you on the full amount of compensation you are entitled to before you file your claim.

What Are Some Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries? 

There are many different causes of spinal cord injuries, but there are some that are more common than others.

Motor vehicle accidents are the most common cause of these injuries. In fact, car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, and other auto accidents account for nearly half of all spinal cord injuries every year, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Following motor vehicle accidents, the next leading cause of spinal cord injuries are slip and fall accidents. These make up one-third of spinal cord injuries every year and occur mostly to people older than 65.

After motor vehicle accidents and slip and fall accidents, the most common causes of spinal cord injuries include acts of violencesporting activitiesalcohol use, and disease.

Who Can Be Held Liable for My Spinal Cord Injury?

This depends on how your accident occurred. Some of the potential parties who may be held liable in a personal injury case include:

  • Negligent drivers in the case of car accidents
  • Trucking companies, truck drivers, cargo loaders, or maintenance crews in the case of truck accidents
  • Negligent property owners in a slip and fall or other accident on someone else’s property
  • Negligent manufacturers if you were injured by a defective product
  • Other negligent parties who directly contributed to your accident

The El Paso spinal cord injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Michael J. Gopin, PLLC can thoroughly investigate your claim and identify all potentially liable parties. Contact us today for our help.

What Are the Symptoms of a Spinal Cord Injury?

There are many different symptoms of a spinal cord injury. Immediately following an accident, some emergency signs and symptoms include:

  • Extreme pain in the back, or pressure in the neck, head, or back
  • Immobility, in coordination, or weakness in any part of the body
  • Numbness in the hands, fingers, feet, or toes
  • Loss of bladder or bowel functions
  • Issues with walking and balance
  • Difficulty breathing after an accident
  • A back or neck that is oddly positioned

Other symptoms that may present themselves, either immediately following an accident or shortly after, include:

  • Lack of movement in any body part
  • Lack of sensation, or altered feeling of sensation, including not being able to feel heat, cold, and touch
  • Issues with bowel or bladder control
  • Reflexes or spasms that are exaggerated
  • Changes in sexual function, sensitivity, or fertility
  • Difficulty breathing or coughing up secretions from the lungs

If any of these symptoms are present immediately after an accident, or in the days or weeks following, you must seek medical attention as soon as possible.

What Treatments Are Available for Spinal Cord Injuries?

There are many different types of treatment for spinal cord injuries. These include:

  • Surgery: Surgery is sometimes performed to remove fluid or tissue placing pressure on the spinal cord, remove bone fragments or foreign objects, insert spinal braces, or to fuse broken spinal bones.
  • Traction: This can stabilize the spine and help realign it.
  • Methylprednisolone: Also called Medrol, this is a steroid medication that is given within eight hours of the person sustaining the injury to help mitigate the injury. Medrol reduces the damage to nerve cells and reduces the amount of inflammation at the site.
  • Experimental treatments: There are a number of experimental treatments being worked on to prevent cell death, manage inflammation, and promote the healing or regeneration of nerves.

Although there are treatment options for a spinal cord injury, many accident victims don’t make a full recovery. This is why it is crucial to explore your legal options for pursuing the financial compensation you will need to move forward with your life. We can discuss your options when you contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation. 

What Are the Long-Term Effects of a Spinal Cord Injury?

The most severe, and unfortunately one of the most common, long-term effects of a spinal cord injury is paralysis of some sort. This can include quadriplegia or paraplegia, depending on the nature and severity of the injury. Other long-term effects can include bladder infections, kidney stones, and osteoporosis.

Many spinal cord injury victims suffer a life-altering effects. They may need daily medical support and long-term care. Their ability to earn a living can be jeopardized, and their relationships with loved ones can be seriously hindered. 

Talk to an El Paso Spinal Cord Injury Attorney Today 

If you are suffering from a spinal cord injury from an accident caused by someone else, you are likely facing a challenging road ahead. You need to speak to a knowledgeable Texas spinal cord injury attorney for help. 

At the Law Offices of Michael J. Gopin, PLLC, we know how to hold insurance companies and at-fault parties accountable for paying the compensation you need to recover. Let us help you demand the justice you deserve.

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation to learn more about how we can help.