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Seth Carroll - Partner at Commonwealth Law Group
Colonial Heights Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers

Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers in Colonial Heights

Spinal cord injuries are some of the most severe injuries that a person can receive. Because a spinal cord injury often involves significant health problems such as paralysis, it can completely change your life. 

Severe spinal cord injuries are not common, but they do happen. Every year in the United States, over 10,000 people suffer from spinal cord injuries caused by a variety of incidents and accidents. When it does happen, a spinal cord injury can cause a lifetime of health problems and medical needs.

A hurt neck or back can take weeks or months to heal, and treatment ranges from consistent chiropractor appointments to surgery. Even if your spine fully mends, the treatments can be costly and may impact your ability to work or engage in activities you once enjoyed.

After an accident where you hurt your back, you may be able to claim damages against the person or party that caused your accident. If your injuries were caused by someone’s negligence, you need help holding them responsible and getting the most compensation for your injuries as possible.

An experienced spinal cord injuries lawyer can help you build a case to recoup the money spent on medical bills or time missed at work. Contact Commonwealth Law Group today to discuss your case.

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What Are Spinal Cord Injuries?

Your nervous system is made of millions of nerve fibers throughout your body. Nerve endings combine into the spinal cord, which is a bundle of nerves that run up and down the spine. This cord begins at the base of your brain and ends at the bottom tip of your spine. Your brain uses the spinal cord to send instructions to the rest of your body.

The spinal cord is surrounded by a column of stacked vertebrae — bones with jelly donut-shaped discs between them. This structure is designed to provide flexibility and strength and also to protect the spinal cord.

When there is a trauma to the back or neck, the spinal cord can be damaged. When the vertebrae are broken, the spinal cord can be bruised, or it can be partially or even wholly severed. When the spinal cord is either partially or wholly severed, people become paralyzed. Where the injury on the spine occurs will dictate how extensive the paralysis will be.

Spinal cord accidents can happen at any time. If you’ve fallen after slipping or tripping in a store, been struck by a car while on a bike or walking, or been in a construction site accident, it’s critical to get medical attention immediately. 

Getting medical attention right away is critical if you’ve been hurt in an accident. The sooner you receive a diagnosis, the faster you can get treatment and recover. Back and spine injuries may not show up immediately, but emergency medical providers have the knowledge and experience to properly assess any damage to your spine. Additionally, medical records of the accident and damage are part of the case that your spinal cord injury attorney will use to build your case for damages. 

Suppose another party’s reckless actions or negligence caused the accident. In that case, a spinal cord injuries lawyer can negotiate on your behalf against the defendant’s insurance company or even in a courtroom if necessary.

Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries are almost always caused by some kind of trauma due to an accident or incident. Below are the most common causes of injury that our spinal cord injury attorneys see:

  • Car accidents
  • Truck accidents
  • Motorcycle crashes
  • Pedestrian accidents
  • Slip, trips, and falls
  • Work-related injuries
  • Construction site accidents
  • Recreational activities
  • Sports injuries

Accidents that cause such severe injuries are complex and difficult to prove. But the best back injury attorneys will fight for their clients' rights to receive significant compensation for their medical costs and personal suffering.

Common Types of Neck, Back, and Spine Injuries

The legal team at Commonwealth Law Group, experienced spinal cord injury lawyers, have represented clients with spinal cord injuries from mild to life-changing permanent injuries. Common kinds of spine and back injuries include:

  • Slipped or herniated discs, in which the soft interior cushion of vertebral discs bulges through the protective outer layer, pressing on the spinal cord and causing numbness or  chronic pain
  • Vertebral fractures can compress the spinal cord or pinch it, causing pain or inability to move normally. These are common after a car wreck or after an abrupt fall onto a hard surface
  • Whiplash injuries occur when the neck is forcibly bent backward and then forward and often happens in a car collision

Spinal cord injuries are classified into different degrees by the American Spinal Injury Association and rated by severity. Your back injury attorney may use this scale to prove the severity of your injury in your lawsuit:

  • ASIA A: Complete spine injury with no sensory or motor function preserved
  • ASIA B: Complete loss of motor function and incomplete sensory damage
  • ASIA C: Limited range of muscle motion and partial motor function injury
  • ASIA D: Limited motor injury, but a higher degree of muscle motion than ASIA C
  • ASIA E: Normal spinal condition

ASIA A and ASIA B injuries, the most severe, also have the lowest chances of a complete recovery. You may need to add home modifications to allow you to live independently, including accommodation for being in a wheelchair. 

You may also need to modify your vehicle to accommodate your injury. Your spinal cord injuries lawyer will account for these expenses, too, when filing your case for damages.

Colonial Heights Back Injury Attorneys Can Help

With serious spinal cord injuries, it’s important to investigate the case and make sure all responsible parties are held accountable. Experienced back injury lawyers will identify every responsible person or business, as well as their insurance companies, and fight to get as much compensation as possible.

This investigation is so important because the costs of future medical care, rehabilitation care, and living necessities for someone who is paralyzed are so great. After someone is paralyzed in a car crash or construction site accident, their future care and needs could cost millions of dollars over their lifetime.

Not just any law firm can handle complex cases that involve spinal cord injuries and people who have been paralyzed. The back injury lawyers at Commonwealth Law Group are here to help and use our vast resources to hold the people who caused the accident and injuries responsible for their actions.

Contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation with our experienced back injury lawyers to get your questions answered honestly and with compassion.

FAQs

How Much Is My Spinal Cord Injury Worth?

The amount your claim is worth depends on the severity of your injury and its impact on your life. Your back injury lawyer will consider the complete cost of your medical care immediately after the accident and during recovery. They’ll also consider time missed from work due to your injuries.

Your lawyer will file a claim for pain and suffering after the accident, which can include compensation for your chronic pain and the trauma from the accident. Sometimes, the injury will permanently change your life, such as leaving you in a wheelchair or unable to work or care for yourself independently. 

While no amount of money can make up for such a diminished quality of life, the compensation can help make your life more comfortable or enable you to hire caregivers to take care of your needs.

How Much Do Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Cost?

The legal team at Commonwealth Law Group works on a contingency fee. This means that the fees for your spinal injury attorney come from the settlement you receive. You don’t have to pay us a penny if we don't win your case.

Will My Case Go to Trial?

Although it is always possible that your case will go to trial, most personal injury cases settle before the trial date. A personal injury case will go to trial if there are disputes as to who was at fault or if the parties cannot agree on an amount of money that will compensate the injured person. 

If you have a strong team of spinal injury lawyers representing you, the case will usually settle before trial.

Is There a Time Frame for Filing a Spinal Cord Injury Case?

Yes, there is a time limit for filing personal injury cases in Virginia. The time limit is called the statute of limitations, and it is two years for most personal injury cases in the state. This means that you have up to two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit against the responsible party to seek compensation for your injuries. 

If you miss that two-year deadline, you might be forever barred from seeking compensation for your injuries. That’s why it’s so important to immediately contact a spinal injury attorney after you have suffered a serious injury. 

The sooner you have an experienced spinal cord injuries lawyer involved in the case, the sooner your attorney can start fighting for your rights.

If I Want to Settle with the Other Party’s Insurance Company, Do I Need a Lawyer?

The other party’s insurance company may approach you right after the accident with a fast settlement offer. However, this is usually as low as possible. Insurance companies are not on your side. Once you accept the settlement, then you can’t go back for additional funds later. 

You may develop complications from your injury, and if you settle, the party that caused your accident won’t be required to compensate you for these additional complications. However, an experienced spinal injuries lawyer can ensure you get the maximum settlement amount.

Commonwealth Law Group Representing Your Spinal Injury Case

If you’ve been involved in an accident and hurt your back or spine, you have the right to file a lawsuit against the party that caused it. Commonwealth Law Group, experienced personal injury lawyers, will provide the knowledgeable legal advice you need and the compassionate representation you deserve.

Contact us today for a free consultation.

“Great law group. Everyone was kind and down to earth. Made me feel like I was their only client. Very attentive to me and my case.”

Karen Jacobs

If you have been injured at work or through the negligence of another individual or entity, contact us at (804) 999-9999 or or use the form below to connect with our legal team. We will fight to get you the justice you deserve.