Spinal cord injuries, or SCIs, are extremely serious and life-altering injuries that can leave victims paralyzed. Even in minor cases,victims can develop issues related to range of motion and sensation that may require years of rehabilitative therapy to adequately address. There are many types of accidents in which a person could sustain a spinal cord injury and some of the more common include the following:
• Auto accidents
• Truck accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Boating accidents
• Slip and falls
• Workplace accidents
• Aviation accidents
• Pool accidents
• Recreations accidents
• Construction Accidents
• Accidents involving consumer products
• Pedestrian accidents
• All-terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents
• Bicycle accidents
Why are Spinal Cord Injuries so Serious?
The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that is responsible for allowing the brain to communicate with the rest of the body. As a result, any injury to it can disrupt this communication, resulting in problems ranging from tingling and numbness to a complete loss of feeling and movement below the site of injury. Spinal cord injuries are grouped into two general categories:
• Complete spinal cord injuries: In a complete spinal cord injury, the spinal cord is so damaged that all sensory and motor function below the site of injury is disrupted.
• Incomplete spinal cord injuries: In an incomplete SCI, there is still some communication between the brain and parts of the body below the site of the injury.
While there is always hope for recovery after any type of injury, the prognosis is generally better for individuals who have an incomplete SCI. Currently, medicine can do very little to directly treat an SCI in which all communication between the brain and the parts of the body below the injury has been lost.
What kinds of Damages are Available to Individuals who have sustained an SCI?
When spinal cord injuries are caused by the negligence of another person, the recovery victims can obtain is often substantial. This is because these injuries tend to leave victims with long-term medical issues and can have a significant impact on their quality of life. Some of the more common damages that are successfully recovered in spinal cord injury cases include the following:
• Medical expenses – SCI victims often incur hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in medical expenses as a result of their injury. Fortunately, Florida law allows victims to recover for their past, current, and future medical expenses that are a result of their injuries.
• Lost income – Most SCI victims are unable to return to work for months or even years, if at all. As a result, they can lose a significant amount of income as a direct result of their injury
• Physical and emotional pain and suffering – SCIs can leave victims with substantial physical pain and cause tremendous emotional suffering, both of which are recognized as compensable losses under Florida law.
• Loss of enjoyment of life – Distinct from pain and suffering, damages for loss of enjoyment of life are intended to compensate injured individuals for the losses associated with not being able to engage in the activities that they enjoyed before the accident, a common issue for people who have sustained an SCI.
Contact an Orlando Personal Injury Attorney Today to Schedule a Free Consultation
Spinal cord injury victims often have their lives irreparably changed by an accident that was caused by someone else’s carelessness or negligence. Fortunately, in many instances, a skilled lawyer can help people that have sustained an SCI recover significant compensation for their losses. Orlando PI attorney Jonathan K. Allen is a skilled personal injury advocate who works tirelessly to protect the legal rights of his clients. To schedule a consultation with Mr. Allen, call our office today at 407-205-2330.
• Auto accidents
• Truck accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Boating accidents
• Slip and falls
• Workplace accidents
• Aviation accidents
• Pool accidents
• Recreations accidents
• Construction Accidents
• Accidents involving consumer products
• Pedestrian accidents
• All-terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents
• Bicycle accidents
Why are Spinal Cord Injuries so Serious?
The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that is responsible for allowing the brain to communicate with the rest of the body. As a result, any injury to it can disrupt this communication, resulting in problems ranging from tingling and numbness to a complete loss of feeling and movement below the site of injury. Spinal cord injuries are grouped into two general categories:
• Complete spinal cord injuries: In a complete spinal cord injury, the spinal cord is so damaged that all sensory and motor function below the site of injury is disrupted.
• Incomplete spinal cord injuries: In an incomplete SCI, there is still some communication between the brain and parts of the body below the site of the injury.
While there is always hope for recovery after any type of injury, the prognosis is generally better for individuals who have an incomplete SCI. Currently, medicine can do very little to directly treat an SCI in which all communication between the brain and the parts of the body below the injury has been lost.
What kinds of Damages are Available to Individuals who have sustained an SCI?
When spinal cord injuries are caused by the negligence of another person, the recovery victims can obtain is often substantial. This is because these injuries tend to leave victims with long-term medical issues and can have a significant impact on their quality of life. Some of the more common damages that are successfully recovered in spinal cord injury cases include the following:
• Medical expenses – SCI victims often incur hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in medical expenses as a result of their injury. Fortunately, Florida law allows victims to recover for their past, current, and future medical expenses that are a result of their injuries.
• Lost income – Most SCI victims are unable to return to work for months or even years, if at all. As a result, they can lose a significant amount of income as a direct result of their injury
• Physical and emotional pain and suffering – SCIs can leave victims with substantial physical pain and cause tremendous emotional suffering, both of which are recognized as compensable losses under Florida law.
• Loss of enjoyment of life – Distinct from pain and suffering, damages for loss of enjoyment of life are intended to compensate injured individuals for the losses associated with not being able to engage in the activities that they enjoyed before the accident, a common issue for people who have sustained an SCI.
Contact an Orlando Personal Injury Attorney Today to Schedule a Free Consultation
Spinal cord injury victims often have their lives irreparably changed by an accident that was caused by someone else’s carelessness or negligence. Fortunately, in many instances, a skilled lawyer can help people that have sustained an SCI recover significant compensation for their losses. Orlando PI attorney Jonathan K. Allen is a skilled personal injury advocate who works tirelessly to protect the legal rights of his clients. To schedule a consultation with Mr. Allen, call our office today at 407-205-2330.
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