Even though the vertebrae of the spine provide it some physical protection, the spinal cord is still one of the most vulnerable parts of the body, and accordingly one of the most catastrophic places for an injury to occur. The spinal cord cannot heal itself like other body parts can, so if an external impact causes this bundle of nerves to be torn or severed, the damage done is invariably permanent.
If you suffered this kind of debilitating harm in an accident caused by another person’s negligence, you may have important legal rights available to you that a catastrophic injury attorney could help you take advantage of. With support from a seasoned Columbia spinal cord injury lawyer, you could work to hold the person responsible for your injury financially accountable for your ensuing losses—not only those you have already experienced, but also those that will manifest as the months and years pass.
What Effects Could Spinal Cord Damage Have?
The spinal cord effectively serves as the body’s information superhighway, transmitting signals between the brain and every nerve ending in the nervous system. If a serious injury cuts off this pathway at any point, no signals can pass to or from any part of the body below that point, leading to widespread loss of motor function, sensation, reflexes, and sometimes organ function.
Injuries to the lower part of the spinal cord may result in paraplegia, or paralysis in the lower limbs and sometimes the pelvis. Conversely, injuries closer to the neck often result in quadriplegia, which effectively entails complete paralysis of the entire body save for the head.
Importantly, not every spinal cord injury results in total paralysis—if an injury only causes partial loss of sensation, it is considered an incomplete spinal cord injury, and the injured individual may be able to recover somewhat in the long term. Either way, a dedicated Columbia attorney could help an injured individual seek appropriate compensation from the person or entity that caused the injury.
Rules for Civil Recovery in Columbia
A comprehensive settlement demand or lawsuit for a spinal cord injury may seek financial restitution for both economic and non-economic forms of harm stemming from the injury. In addition to objective losses like past and future medical expenses and loss of income from work, it may also be possible to recover for subjective losses like physical pain and emotional suffering.
However, even though spinal cord damage tends to have lifelong consequences, a judge may still elect to reduce a plaintiff’s damage award if that plaintiff is found partially responsible for their own injuries, or even bar them from compensation altogether if they bear more than 50 percent of the total blame. Additionally, anyone who fails to file suit within three years of the date a personal injury occurs may be barred from seeking compensation for that injury under South Carolina Code of Laws §15-3-530. Guidance from a seasoned spinal cord accident lawyer in Columbia is often critical to navigating these possible obstacles efficiently and maximizing available compensation.
Consider Working with a Columbia Spinal Cord Injury Attorney
Accidents that damage the spinal cord can be singularly devastating events, and it is almost certain that your life will never be the same again after suffering this kind of injury. Fortunately, if you can prove that someone else’s negligence directly caused the accident that harmed you, you may be able to hold them liable for both past and future losses stemming from that injury.
If you want to effectively pursue civil recovery for spinal cord damage, it may be essential that you seek counsel from a Columbia spinal cord injury lawyer. Call today to set up a consultation and discuss your legal options.
