Manhattan Spinal Injury

A spinal injury occurs when there is trauma to the collection of nerves that are inside the spinal column, resulting in loss of motor control and sensation to some part of the body. The type of paralysis experienced by the victim depends on the location of the spinal injury. In some cases the victim suffers, paraplegia, while in order cases the victims suffers quadriplegia. In addition to having to deal with the inability to move certain body parts, paralysis causes a multitude of additional health problems since the spinal cord is responsible for a range of bodily functions including breathing, bladder and bowel control, body temperature regulation, and sexual functioning. Such medical problems require regular treatment and lead to a lifetime of considerable medical bills. If you or a loved one was injured in an accident due to another person's negligence, it is important that you immediately contact an experienced Manhattan spinal injury lawyer who will review the details of the accident and help you pursue a personal injury claim to recover damages for your injuries.

A spinal cord injury is typically caused by a traumatic injury or blow to the spine. According to statistics compiled by the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, the most common causes of spinal cord injury are:

• 42.1%- Car, truck and SUV accidents is the leading cause of spinal injuries. SUV rollover accidents in particular result in injuries to the spinal cord since the roof is prone to collapse onto the occupants.
• 26.7%- While a simple fall rarely leads to a serious spinal cord injury, when the fall is from a high elevation, the spinal cord can be crushed, leading to significant impairment. These types of accidents sometimes occur at construction accident sites
• 15.1%- Criminal violence, including assaults where the victim is shot or stabbed in the spine.
• 7.6%- Sports and recreational activities, particularly sports such as football that involves violent contact, or gymnastics where falls on the back and head are not uncommon.

If you were injured in a vehicle accident, construction site fall, or a recreational accident that resulted in a spinal injury, you have the legal right to file a personal injury claim in order to collect compensation for the losses you suffered, including:

• Medical expenses: All past and future medical expenses related to treating your spinal injury are compensable. This may include your hospital bills, bills related to surgery, medication and other treatment. Expenses related to diagnostic tests such as MRIs, CT scans, x-rays, and lab work should be included. In addition, if you need special medical equipment and assistive technology to get around such as motorized wheelchair, those expenses are compensable as well.
• Lost wages: Because spinal cord injuries affect mobility, it is difficult for victims of serious spinal injuries to return to work right away, if ever. If you miss time from work or find that you are no longer able to work, you have the right to demand compensation based on your lost wages, lost benefits, and other types of lost compensation. If you are self-employed, you still have to right to demand compensation that you lost based on your lost self-employment revenue.
• Pain and suffering. Pain and suffering compensation is non-economic damage award designed to address the fact that along with a serious injury such as a spinal cord injury come both physical trauma such as pain and permanent paralysis as well as emotional suffering such as depression, inability to sleep, feelings of helplessness and fear.

If the accident in which you suffered a spinal injury was a workplace accident, you may be entitled to benefits from your employer's workers' compensation insurance plan.

If you or a loved one was injured in an accident that resulted in a spinal injury, contact an experienced attorney who understands both the legal issues associated with personal injury cases as well as the medical issues associated with spinal injuries. The staff at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates is experienced in handling personal injury and wrongful death cases stemming from auto, truck, motorcycle, boat, and construction accidents. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.