WHEATON SPINAL CORD INJURY LAWYERS

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Spinal cord injuries can be severe and can have lifelong consequences. This is because the spine is the instrument that connects the brain to the rest of the body. Accordingly, a spinal cord injury victim often needs lifelong care. This is why a victim should retain the services of an experienced Wheaton spinal cord injury lawyer. The award-winning attorneys at Portner & Shure, P.A. have been representing spinal cord injury victims in Montgomery County and the state of Maryland for over 30 years. We are ready to fight for you, too.

Request a free initial consultation by calling (240) 233-2801 or by contacting us online via our contact form.

The Anatomy of the Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is comprised of four nerve segments. The cervical spinal nerves are the top portion of the spine, which connects the brain to the neck, shoulder, and upper extremities. The thoracic spinal nerves are the upper middle portion of the spine, which connects the brain to the body’s mid extremities, such as the chest muscles and back muscles. The lumbar spinal nerves are the middle portion of the spine, which connects the brain to the lower abdomen and back. The sacral spinal nerves connect the brain to the thighs, legs, and feet. An injury to any portion of the spine can have dire consequences.

How Spinal Cord Injuries Occur & Their Effects

Spinal cord injuries often result from workplace accidents, athletic and sporting accidents, automobile collisions, and severe falls. Spinal cord injuries can also result from medical malpractice. Depending on the location of an injury and its severity, an injury can result in either paraplegia or quadriplegia. Paraplegia is the paralysis of the lower limbs, while quadriplegia (also known as tetraplegia) is the paralysis of all four limbs. These injuries often result in loss of sensation, function, and movement. Additionally, these types of injuries require a victim to use a wheelchair and, in some cases, may also require assisted living. Most spine injuries, however, involve compressed vertebra and displaced bones, which can cause life-long pain.

Treatments Available for Spinal Cord Injuries

Emergency care is usually the first medical treatment a spinal cord injury victim receives. The care is usually targeted towards minimizing the effects of the underlying trauma. Stated simply, this care is focused on immobilizing the spine in order to prevent further damage.

Following emergency medical care, traction, which is meant to stabilize the spine, is often necessary. Additionally, surgery may be needed to remove any items that are compressing the spine or to further stabilize it. Following surgery, rehabilitation is usually necessary. Rehabilitation includes physical therapy, occupational therapy, and orthopedic treatment. Depending on the type of spinal cord injury, therapy may restore or improve function and mobility.

Economic Effects of Paralysis

Spinal cord injuries affect not only the victim but also their families. The lifelong effects of a spinal cord injury can be economically devastating. Many victims find themselves unable to resume their prior employment, which decreases their lifetime earning potential. Along with this, victims and their families may find themselves overwhelmed with bills as a result of their medical treatment and assisted living care costs. These expenses can often result in extreme financial hardship or even bankruptcy.

How a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Can Help

Personal injury cases involving spinal cord injuries are complex and require the services of a seasoned Wheaton spinal cord injury lawyer. The goal in a spinal cord injury case is to obtain compensation for the victim’s economic and non-economic damages, such as medical bills, rehabilitation costs, lost wages/income, disability, pain and suffering, emotional distress, property damage, and more.

Proving these damages is difficult and often requires the testimony of an expert witness. In order to ensure that the testimony provided by an expert witness is accepted, the evidence they are relaying must be accurate. Preparing expert witness testimony is time-consuming and difficult; it requires attorneys who are well-versed in the rules of evidence and trial procedures.

What Sets Portner & Shure, P.A. Apart

Many attorneys are afraid to represent spinal cord injury victims. The cost of paying an insurance claim for a spinal cord injury is very expensive. Additionally, the cost of litigating a personal injury case involving a spinal cord injury is also very expensive. For these types of cases, insurance companies retain high-powered and expensive defense attorneys in order to avoid paying an injured person. Suffice to say, many attorneys are intimidated by the difficulties a spinal cord case presents.

The Wheaton spinal cord injury attorneys at Portner & Shure, P.A. routinely face off against high-powered defense attorneys in court. The insurance companies know that our attorneys are not easily intimidated and very often obtain favorable results for our clients. These results are evidenced by the numerous five-star reviews we have received from former clients.

Additionally, our reputation in the legal community has been recognized countless times, as seen by the numerous awards our attorneys have earned over our 25+ years of practice. We provide all of our personal injury services on a contingency fee basis; you do not owe any attorneys’ fees unless we successfully recover compensation for you.

To schedule a free consultation regarding your spinal cord injury accident case, call us at (240) 233-2801 or contact us online.