Louisiana Spine Injury Attorney
Practice Areas
Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys in Shreveport, Bossier City, and Mansfield, Louisiana
Spinal cord injuries are among the most devastating injuries one can experience. The spinal cord is a delicate bundle of nerves in the spinal column. Any damage to these nerves can result in paralysis, debilitating pain, and even death. These catastrophic injuries often come with millions of dollars in medical bills and lost wages over the course of your life. If you or a loved one has suffered a spine injury at the hands of a negligent driver, doctor, or employer, Gordon & Gordon Law Firm can help. Attorneys Stephen Gordon and Daniel Gordon understand the devastating effects of a spinal cord injury, and we have the experience and knowledge necessary to fight for you. Contact a Louisiana spine injury attorney at Gordon & Gordon by calling (318) 716-4357 today!
Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can be caused by any form of significant trauma. According to data from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, the most common causes of spinal cord injuries are car accidents and slip and fall accidents. These causes alone account for more than 70% of spinal cord injuries in the United States. We’ve listed the most common causes below.- Car Accidents
- Workplace Accidents
- Premises Liability
- Medical Malpractice
- Acts of Violence
What are the Types of Spinal Cord Injuries?
Spinal injuries are classified in two different ways: by location and by severity. The location of the injury along the spinal column is usually a good indication of how much of the body is affected by the injury.- Cervical spine. Your cervical spine is in your neck. Injuries to the cervical spine are often deadly. Cervical spine injuries can also result in total paralysis below the neck.
- Thoracic spine. The thoracic spine is from your shoulders to your mid-back. Injuries to these vertebrae can result in tetraplegia (loss of function in both legs and one arm) or paraplegia (loss of function in the legs).
- Lumbar spine. The lumbar spine is in the lower back. Injuries to this area can result in total or partial paraplegia.
- Sacral spine. The sacral spine is your tailbone. Injuries to this area can result in partial paraplegia.
Complete Spinal Cord Injury
Complete spinal cord injuries result in permanent damage. Depending on the location of the injury, a complete spinal injury can lead to paralysis. A complete spinal cord injury refers to the complete severing or damage to the spinal cord. People with a complete spinal cord injury often won’t regain sensation or movement in the affected limbs.Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury
Incomplete spinal cord injuries often have a lengthy and expensive recovery process. The nerve and muscle function below the injury is likely to be severely impacted. Swelling in the spinal cord can put pressure on the spinal cord, causing extreme pain and paralysis. Many people with an incomplete spinal cord injury can work to regain function and sensation in physical therapy.
Life for Spinal Cord Injury Victims
More than 17,000 people sustain spinal cord injuries every year in the United States. 30% of people with a spinal cord injury are hospitalized one or more times for various complications during any given year following the accident. Many injured victims often have serious future complications with blood clots, respiratory illnesses, and genitourinary infections. Not all homes are equipped to handle residents with a wheelchair, so many people have to drastically remodel their homes to be able to get around freely.Treatment for Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries have to be diagnosed and treated by a medical professional. Sometimes the shock and adrenaline from an accident can mask the true extent of an injury, so you may feel perfectly fine immediately after the accident. The issue with spinal cord injuries is that as the injury swells, more pressure is put on the sensitive and delicate spinal cord. Going too long without seeking medical treatment can cause permanent nerve damage and other complications. Depending on the severity of your injury, you may have multiple surgeries before ever leaving the hospital. People with spinal cord injuries often suffer debilitating pain and have to go through years of physical therapy.What To Do After a Spinal Cord Injury
The moments after any accident can be overwhelming and confusing. If you’ve suffered serious injuries, you may be disoriented and in pain. The most important thing after an accident is to seek immediate medical attention from experienced medical professionals. After that, contact an experienced attorney at Gordon & Gordon for a free case review.Seek Medical Attention Immediately
After any type of accident, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible. Some injuries can manifest at a later date, or an ache can turn out to be a fracture masked by adrenaline and shock. When you seek medical care, make sure you tell your provider what caused your injuries. Proper documentation is critical in a personal injury case.Keep Records
Keep detailed records of everything: your symptoms, your treatment plan, and aspects of your life that have changed. Personal injury cases can go on for months and even years. Keeping these records can help your case immensely.Don’t Accept a Check From the Insurance Company
Accepting a check from an insurance company prevents you from filing a lawsuit for the true cost of your expenses. In fact, we highly recommend not speaking to an insurance company on your own. When you work with Gordon & Gordon, we can handle all communication between insurance companies and their legal representation. This way, no information can be held against you later in your case.Contact a Spinal Cord Injury Attorney at Gordon & Gordon Law Firm
We go the distance to help our injured clients–no matter how far. We know how devastating personal injuries can be, especially catastrophic injuries that leave lasting consequences. We can meet you in your hospital room or at your home and begin working on your case.
Why You Should File a Claim for Your Louisiana Spinal Cord Injury Case
The loss of limb function is life-changing for many people. Many people with spinal cord injuries have to relearn how to perform many activities of daily living, or ADLs. This loss of freedom and mobility can have a devastating effect on mental health as well. Filing a personal injury lawsuit for spinal cord damage is a way for injured victims to recoup what they lost. Spinal cord injuries often come with expensive medical bills, and many people face additional health complications due to their injuries. Working with a Louisiana spine injury attorney can hold the at-fault party responsible for the damage they caused.
How Our NWLA Personal Injury Attorneys Can Help You
Personal injury cases, especially spinal cord injury cases, can be difficult to handle alone. Recovering from a catastrophic injury is hard enough. Trying to navigate the complicated system of personal injury law and fighting the insurance company every step of the way can be exhausting. When you work with the Shreveport catastrophic injury attorneys at Gordon & Gordon, you’ll be working with a spinal cord injury lawyer that can handle all the details for you. From gathering evidence to determining compensation, we’ve got you covered. An attorney-client relationship can let you rest and recover while we fight for fair compensation.
Gathering Evidence
After a devastating spinal cord injury, the absolute last thing you want to do is exhaust yourself trying to prove what happened to you. Let us handle that. We know exactly what kind of evidence to look for and how to collect it.
Proving Negligence
For a successful personal injury lawsuit, you and your legal team must be able to prove the legal elements of negligence.
- Duty. A duty of care is behavior that’s expected of another. A medical provider has a duty of care to evaluate and treat your ailment. Drivers have a duty to follow the law and drive safely. Landlords have a duty to keep their premises safe. It all boils down to maintaining health and safety.
- Breach. Any breach of this duty can have drastic consequences. Not only is speeding illegal, but it can cause an accident and bodily injury. These breaches can happen because of inexperience, distraction, or a conscious decision to break the law.
- Causation. You and your legal team must be able to prove that this breach of duty directly resulted in an injury. Let’s use an example: your doctor prescribes the wrong medication or dosage, but you notice the mistake. You don’t fill the prescription. The doctor may have breached his or her duty, but you were not injured as a result of their negligence.
- Damages. In addition to injury, you also have to prove that you suffered damages (financial losses) as a result of the injury. Even minor injuries often come with expensive medical bills and time away from work. A personal injury lawsuit can help you recover compensation for the damages caused by someone else’s negligence.
Determining Compensation
The true cost of a spinal cord injury is more than just the medical costs you rack up. Spinal cord injuries are often life-changing. You may require round-the-clock care for the first few weeks or months after you leave the hospital. If you are wheelchair-bound, your home and vehicle will likely need extensive remodeling to accommodate you. At Gordon & Gordon, our experienced spinal cord injury attorneys fight for compensation for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- In-home care
- Remodeling costs for your home
- Permanent disability
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment in life
- Punitive damages
- And more!
