Spinal Cord Injuries

Madison Spinal Cord Injury

Did someone else cause you to suffer a spinal cord injury in Madison, Wisconsin? If so, you’re likely facing the prospect of extensive medical care and a vastly different set of priorities and abilities than before. Medical bills might be piling up. You could be anxious, not knowing if you will ever be able to go back to work or do the things you love. This is likely a difficult time in your life, but it’s not one you should have to face alone.

The entire team at LawtonCates is standing by to offer you the support, guidance, and advocacy you deserve now more than ever. By working with a Madison spinal cord injury lawyer with our firm, you can pursue compensation for your injury-related losses and hold the at-fault party accountable for their wrongdoing. The money you may recover this way could pay for the care you need, support you and your loved ones, and help you move forward with as much comfort and hope as possible.

Contact us at LawtonCates today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation with a spinal cord injury lawyer in Madison. Let us demand compensation and accountability on your behalf.

How a Spinal Cord Injury Attorney in Madison, WI, Can Help with Your Case

People who have suffered a spine injury often have extremely limited physical, mental, and emotional energy to expend in the days and weeks following an accident. While you may recognize that receiving spine injury compensation is important to your long-term well-being, you may feel completely incapable of putting yourself through the claims process. With limited time to file a spine injury claim, you need someone with a thorough knowledge of Wisconsin personal injury law who can provide the support and advocacy you need.

By working with a Madison spinal cord injury attorney at LawtonCates, you will partner with a legal professional who can handle every aspect of your claim from start to finish. Our dedicated legal professionals will:

• Conduct a thorough investigation of the incident that led to your spine, back, or neck injury to determine its causes.
• Identify all at-fault parties and hold them accountable for their wrongdoing.
• Calculate the total value of your past, present, and future injury-related losses.
• Negotiate aggressively with the at-fault party’s insurance company to secure a settlement that will compensate you fairly.
• File a spine injury lawsuit against the at-fault party if their insurer is unwilling to give you the compensation you deserve.

With our spinal cord injury law firm on your side, you can focus on your health and medical treatment, knowing that your case is in excellent hands.

What Compensation Can I Pursue for a Spinal Cord Injury?

The compensation you could get is specific to your unique spine injury case. A spinal injury lawyer at LawtonCates can assess your situation and assist you in your pursuit of compensation for losses such as:

• Medical Expenses – Spine injuries often require swift, intensive, and ongoing medical intervention, which can come at significant financial cost. A successful claim can help you to pay for all past and future injury-related healthcare expenses.
• Lost Income – Many spinal cord injuries prevent victims from returning to work temporarily or permanently. A back injury lawyer can calculate the income you have lost due to the incident and work to make you whole.
• Reduced Earning Capacity – If you can work after your injury but cannot return to your previous job, you can claim the difference in income between a lower-paying job and your former line of work.
• Pain and Suffering – The physical and psychological pain and suffering from a spinal cord injury can be considerable. Our attorneys will seek the maximum available compensation for these intangible but very real losses.

How Long Do I Have to File a Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin’s statute of limitations generally requires an injured individual to initiate a lawsuit within three years of the injury date. This statutory deadline has few exceptions. You should contact a knowledgeable Wisconsin spinal cord injury lawyer at LawtonCates as soon as possible. By doing so, you’ll know the filing date specific to your case and avoid forfeiting your right to compensation.

What Are Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the most common causes of spinal cord injuries are as follows:

• Motor Vehicle Accidents – Collisions involving cars, motorcycles, trucks, and other vehicles account for 37 percent of traumatic spinal cord injuries. The sudden impact can lead to fractured vertebrae, a herniated disk, and damage to the spinal cord itself.
• Falls – Falls from ladders, roofs, scaffolding, and other heights make up 31 percent of spine and spinal cord trauma cases. The higher the fall, the more forceful the impact on the spine.
• Violence – Gunshots, stabbings, and physical assault may damage the spinal cord and cause partial or complete paralysis. These acts of violence account for 15 percent of spinal cord injuries.
• Sports – Athletic injuries make up 8 percent of all spinal cord injuries. Diving is particularly hazardous, as are hard-contact sports.

Medical or surgical errors are another common source of spinal cord injuries. Mistakes during medical procedures, such as anesthesia errors, can injure the spinal cord and nerve roots. Surgical mishaps also may cause inadvertent damage.

What Are the Types of Spinal Cord Injuries?

There are two main types of spinal cord injuries:

• Complete Injury – This means a total loss of sensory and motor function below the level of injury. A complete SCI often involves paralysis.
• Incomplete Injury – Some feeling or movement is retained despite damage to the spinal cord. An incomplete SCI may allow some degree of recovery.

SCI may also be categorized by the area of the spine affected:

• Cervical (neck)
• Thoracic (mid-back)
• Lumbar (lower back)
• Sacral (bottom of the spine)

Higher-level injuries usually cause more extensive paralysis. The specific vertebrae involved also determine what functions may be impaired.

What Are the Symptoms of a Spinal Cord Injury?

The physical consequences of a spinal cord injury are wide-ranging, affecting every area of the victim’s life. Symptoms include the following:

While medical intervention can limit the extent of some of these symptoms, others may last the remainder of the injured person’s lifetime.

What Are Treatment Options for a Spinal Cord Injury?

Regardless of the situation leading to the injury, all SCIs require swift medical intervention. Depending on the severity of the injury, treatment may be required on a long-term or even lifelong basis, and could involve any of the following:

• Emergency Stabilization – Maintaining blood pressure and oxygenation
• Surgery – To decompress the spinal cord or stabilize the vertebrae
• Medications – Steroids, pain relievers, or antispasmodics
• Rehabilitation – Physical, occupational, speech, respiratory and other therapies
• Assistive Devices – Wheelchairs, braces, catheters, or ventilators
• Stem Cell Injections – Experimental treatment to repair nerve damage
• Implanted Nerve Stimulators – Used to activate paralyzed muscles
• Ongoing Symptom Management – Bowel/bladder care, pain control, etc.

Many people who suffer severe spinal cord injuries will need many or even all of these treatments, and bills can become astronomical after even a short time. A spinal cord injury claim can give you the funds you need to maintain the necessary level of care.

What Are the Long-Term Effects of a Spinal Cord Injury?

Spinal cord injuries have many adverse physical and emotional consequences, including:

• Permanent Disability – Most SCIs cause lifelong loss of function.
• Secondary Complications – These include pressure sores, blood clots, bladder infections, etc.
• Chronic Pain – Nerve damage, musculoskeletal issues, and spasticity can cause ongoing pain.
• Depression and Anxiety – Many patients experience severe mental health effects.
• Reduced Life Expectancy – SCI increases risks for some life-threatening conditions.
• Unemployment – Many patients are unable to return to their previous jobs.
• Financial Hardship – Ongoing medical costs and loss of income are acute challenges.
• Strained Relationships – SCIs can negatively affect marriages and families.
• Social Isolation – Accessibility issues may cause withdrawal from society.

Your SCI claim can allow you to recover compensation for these losses.

What Is the Average Settlement for a Back Injury from a Car Accident?

There is simply no average settlement for a car accident back injury, because these injuries have so many different potential outcomes. The range for auto accident back and neck injury cases is between the tens and the hundreds of thousands of dollars, though certain cases can involve larger figures still. The most effective way to get an accurate assessment of the value of your case is to consult with an experienced back injury lawyer from LawtonCates. Your attorney can assess the various factors specific to your claim.

Contact a Madison, WI, Spinal Cord Injury Attorney Today

The attorneys at LawtonCates understand how challenging life can become after suffering injuries to the spinal cord. The consequences for your financial, professional, and personal life can be profound in the extreme. We also recognize that while a compensation claim cannot fix everything, having an opportunity to attain the justice you deserve can allow you to move on with dignity.

Our experienced legal team is ready to listen to your story and fight passionately for your rights. This has been our mission since 1958, and we’ve helped thousands of injured individuals in South Central Wisconsin get the financial recovery they deserve. Contact us today for a free case evaluation, and let us put our experience, skills, and resources to work for you.