Spinal cord injuries often result in life-altering physical, emotional, and financial impacts that profoundly affect injury victims and their families. Many individuals who sustain this type of injury are unable to return to their previous employment and may require long-term medical care or daily assistance.
Whether your injury was caused by a fall, motor vehicle accident, workplace incident, or another act of negligence, you may seek recovery for your documented losses under California law. While no recovery can replace what has been lost, a financial award permitted by law may help address the financial burdens associated with medical expenses and lost earnings.
If your injury was caused by the fault of another party, our San Jose spinal cord injury lawyers provide the professional advocacy necessary to identify the recovery permitted for your specific losses. Our legal team focuses on protecting your rights and helping you navigate the legal process.
At Jacoby & Meyers, our San Jose injury attorneys perform thorough investigations to identify potentially liable parties and gather the evidence needed to document your claim.
Call us today at (408) 341-6883 or visit our contact page to schedule a no-cost consultation to discuss the facts of your case. We provide advocacy to answer your questions and explain your rights under current California statutes.
Severity of Spinal Cord Injuries
An injury to the spinal cord involves the compression or severing of spinal nerves. It can happen any time you injure a vertebra that puts pressure on the nerve bundle. A spinal cord injury can cause temporary or permanent disability.
The severity of your injury depends on the impact and the location of the damage to your spinal cord. Some types of spinal cord injuries include:
Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries
When there is partial damage to the spinal cord and some, but less than total, loss of motor or sensory function below the level of injury, it is categorized as incomplete. With incomplete paralysis, an injury victim may be able to feel or move some parts but may experience numbness, weakness, or other limitations. Incomplete injuries also vary in severity.
Surgery, medication, physical therapy, and other forms of rehabilitation may be involved to help the injury victim regain function. Some incomplete spinal cord injuries may improve over time, while others may result in permanent disability.
Complete Spinal Cord Injuries
When there is a total loss of sensory and motor function below the level of the injury, it is categorized as a complete spinal cord injury. This means the person is paralyzed below the injury level.
These injuries often occur in the cervical area of the spinal cord and can involve paralysis of limbs and loss of bladder and bowel control.
Paraplegia
Paraplegia is a paralysis that affects the lower half of the body. It causes a loss of motor and sensory function in the legs, hips, and lower torso and is usually the result of an injury in the lumbar, thoracic, or sacral areas of the spinal cord.
Individuals with paraplegia may have limited or no movement in their legs and may require mobility assistance devices. The severity of paraplegia varies depending on the extent and location of the injury.
Quadriplegia
When paralysis affects all four limbs and the entire torso, it is called quadriplegia or tetraplegia. It is usually caused by a spinal cord injury to the upper spinal cord.
Most Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries have numerous causes. When they are caused by another party’s negligent, reckless, or intentional actions, you may be able to seek recovery for your documented losses.
Some of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries resulting in personal injury claims include:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Slip and fall and other premises liability accidents
- Product liability for injuries caused by dangerous or defective products
- Violent attacks
- Construction site and other workplace accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Blasts and explosions
The San Jose spinal cord injury lawyers at Jacoby & Meyers investigate each client’s accident to identify possible causes and potentially liable parties.
Compensation For Spinal Cord Injuries/Valuing a San Jose Spinal Cord Injury Claim
The type and amount of compensation that may be available depends largely on the severity of the injuries and the supporting evidence. In general, damages may include economic, non-economic, and in limited cases, punitive damages.
Economic damages are those that can be objectively quantified. They include current and future medical expenses, current and future lost wages, and other expenses incurred because of the injury.
Non-economic damages are more subjective and may include pain and suffering, mental and emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium.
Both economic and non-economic damages are intended to address losses associated with the injury. Punitive damages, when awarded, are intended to penalize certain conduct and deter similar behavior.
Punitive damages are rarely awarded in California and require clear and convincing evidence that the defendant’s actions involved malice, oppression, or fraud.
Our attorneys work to identify applicable categories of damages and supporting evidence.
Call Jacoby & Meyers Today
If you or a loved one have suffered a spinal cord injury because of another party’s fault, you may be entitled to seek compensation for your damages.
We understand that no amount of money can undo the impact of an accident or fully address the losses sustained. However, recovery permitted under California law may help mitigate the financial burdens associated with the injury. Our legal team provides the professional advocacy necessary to document losses and seek recovery permitted under the specific facts of your case.
At Jacoby & Meyers, we have represented injury clients for over 50 years and have experience handling personal injury claims.
Call us today at (408) 341-6883 or complete the short form on our contact page to schedule a free consultation. Our legal team provides advocacy to answer your questions and explain the legal options permitted under California law. If we represent you, we will provide professional advocacy to seek the recovery permitted for your documented losses.