South Carolina Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers

Medical advances for the treatment of spinal cord injuries through rehabilitation have paved the way for victims to transition back to a productive lifestyle while living with various limitations.

For a spinal cord injury lawyer, the challenge is to make sure an adequate award is obtained for the victim; thus, ensuring that the plaintiff is to receive the funds necessary to move forward in life.

Liability must be thoroughly reviewed before acceptance of a spinal cord injury case. Thereafter, and only if liability justifies involvement, counsel must begin by evaluating the victim’s spinal cord injury.

Note that no two spinal cord injuries are ever the same, and that damages in paraplegia and quadriplegia cases will naturally differ in many ways:  past, present, and future wage losses; past, present, and future medical expenses; pain and suffering; emotional distress; embarrassment and humiliation; physical, emotional, and psychological injuries; and attendant care costs coupled with special medical equipment costs.

As each victim will have unique needs, “humanizing” the plaintiff’s case will dictate special attention to each need.

Life expectancy must be taken into account when evaluating any spinal cord injury case. In a rush to emphasize the catastrophic nature of the plaintiff’s injuries, inexperienced council can easily fall into a defense theory, such that the plaintiff’s injuries result in a shortened life expectancy.

While the defense argument tends not to take into account improvements in rehabilitative medicine, working to increase mobility, it is essentially an emotionally “rational” argument for the jury. Therefore, counsel must meet the argument head on, and early in the trial.

Similarly, in a given case, bowel and bladder control may be non-existent and concerns of potentially life threatening infection arise. It is not uncommon for orifices to be tightly closed, necessitating the use of suppositories. Catheters are required for voiding, along with a “void bag” or other such depository.

Concern of infection likewise arises from the risk of development of decubitus ulcers or pressure sores, a development that is potentially life threatening but avoidable though with proper care. These sores are caused by prolonged external pressure and a victim with limited mobility is naturally at a greater risk for the development of sores.

Moreover, the continued pressure on the particular point causes impairment of blood supply, depriving tissue of nutrition, causing tissue breakdown and the development of painful sores and potential infection.

Surgery is often a necessary result and mandated debridements. Protocol of most hospitals requires constant hourly turning of most victims of
quadriplegia. A wrinkled sheet or underwear not perfectly even is a potential cause for the development of a pressure sore.

With limited mobility, each spinal cord injury victim is at risk for death. Medical equipment and sufficient attendant care is imperative for the victim’s quality of life. Counsel is cautioned to keep in mind the necessity to tend to these issues to avoid a shortened life expectancy.

Spinal cord injuries are devastating. This abrupt physical change can have detrimental effects on the victim and often times, without proper intervention, a victim can lose the desire to exist and therefore psychiatric intervention is imperative. Mental evaluations must be required to cater to any significant neuronal damage, and potentially issue any necessary medications.

The Strom Law Firm will work with appropriate experts and treatment teams in order to address each of the issues relevant to a particular case: psychiatrists, neurologists, orthopedics, psychologists, neuropsychologists, speech, occupational and physical therapists, and many others.

If you or someone you love has suffered a spinal injury through no fault of your own, you may be entitled to compensation. Call the Strom Law Firm today for a free consultation with one of our personal injury attorneys. 803.252.4800 while you focus on getting better, we will concentrate on your rights.

Columbia, South Carolina Personal Injury Lawyers

Our South Carolina personal injury attorneys help victims who are hurt, disabled, or even killed through no fault of their own.

We will secure the compensation you deserve. We fight for compensation for medical bills and treatment, lost wages, and money for pain and suffering.

While you focus on getting better, we will focus on securing your compensation.