For over 20 years the burn injury lawyers of our Law Firm have dealt with cases involving injury and fatalities from burns. Some of the individuals our attorneys have served had suffered serious burn injuries which compromised their ability to work and care for their families. Other clients have been families in which a loved one suffered a wrongful death from burn injuries. Our burn injury attorneys have secured judgments for their clients that have enabled them to live with security and dignity.
Our attorneys have successfully represented families who have lost loved ones and individuals who have suffered serious burn injuries.
We seek to relieve our clients of anxiety and uncertainty about their cases. We work closely with each client to make sure we understand their needs and concerns, and to see that these are addressed so that the client can be completely focused on treatment and recovery. Because of our considerable experience, we are able to plan out a course of action for our clients that will take them to the conclusion of their case with minimal anxiety and stress. The most helpful service our burn injury lawyers can render to our clients is to prosecute their case aggressively, helping them achieve the fairest monetary result we can obtain. At the same time, we try to help our clients return to the life they enjoyed before they were burned.
When our Law Firm takes on a burn injury or wrongful death case, a partner assumes responsibility for the case and assembles a legal team of attorneys, investigators, paralegals, and other staff to investigate and research your case. Our attorneys will look first at your medical needs to determine whether you are getting the appropriate medical care and the rehabilitation you need. We review medical records to determine the full extent of the injury. We strive to understand all that occurred in the events leading to the burn injuries. We assess the evidence and all relevant information and circumstances. We evaluate the quality and functioning of products that were in use and any equipment or parts which may have been defective.
Our burn lawyers are committed to a thorough, fair, honest, and accurate investigation for any client on whose behalf we undertake representation. Unlike most personal injury firms, we have a full-time investigative staff we can deploy to thoroughly investigate every reasonable claim. In cases involving severe injury or death from burns, gathering the facts and evidence as soon as possible can be critical to the success of a case. We offer prospective clients unparalleled resources to accomplish the necessary investigation.
===================gtg
Frequently Asked Questions About Burn Injuries
HOW FREQUENT ARE SERIOUS BURN INJURIES?
In the US, about 500,000 burns each year are serious enough to require medical attention. Of these about 40,000 will require hospitalization. More than 60 percent of people hospitalized for burn injuries are admitted to specialized burn units. Four thousand people die of burns each year, and another 10,000 die of complications from their burn injuries.
WHAT MAKES BURNS SO DANGEROUS?
Burns destroy skin, which is the principal barrier to infection for the body. Without the protection of skin, burn victims are exposed to infections and are very vulnerable. Successful treatment of severe burns requires aggressive measures to prevent infections.
WHY DOES TREATMENT FOR SERIOUS BURN INJURIES TAKE SO LONG?
Successful treatment of burns requires stabilizing the patient, continuously preventing infection, then supporting the growth of new tissue, while preventing contractures from scar tissue, and maintaining range of motion. The growth of new tissue cannot be hurried. Complications following injury, shock, or burns may occur long after the initial incident, often when the patient is in an intensive care unit (ICU).
HOW IMPORTANT ARE ATTITUDE AND MOTIVATION IN HEALING FROM SERIOUS BURN INJURIES?
In burn care, the patient’s attitude and motivation are two of the most powerful factors influencing recovery rehabilitation. Many burn experts weigh these two elements as even more important than the specific physical injury.
ARE THERE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS FROM SEVERE BURNS?
Severe burns usually occur in sudden and frightening situations, like an auto accident or an explosion. Severe burns are extremely painful, their treatment may take months, and even with the best treatment outcome, the victim may be left with significant disfigurement and disability. For all of these reasons, severe burns exact a serious psychological toll on their victims. People who have suffered serious burn injuries often benefit from psychological support.
ARE SUPPORT GROUPS HELPFUL FOR BURN SURVIVORS?
A support group of other burn survivors can be invaluable. People who have been there, and lived through what the new survivor is experiencing can help the new burn survivor believe that recovery is possible and that the future is worth working for. Many survivors also make use of psychotherapy to help them deal with the challenges of this period.
IF MY BURN INJURIES WERE CAUSED BY SOMEONE ELSE’S NEGLIGENCE, MAY I SEEK COMPENSATION?
If your burn injury occurred as the result of negligence or misconduct, an attorney experienced in dealing with burn injury cases may be able to achieve a settlement that will recover your medical and rehabilitation costs, both current and future.
==================gtg
After a serious burn injury: should you consider legal action?
Planning for your future
Severe burns can leave a person with devastating, life-changing injuries. A person who has suffered severe burn injuries faces a long hospital stay, and even after discharge, the likelihood of multiple surgeries to restore function and appearance, and continued rehabilitation after surgeries. Treatment is lengthy, painful, and expensive.
Burn injuries may leave you significantly disabled, unable to work, unable to take care of your family, and unable to enjoy the life you enjoyed before you were burned. After burn injuries, your first concern must be getting the best medical and rehabilitative care, and the best possible resolution of your injuries. During this process, as you or your loved one face the changes ahead; you will likely begin to think about how you will deal with the financial consequences.
If you or a loved one has been seriously burned, or if a loved one has died from burns, you may be facing serious changes in your health, your lifestyle, your earning power, and your expectations for your and your children’s future.
An experienced burn injury attorney knows what burn injuries can mean to a person and their family and can help them think through their needs.
Should you consider legal action?
A person who has suffered severe burn injuries as a result of another’s negligence has the right to compensation for damage to their health, their earning power, and the loss of well-being. Compensation can include reimbursement for medical and hospital bills rehabilitation costs, lost wages and future earnings, pain, physical distress, and psychological suffering as a consequence of injuries and losses. If the changes in lifestyle, a need for modifications in the home, and diminished future earnings caused by burn injuries are extensive, a life planning consultant should be engaged to help calculate long-term medical and financial needs.
Many serious burn injuries are caused by the negligence or misconduct of another person, corporation, or government entity. Issues of product design and product safety also may have contributed to the burn injuries. Negligence is conduct that falls below the standard of care established by law for the protection of others against unreasonable risks of harm. Negligence and misconduct can occur in public settings, in which public employees fail to take sufficient care. Misconduct is improper or unlawful conduct motivated by premeditated or intentional purpose or by obstinate indifference to the consequences of one’s acts.
If your burn injury occurred as the result of negligence or misconduct, an attorney experienced in dealing with burn injury cases may be able to achieve a settlement that will recover your medical and rehabilitation costs, both current and future.
If you decide to pursue legal action, you should contact a burn injury attorney as soon as possible for a review of your situation. There are deadlines called statutes of limitation, set by laws that regulate the filing of lawsuits which vary state by state. If you or a loved one have suffered a serious burn injury and feel that faulty product design or negligence or misconduct was involved, you should not delay in contacting a burn injury attorney. If the statute of limitations expires, your right to pursue a claim may be forever barred.
The usual arrangement for hiring a lawyer in a burn injury case is a contingent fee agreement. The burn attorney agrees to be paid a fee only if the client’s case is ultimately successful, either by settlement out of court or by a judgment following a court proceeding. The burn injury attorney then receives a percentage of the final amount recovered. This fee arrangement is helpful for most people with severe burn injuries because it does not require the person bringing the case to pay any money upfront. Often the burn attorney may also be willing able to advance part or all of the costs of litigation until the conclusion of the case.
If you or a loved one has suffered serious burns, you should immediately contact a plaintiff’s law firm that handles burn injuries. When you contact our Law Firm, one of our experienced burn injury attorneys will discuss your case with you to help determine the best way to proceed. We would be pleased to be among those that you interview and would be honored to be the firm you select.
=======================gtg
Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys
A spinal column injury is life-changing for the person who has suffered it and for those close to the person. SCI brings with it new limitations on mobility and control of bodily functions, increased vulnerability to medical complications, and massive changes in lifestyle and expectations for the future. You and your loved ones face major adjustments in every aspect of your life, and in planning for your future.
Every 49 minutes an American sustains an injury to the spinal column, about 12,000 each year. At the time of their injuries, about half these people do not have health insurance. The University of Alabama National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center estimates that the costs in the first year are $209,000 for a person with paraplegia. For a person with tetraplegia, formerly called quadriplegia, first-year costs will reach $470,000.
Eighty percent of those injured are men; a majority are young adults between the ages of 16 and 30, and their injuries are largely caused by trauma such as motor vehicle crashes, acts of violence, and sports and recreation injuries. Falls also account for a large number of SCI’s; people over 65 are the group most at risk for falls.
If you or a loved one has recently sustained an injury to the spinal column, you will want to learn more about what you can expect. Living with a spinal injury offers useful information. Planning for the future can help you think through the new financial realities you face and your options for funding them.
========================gtg
How A Spinal Cord Attorney Can Help
Our attorneys have successfully represented persons suffering paraplegia and quadriplegia against some of the largest corporations in the world. We have worked with individuals throughout Texas. Our spinal cord attorneys have worked over several decades with people facing this kind of injury.
Our attorneys understand that any person with paraplegia or quadriplegia will face substantial costs for the rest of their life. In such cases, the spinal cord injury attorneys consult with a qualified life care planner who can anticipate all the challenges and needs that the injured person will face, not only next year or the next five years but 20, 30, or 40 years out. Our spinal cord lawyers make sure all present and future expenses have been addressed, in order to arrive at a realistic evaluation of the economic costs of the injury that must be factored into the case’s resolution.
Our spinal cord injury attorneys are committed to a thorough and accurate investigation for any client on whose behalf we undertake representation. Unlike most personal injury firms, we have a full-time investigative staff whom we can deploy to thoroughly investigate every reasonable claim. In cases involving spinal column injury, gathering the facts and evidence as soon as possible can be critical to the success of a case. We offer prospective clients unparalleled resources to accomplish the necessary investigation.
When our Law Firm takes on a case, a senior spinal cord injury attorney assumes responsibility for your case and assembles a legal team of attorneys, investigators, paralegals, and other staff to investigate and research the case. We strive to understand all that occurred, to carefully assess the medical records, and to determine the full extent of the injury. We will look first at your medical needs, to determine whether you are getting the appropriate medical care and the rehabilitation you need.
Our attorneys work closely with medical consultants, life-planning specialists, and other experts to determine the extent of your present and future needs. When we take on a case, we commit to doing everything that it takes to develop and prosecute the case, with the aim of securing the most favorable resolution possible for our client.
One of the most important decisions you will make after a catastrophic injury is selecting a spinal cord attorney to represent you. You will want to talk to several lawyers, and as you interview plaintiff’s lawyers and law firms you should carefully examine their background and ask about their experience in cases similar to yours. You want a law firm whose tetraplegia and paraplegia attorneys have significant trial experience with your type of case, and sufficient assets to aggressively prosecute your case against well-funded and determined adversaries.
Another important consideration in choosing your counsel is to find a quadriplegia or paraplegia attorney that you feel comfortable with, have confidence in and can trust. There will come a time when you must decide whether to resolve your case through settlement or take it to trial. At that point, your confidence and trust in your spinal cord lawyer will be vitally important. We strongly recommend you interview at least 2 or 3 very highly competent plaintiff’s lawyers and law firms before making your final decision. We would be honored to be among those that you interview and would feel privileged to be the firm you select.
=====================gtg
Glossary
TERMS AND WORDS USED IN SPINAL CORD INJURY
TERM DEFINITION
AUTONOMIC DYSREFLEXIA Most frequently experienced by people whose SCI is at T6 or higher. Usually triggered by a painful or unpleasant stimulus, AD is a massive response by the sympathetic nervous system. Symptoms include elevated blood pressure, intense headaches, profuse sweating, facial redness, goosebumps, nasal congestion, and a feeling of apprehension and doom. It requires a prompt response and the removal of the stimulus.
CERVICAL SPINE The vertebrae and section of the spinal cord that starts directly below the skull, and includes the neck. “Cervix” is the Latin word for the neck. The vertebrae are designated C-1 through C-7.
DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS DVT The formation of a blood clot, or thrombus in a vein buried deep in a muscle. DVT most frequently occurs in the leg veins and the deep veins of the pelvis. The risk is that a clot could dislodge and travel to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism.
DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE Deterioration in the intervertebral discs, the small fleshy pads between the vertebrae discs that function as shock absorbers. Deterioration can cause pain and loss of function.
DORSAL Referring to the back, or posterior side of the body
INTERCOSTAL Between the ribs (costae=ribs)
LUMBAR The vertebrae and section of the spinal cord below the thoracic spine, in the low back. Lumbus is the Latin word for loin. The vertebrae are designated L-1 through L-5
METHYLPREDNISOLONE A steroid administered within 8 hours of a spinal cord injury. Clinical trials have shown that treatment methylprednisolone increases recovery by about 20% when given within 8 hours after injury but does not help when started more than 8 hours after injury.
MOTOR Refers to muscle movement
PHYSIATRIST A medical doctor who is trained and specializes in physical rehabilitation
PULMONARY EMBOLISM Blockage of the pulmonary artery (or one of its branches), usually when a blood clot from a vein becomes dislodged from its site of formation, is transported to the lungs, and blocks the arterial blood supply of one of the lungs.
SACRAL SPINE The bottommost section of the spine, behind the pelvis, is sometimes called the tailbone.
SENSORY Refers to the ability to feel touch, pressure, pain, heat, etc.
TETRAPLEGIA Tetraplegia is replacing quadriplegia as the term for the condition in which a person experiences paralysis of both arms and legs. The paralysis may be partial or complete
THORACIC SPINE The vertebrae and section of the spinal cord below the cervical spine, in the region of the chest, ribs, and stomach. Thorax is the Latin word for chest. The vertebrae are designated T-1 through T-12.
=========================gtg
Frequently Asked Questions About Spinal Cord Injury
How frequent are spinal cord injuries in the U.S?
About 12,000 people suffer spinal cord injuries every year in the United States. Most people injured are between 16 and 30 years old, and about 4 times as many men suffer SCI as women. Estimates of the total number of people living with spinal cord injury vary from 250,000 to nearly 400,000.
What are the major causes of SCI?
The largest single cause of spinal cord injuries is motor vehicle crashes, which cause 42%, followed by falls at 27%. Acts of violence at 15%; sports at 7.4% and all others at 8.1%. The percentage of injury falls has increased steadily since 1973.
Who gets spinal cord injuries?
Spinal cord injuries happen mostly to teenagers and young adults, and mostly to men. About 80% of people living with SCI are men.
What is paraplegia?
An injury in the lower spine, usually from T-2, the second thoracic vertebra can result in paraplegia, the loss of use of the legs, imposing severe restrictions in a person’s life. If the paraplegia is permanent, a person must plan his/her entire life around the restrictions that come with the loss of use of their legs, including permanent use of wheelchairs.
What is tetraplegia (formerly called quadriplegia)?
An injury in the cervical spine C-1 through C-7, or the first thoracic vertebra, T-1, will result in tetraplegia, loss of use of both upper and lower extremities. An individual with quadriplegia may also need mechanical assistance to breathe, and 24- hour around the clock assistive care to survive.
How important is prompt treatment after a spinal cord injury?
A spinal cord injury caused by trauma is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment. Outcome and the degree of function preserved are directly affected by how promptly treatment is started.
Corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone or methylprednisolone, are now administered after most traumatic spinal cord injuries. They can reduce swelling that could further damage the spinal cord, but they must be administered within 8 hours after the injury. If the spinal cord is compressed by a hematoma (a pooling of blood from internal bleeding) or a fragment of bone, these must be surgically removed as promptly as possible to prevent further damage to the spinal nerves. These treatments may reduce or prevent paralysis in some cases.
Does SCI mean a lifetime in a nursing home?
Definitely not. When SCI survivors leave their rehab treatment, more than 85% of them return to the living arrangement they had before their injury, usually their own home or apartment. Most SCI survivors need some degree of modification to kitchens and bathrooms and other adaptive equipment.
What are the prospects for returning to work after a spinal cord injury?
About 40% of people with paraplegia and 30% of those with tetraplegia (quadriplegia) are eventually able to work again. The likelihood of returning to work is affected by such factors as the level of the injury (how high on the spinal cord), completeness of the injury, ability to get around without assistance, the person’s work history prior to the spinal cord injury, education level, age, gender, and motivation.
What about sports?
People with SCI play basketball, sled hockey, and rugby. They fish, race in wheelchairs, and mountain bike with handcycles. Sports do for people with SCI what they do for everyone else: they offer exercise, sociability, the opportunity to compete, and push yourself to your potential. If sports were part of your life before your SCI, you’ll want to look for a way to play as soon as your doctor clears you to do it.
What is a physiatrist?
A physiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in rehabilitation medicine and is an expert in how to help people with spinal cord injuries recover their maximum function.
======================gtg
Spinal Injury Attorneys – Choosing an attorney
Many spinal injuries are the result of negligence or misconduct by individuals, common carriers, or government entities. When a person is injured as a result of misconduct or negligence by an individual, a corporation, or a government, that person may have grounds for a lawsuit. When the injury is to the spinal cord, the long-term consequences in medical expenses and changes in lifestyle are very substantial, and it may be appropriate to seek financial redress from a negligent party. If you or a loved one has experienced a spinal cord injury that you believe is the result of negligence or misconduct, you may wish to consult a plaintiff’s attorney experienced in dealing with this complex injury.
If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury, you may want to discuss your situation with a spinal cord attorney who is experienced in such cases. It is important to pursue the matter as soon as possible after an injury, while evidence is still available as is access to witnesses.
If you or a loved one believes a corporation or government entity contributed to your injury, you should contact a spinal attorney immediately for review of a potential claim. There are deadlines set by law that regulate the filing of lawsuits, called statutes of limitation, that vary state by state. If you believe that you or a loved one was harmed by a person’s, a corporation’s, or government’s negligence or misconduct, you should not delay in contacting an attorney. If the statute of limitations expires, your right to pursue a claim against the entity may be forever barred.
For over two decades our spinal injury attorneys have worked with people facing this kind of injury. Our experience in spinal cord injury cases describes our efforts in securing compensation for victims of spinal cord injury.
Our spinal attorneys understand that any person with paraplegia or quadriplegia will face substantial costs for the rest of their life. In such cases, spinal injury attorneys consult with a qualified life care planner who can anticipate all the challenges and needs that the injured person will face, not only next year or the next five years but 20, 30, or 40 years out. Our spinal cord injury attorneys make sure all present and future expenses have been addressed, in order to arrive at a realistic evaluation of the economic costs of the injury that must be factored into the case’s resolution.
Our spinal injury attorneys are committed to a thorough and accurate investigation for any client on whose behalf we undertake representation. Unlike most personal injury firms, we have a full-time investigative staff whom we can deploy to thoroughly investigate every reasonable claim. In cases involving spinal cord injury, gathering the facts and evidence as soon as possible can be critical to the success of a case. We offer prospective clients unparalleled resources to accomplish the necessary investigation.
OUR EXPERIENCE
For over two decades, our attorneys have dealt with cases involving serious injury, including spinal cord injuries, and have secured judgments for clients that have enabled them to live with security and dignity.
The spinal injury attorneys at our Law Firm have represented individuals who suffered paraplegia and quadriplegia from boating accidents, automobile accidents, and other accidents. We work extensively with clients and their families, helping them rebuild their lives and plan their futures. Our perspective is that for a person with paraplegia or quadriplegia, compensation must cover not only their immediate situation, but must also anticipate future medical complications, expenses, and quality of life issues.
A spinal cord injury massively affects not only the person’s life but the lives of the person’s entire family. Their home, including showers, kitchens, and access to rooms, may need to be redesigned to be accessible.
When we take on a spinal cord injury case, we work with professional life care planners, experts in assessing the needs of people with severe spinal injuries and planning their future needs. Our spinal injury attorneys have also represented a number of injured children, for whom adequate life care planning must be anticipated.
Our quadriplegia attorneys and paraplegia lawyers understand that representing a person who has suffered paraplegia or quadriplegia is an extremely complex undertaking. It requires a close working relationship with the person and their family members to anticipate all the issues that may arise in the course of complex litigation, as well as planning for the person’s life following the lawsuit.
======================gtg
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE SPINAL CORD AFTER AN INJURY?
Whether the damage to the spinal cord is caused by a traumatic injury to the vertebral column, or by a disease, the end result is that the backbone pinches the spinal cord, causing it to become bruised or swollen. Sometimes the injury may tear the spinal cord and/or its nerve fibers. An infection or a disease can result in similar damage.
After an injury to the spinal cord, all the nerves above the level of injury keep right on working. The site of the injury is like a washout on a road that blocks traffic from going either way. The washout may be complete, or it may be partial so that some traffic can get through. The spinal cord nerves at the site of the injury and below can no longer send messages between the brain and parts of the body they connect with as they could before the injury.
A doctor examines an individual to evaluate the damage to the spinal cord. An X-ray may show where the damage to the vertebrae is located. The doctor does a pinprick test (just what it sounds like) to see what feeling the person has in various parts of the body. The doctor will ask the patient what parts of the body s/he can move, and test the strength of important muscle groups. These examinations help the doctor and treatment team know what nerves and muscles are still working.
TREATMENT OF SPINAL CORD INJURIES
An injury to the spinal cord caused by trauma is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment. Outcome and the degree of function preserved are directly affected by how promptly treatment is started.
Corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone or methylprednisolone, are now administered after most traumatic injuries to the spinal cord. They can reduce swelling that may further damage the spinal cord, but they must be administered within 8 hours after the injury. If the spinal cord is compressed by a hematoma (a pooling of blood from internal bleeding) or a fragment of bone, these must be surgically removed as promptly as possible to prevent further damage to the spinal nerves. These treatments may reduce or prevent paralysis in some cases. Traction may be instituted to reduce spinal compression in lower back injuries. Anticoagulants are essential in preventing blood clots which can produce further complications.
After the acute injury is treated and the patient is stabilized, the patient should be evaluated by a neurologist and a physiatrist to assess the damage and develop a rehabilitation plan. The patient will be transferred to an intensive rehabilitation unit, which may be in the same hospital where the initial care was given or may be in a different facility.
In an intensive rehabilitation unit, both the person with SCI and their family are seen as important members of the rehab team. The team also includes professionals in physical medicine, nursing, occupational and physical therapy, social work, psychology, and recreation who will develop a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to the person’s care. The goal of rehabilitation is to help the newly injured person learn how to care for a body that now functions very differently, cultivate health practices that will reduce the secondary complications of SCI, and enable the person to rebuild his/her life into one of satisfaction and dignity.
A rehab stay may last weeks or months, depending on the injury and the specific rehab goals. Most improvement and recovery of function will occur in the first six months following the injury. That’s the statistical picture. Nonetheless, many people with spinal cord injury report continuing gains in function months and even years after the initial period.
======================gtg
Spinal cord injuries: types and causes
Your spinal cord is 15 to 17 inches long. It starts at the base of the brain and runs to your waist. It consists of long nerve fibers that carry information to and from the brain. The cord runs down through the vertebrae like a string running through a stack of spools. The 33 vertebrae, the bones of the spinal column, surround the cord and protect it.
Injuries to the spinal cord are termed either partial or total, referring to the degree of damage to the cord, and its ability to transmit nerve impulses. Total injuries, in which the cord is entirely severed or otherwise so damaged that no nerve transmissions can move past the site of the injury, are relatively rare. Most injuries to the spinal cord are partial, in which the cord is damaged, but some degree of nerve transmission remains, leaving the person with some sensation or capacity for movement below the site of the injury to the cord.
Most injuries to the spinal column and cord result from trauma, some form of assault to the spine that fractures, crushes, compresses, or dislocates one or more of your vertebrae. Damage occurs immediately and is then usually compounded in the next days or weeks because of inflammation, bleeding, swelling, and fluid accumulation that accompanies the injury and creates more pressure on the spinal cord.
More than 85% of new spinal cord injuries in the United States each year result from three kinds of trauma:
Motor vehicle crashes
Car, truck, motorcycle, and off-road vehicle injuries account for 42% of spinal cord injuries, about 6000 every year.
Interpersonal violence
About 15 percent of spinal cord injuries result from violent encounters, such as gunshot and knife wounds and brute force assaults.
Falls
Approximately 27 % of spinal cord injuries are caused by a fall. Among people over 65, falls are the major cause of spinal cord injuries.
Sports and recreation injuries
Contact sports, diving in shallow water, and other athletic activities account for 8% of spinal cord injuries. Sports with a high risk of SCI include football, gymnastics, surfing, rugby, downhill skiing, diving, ice hockey, and wrestling.
Non-traumatic injuries
Some spinal cord injuries are non-traumatic, in which the damage is slower-acting and cumulative, but the end result is the same. SCI can result from arthritis, cancer, other tumors, blood vessel problems or bleeding spinal inflammation, or infections. Degenerative disease of the intervertebral discs, the pads of tissue that separate and cushion the vertebrae can also cause pressure on the spinal cord severe enough to cause injury.
WHO IS AT RISK FOR SCI?
Although an unexpected trauma like a motor vehicle collision can happen to anyone, the numbers for SCI are skewed toward men. About 80% of spinal cord injury victims are men. The age group most at risk is young adults, ages 16-30. Participation in the high-risk sports named above increases risk.
The other group at risk is people over 65, for whom falls are the most frequent cause of spinal injury. People with predisposing conditions such as arthritis and osteoporosis can develop a spinal column injury from a relatively minor injury.
========================gtg
Planning for the future, funding your needs
EXPENSES
A spinal cord injury is a very expensive condition. The University of Alabama’s National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center cites these figures:
Average costs for the first year of medical care for a person with paraplegia are $209,000, and for a person with tetraplegia, $470,833.
Annual costs in subsequent years can run more than $130,000 for a person with high tetraplegia, and more than $27,000 for a person with paraplegia
The average cost for a van equipped to transport a person with tetraplegia is $45,000.
Your home will require modifications that make it easy to get into and leave your house, and to use the kitchen, the bathroom, and other areas with your wheelchair. Costs of home modifications will vary, but the average cost to make a house fully wheelchair accessible is $175,000.
If your spinal cord injury compromises your ability to dress and toilet yourself, you may well need a personal care assistant. Costs will vary depending on where you live and how many days and hours per week you need an attendant.
EARNING POWER
A spinal cord injury usually brings major changes in your earning power. While you’re in rehab, your rehab team will help you think about work: whether you can expect to work, and if you can, whether you continue to work at the job you used to do, and what kinds of modifications you’ll need in your work environment. If your former work is no longer possible, an occupational therapist and/or a vocational counselor will work with you to figure out what kind of work you’re able to do.
FINANCIAL RESOURCES
If your injuries mean that either for the short term or the long term you’ll be unable to work, you’ll want to check on any disability insurance you may have, to see what kind of income it provides. You’ll also want to look into eligibility for Social Security disability benefits and supplemental security income (SSI) and for Medicare, which provides medical coverage for people with disabilities, and any other insurance coverage you may have.
SHOULD YOU CONSIDER LEGAL ACTION?
Many serious injuries are caused by the negligence or misconduct of another person, a corporation, or a governmental agency. Negligence is conduct that falls below the standard of care established by law for the protection of others against unreasonable risks of harm. Negligence and misconduct can occur in public settings, in which public employees such as law enforcement personnel fail to take sufficient care. It can also occur in any kind of business in which the business offers service and owes a duty of care to its clients or customers. Misconduct is improper, or unlawful conduct motivated by premeditated or intentional purpose or by obstinate indifference to the consequences of one’s acts.
If your spinal cord injury occurred as the result of negligence or misconduct, an attorney experienced in dealing with spinal cord injury cases may be able to achieve a settlement that will recover your medical and rehabilitation costs, both current and future. A settlement may also cover home modifications and future specialized care needs.
If you decide to pursue legal action, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible for a review of your situation. There are deadlines called statutes of limitation, set by law that regulate the filing of lawsuits which vary state by state. If you or a loved one have suffered a spinal cord injury and feel that negligence or misconduct was involved, you should not delay in contacting an attorney. If the statute of limitations expires, your right to pursue a claim may be forever barred.
The usual arrangement for hiring a lawyer for a spinal cord injury case is a contingent fee agreement. The attorney agrees to be paid a fee only if the client’s case is ultimately successful, either by settlement out of court or by a judgment following a court proceeding. The attorney then receives a percentage of the final amount recovered. This fee arrangement is helpful for most people with a spinal cord injury because it does not require the person bringing the case to pay any money upfront. Often the attorney may also be able to front part or all of the costs of litigation until the conclusion of the case.
======================gtg
Bicycle Accident Attorneys
Bicycle tire over rocky terrain
Bike riding is increasingly popular in the US both as a sport and recreation. As roadway congestion and concerns about pollution increase, more and more people are also turning to their bicycles for errands, commuting, and general transportation. Bicycling is an excellent form of exercise, a smooth, non-impact activity that places minimal stress on joints. It’s especially good for weight loss and for cardiovascular health. Bicycling allows a much closer connection between the cyclist and his or her surroundings than does riding in a car or motorcycle.
Bicycling also carries some real risks. Bikes share the road with cars and trucks, usually without sufficient barriers between bicycle lanes and motor vehicle lanes. The National Centers for Disease Control reports that each year, more than 500,000 people in the US are treated in emergency departments for bicycle-related injuries. More than 700 people die as a result of bicycle accident-related injuries. Children 15 years and younger are at particularly high risk, accounting for 59% of all bike-related injuries seen in US emergency departments.
The number of preventable deaths from bicycle transportation incidents increased 6% in 2019 and has increased 37% in the last 10 years, from 793 in 2010 to 1,089 in 2019. At the same time, the number of preventable nonfatal injuries has declined 40%, from 515,861 in 2010 to 308,864 in 2019. However, the number of preventable nonfatal injuries did increase 7% in 2019 from 2018.
The costs of fatal bicycle accidents and serious bicycling injuries are substantial. The numbers are economic costs and do not begin to approach the impact on families who have lost a loved one in a bicycling accident, or the loss in quality of life for bicyclists severely injured in crashes.
If you or a loved one has recently suffered a serious injury through a bicycle accident, you will want to learn more about your rights. After a serious bicycle injury, you should consider legal action.
A plaintiff’s citizenship or immigration status is not an issue in a bicycle accident or fatality case involving failure of bicycle parts or tires, negligent installation or maintenance, and unsafe roadway design. Our bicycle attorneys have represented Mexican citizens, Mexican nationals living in the US, and undocumented immigrants who have been harmed by unsafe bicycles, tires, and roadways. Location of the bicycle accident is also not a factor. Whether the accident occurred in the US or in Mexico, if the harm was due to unsafe or defective design, manufacture, or defective component parts on the part of a US manufacturer, or negligent installation or maintenance, our attorneys can pursue redress in US courts.
Our Law Firm is a leader in bicycle accident and injury law.
Many serious bike injuries and fatalities are the result of negligence or misconduct by individuals, common carriers, or government entities. When a person is injured as a result of misconduct or negligence by an individual, a corporation, or a government, that person may have grounds for a lawsuit. In the case of a serious injury caused by a bicycle accident, the long-term consequences in medical expenses and changes in lifestyle can be very substantial, and it may be appropriate to seek financial compensation from a negligent party.
If you or a loved one has experienced a bike injury that you believe is the result of negligence or misconduct, you may wish to consult a plaintiff’s attorney experienced in dealing with this kind of complex injury. It is important to pursue the matter as soon as possible after an injury, while evidence is still available and access to witnesses is easiest.
If you or a loved one believes a corporation or government entity contributed to your bike injuries, you should contact an attorney immediately for review of a potential claim. There are short deadlines set by law that regulate the filing of lawsuits, called statutes of limitation, which vary state by state. If you believe that you or a loved one was harmed by a corporation’s or government’s negligence or misconduct, you should not delay in contacting an attorney. If the statute of limitations expires, your right to pursue a claim against the entity may be forever barred.
Our bicycle accident attorneys have worked for over two decades with people facing injuries from bicycle accidents, and the survivors of people who have died in bicycle collisions. We secure fair compensation for victims of bike accidents.
Our bicycle accident attorneys are committed to a thorough and accurate investigation for any client on whose behalf we undertake representation. Unlike most personal injury firms, we have a full-time investigative staff that we can deploy to thoroughly investigate every reasonable claim. In cases involving serious bicycle injury or a bicycle fatality, gathering the facts and evidence as soon as possible can be critical to the success of a case. We offer our clients unparalleled resources to accomplish the necessary investigation.
=====================gtg
Causes of bicycle accidents and bicycling injuries
Each year more than 500,000 people in the US are treated in emergency departments for bicycling injuries, according to the National Centers for Disease Control reports. In year one year alone the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has figures 773 people died as a result of bicycle injuries, and an additional 44,000 were injured in traffic crashes. Pedal cyclist deaths accounted for 2 percent of all traffic fatalities, and pedal cyclists made up 2 percent of all the people injured in traffic crashes during the year.
Children 15 years and younger are at particularly high risk, accounting for 60% of all bicycle injuries seen in US emergency departments.
The principal cause of bicycle fatalities and severe bicycle injuries is collisions with motor vehicles, most frequently occurring because of vehicle drivers’ errors or inattention. Other causes of bicycle crashes include unsafe conditions on the roadway, such as loose gravel or other debris in the road, severe unevenness in the roadbed, and pits and potholes. Rain-slicked surfaces also frequently contribute to crashes. Speed increases risk; the higher a bicycle’s speed at the time of a collision, the harder the driver’s impact when they hit the pavement or anything else. Doing stunts on your bicycles also increases the odds of accidents and injury.
Pedal cyclist fatalities occurred more frequently in urban areas (73%), and at non-intersection locations (68%). The most dangerous time of day to be riding was between the hours of 5 and 9 p.m. when 27% of fatalities occurred. Summer, the months of June, July, and August accounted for 33% of all bicycle fatalities.
Wearing a helmet dramatically increases a bicyclist’s odds of surviving a collision, and reducing the risk of a traumatic brain injury. Nearly 70 percent of fatal bicycle crashes involve head injuries, according to the US Department of Transportation, yet only 25 percent of cyclists wear helmets. The DOT estimates that if all children age 4 to 15 wore helmets when they rode bicycles, 45,000 head injuries and 55,000 scalp and face injuries could be prevented every year.
In 1986 California became the first state to pass a bicycle helmet law, and a subsequent amendment now covers all riders under 18 Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have helmet laws, most of which cover riders under 16. Thirteen states have no helmet laws at all. The state of Texas does not require any bicyclist to wear a helmet at the state level. However, within city limits, children under age 18 must wear a helmet while riding on public property including trails and in parks.
In contrast to cars and trucks, bicycles provide virtually no protection in a crash. An automobile or a truck provides structural protection in the form of a steel cage surrounding the occupants, and passenger restraint systems like seatbelts and airbags. Lacking protection from their vehicle, cyclists need helmets and other protective gear.
Even when cyclists wear helmets and protective clothing they may suffer injuries that result from faulty highway design or from defects in their safety equipment. Some bicycle injuries and fatalities are caused by malfunction of the bicycle, poor vehicle design, or a bad fit between cyclist and bike.
For everyone who rides a bicycle, safety should be an extremely important concern. Avoiding collisions with cars is the most effective means to reduce injuries and fatalities. Drivers involved in car-bicycle collisions often report that they did not see the cyclist. A bright headlight, a blinking red tail-light, reflective clothing, and a loud horn all increase a cyclist’s visibility.
=======================gtg
Bicycle safety and preventing bicycling accidents
Preventive tactics and safe practices
The most important safety measure bicyclists can take is to avoid collisions with cars and trucks. Bicycle safety consultants recommend these tactics to avoid collisions:
Make yourself and your bicycle highly visible. Your bicycle should always have a headlight, preferably an LED model, and a blinking red tail light. Wear a reflective vest and bright-colored clothing to increase your visibility.
Your helmet should be white or light-colored.
Have a loud horn, and don’t hesitate to use it.
Get a handlebar or a helmet mirror and check it frequently.
Ride with the flow of traffic, on the right-hand side.
Observe all traffic rules. Stop at stop signs and red lights. Remember that bicyclists must follow the same rules of the road as other vehicle operators, including obeying traffic signs, signals, and lane markings.
Avoid busy streets. The route you take when you drive may not be the safest route to take on your bike. Look for alternative routes with less traffic.
At intersections, stop ahead of or behind the vehicle nearest you, to be sure the driver can see you. If you stop right beside the vehicle, you may be in the driver’s blind spot.
Ride far enough away from the curb that you won’t get hit if a person in a parked car opens a left-side door into the roadway.
Assume that cars can turn right at any time. Do not assume that they will signal. Often they don’t.
Never move to the left without checking behind you. A car could be coming up on you.
Never pass a car on the right. The car could turn right unexpectedly, right into you.
Don’t ride in dangerous conditions
The night is the most dangerous time for bicyclists. Even with lights and reflective clothing, drivers often won’t see you. Don’t ride at night if you can avoid it.
Rain and high wind will make it harder to control your bicycle. The most dangerous time to ride is when the rain has just started. The rain lands in all the little pockets and uneven spots on the road surface, and the grease and oil floats on top, making the roadway especially slick. If it starts to rain while you’re riding, stop for coffee or duck under an overhang and wait it out.
A strong wind, 20 mph or more can push a bicycle around. Gusts are especially dangerous because they’re not predictable. Wait out a wind if you can. If you must ride, keep the bicycle to the side of the lane that the wind is coming from so that if a heavy gust shoves you, you have some room to maneuver.
The importance of helmets
The most important piece of safety gear for cyclists is a properly fitted helmet. Helmets are designed to cushion and protect riders’ heads from the impact of a crash. Like safety belts in cars, helmets cannot provide total protection against head injury or death, but they do reduce the incidence of both.
Nearly 70 percent of fatal bicycle crashes involve head injuries, according to the US Department of Transportation, yet only 25 percent of cyclists wear helmets. Wearing a helmet dramatically increases a bicyclist’s odds of surviving a crash, and a helmet reduces the risk of a traumatic brain injury. The DOT estimates that if all children age 4 to 15 wore helmets when they rode bicycles, 45,000 head injuries and 55,000 scalp and face injuries could be prevented every year.
Helmets decrease the severity of head injuries, the number of days spent in the hospital, and the overall cost of medical care after a bicycle crash. Helmets have the additional benefit of protecting the cyclist from dust, rocks, and other debris thrown up by other vehicles.
The first bicycle helmet law was passed in California in 1986 and became effective in 1987. This law was amended in 1994 to cover everyone under 18.
The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute offers these recommendations for buying and fitting a helmet:
Make sure your helmet fits to get all the protection you are paying for. A good fit means it is level on your head, touching all around, comfortably snug but not tight.
The helmet should not move more than about an inch in any direction, and must not pull off no matter how hard you try.
The strap holds your helmet on your head and is as important as the helmet. Make sure the strap and the latch are strong.
Your helmet should be highly visible. Choose white or a light color. With a dark-colored helmet, you increase the risk that a driver will not see you, especially at night.
Always replace a helmet after a crash. The compressible foam inside the helmet absorbs the energy of the crash. Once it has done this, the foam does not recover. A helmet that has been through one crash will not protect you from a second one.
For the most up-to-date evaluations of helmets check the most recent Consumer Reports helmet review.
No matter how effective and safe your helmet is, it only protects you if you wear it.
Other important safety equipment
Protective clothing can prevent injuries and reduce the seriousness of injuries to arms and legs, hands, and feet. Protective clothing includes:
Eye protection: Riders should protect their eyes against insects, dirt, rocks, and other debris, and tearing and blurred vision from the wind. Good quality goggles or glasses with plastic or safety lenses can provide a measure of protection. Goggles and glasses should be unscratched, shatterproof, and ventilated to prevent fog buildup.
Jackets and pants: Clothing should be tough enough to provide some protection from abrasion if you’re tossed from your bike. Avoid pants with wide bottoms or excessive fullness; don’t risk your clothes getting tangled in the chain.
Gloves: Wear gloves that give you a solid grip on the handlebars, brakes, and shift levers. Leather gloves or fabric gloves with leather palms and grip strips on the fingers work the best.
Use your gear to increase your visibility
Jerseys, jackets, and other upper body clothing should be brightly colored to increase your visibility, especially at night. It’s a good idea to wear reflective orange or yellow vests you’re your clothes. Reflective strips on clothing, helmet, and bicycle also help to make the rider more visible to other drivers, especially at night.
Choosing a safe bike
Choose a bicycle that’s a comfortable fit and does the job that you need it to do. When you’re astride the bicycle you should be able to touch the ground with both feet. Seat height, seat angle, handlebar style, and handlebar height all contribute to ease of handling. Have an experienced bicycle salesperson adjust all these so you’re comfortable on your bike, and can handle it easily. Check the brakes and the shift levers, and make sure you can reach and operate them easily and comfortably.
======================gtg
After a serious bicycle injury: should you consider legal action?
Planning for your future
Bicycle crashes can leave a person with devastating, life-changing injuries. Even with the use of helmets, traumatic brain injuries are a frequent outcome in bicycle crashes. Without the use of a helmet, the risk of brain injury rises significantly. A bicyclist thrown from his or her bike is a risk for a spinal cord injury resulting in tetraplegia and paraplegia.
Traumatic brain injury may result from a fracture or a penetration of the skull. Damage to the brain may occur at the instant the head impacts a hard surface, and it may also occur later, as swelling or bleeding within the brain puts pressure on brain structures.
Following a traumatic brain injury in a bicycle crash, significant improvement will continue for 16-22 months following the accident. At one and a half to two years post-trauma, a person has largely stabilized; whatever recovery the person has achieved at that time is very likely all that will be achieved. For the rest of one’s life, a person who has suffered a TBI and those responsible for their care will have to work with the limitations of that recovery. It is critical that the victim’s injuries and deficits be carefully evaluated, so that a plan for rehabilitation and care can be developed, including a realistic appraisal of lifetime expenses.
Being thrown from a bicycle at high speed can also result in a spinal cord injury. An injury in the lower spine can result in paraplegia, the loss of use of the legs, imposing severe restrictions in a person’s life. If the paraplegia is permanent, a person must plan their entire life around the restrictions that come with the loss of use of their legs, including permanent use of wheelchairs. Seasoned bicycle injury attorneys understand the realities of wheelchair use, and the need to redesign and rebuild a home so that a person can use their kitchen, their bathroom and can navigate other spaces.
Injuries higher up the spinal cord can result in tetraplegia, a loss of use of both arms and legs. An individual with tetraplegia may need mechanical assistance to breathe, and 24-hour around-the-clock assistive care to survive. An experienced bicycle injury attorney knows what this diagnosis can mean to a person and their family and can help them think through their needs.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured, or if a loved one has died in a bicycle accident, you may be facing serious changes in your health, your lifestyle, your earning power, and your expectations for you and your children’s future.
In the case of a serious injury, your first concern must be getting the best medical and rehabilitative care, and the best possible resolution of your injuries. During this process, as you or your loved one face the changes ahead, you will likely begin to think about how you will deal with the financial consequences.
Should you consider legal action?
Pedalcyclists who are injured as a result of another’s negligence have the right to compensation for damage to their health, their earning power, and the loss of well-being. Compensation can include reimbursement for medical and hospital bills, rehabilitation costs, lost wages and earning power, pain, and other physical distress, and psychological suffering as a consequence of injuries and losses. In the case of serious injuries such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), or spinal cord injury (SCI), the changes in lifestyle, the need for extensive modifications in the home, and diminished earning power are so extensive that a life planning consultant should be engaged to help calculate long-term medical and financial needs.
Many serious injuries to cyclists are caused by driver inattention or other negligence, or the misconduct of another person, corporation, or government entity. Issues of product design, product safety, and highway design defects may have contributed to the bicycle crash. Negligence is conduct that falls below the standard of care established by law for the protection of others against unreasonable risks of harm.
Negligence and misconduct can occur in public settings, in which public employees such as law enforcement personnel fail to take sufficient care. Misconduct is improper, or unlawful conduct motivated by premeditated or intentional purpose or by obstinate indifference to the consequences of one’s acts.
If your bicycle injury occurred as the result of negligence or misconduct, an attorney experienced in dealing with bicycle injury cases may be able to achieve a settlement that will recover your medical and rehabilitation costs, both current and future. A settlement may also cover home modifications and future specialized care needs.
If you decide to pursue legal action, you should contact a bicycle injury attorney as soon as possible for a review of your situation. There are deadlines called statutes of limitation, set by law that regulate the filing of lawsuits which vary state by state. If you or a loved one have suffered a spinal cord injury and feel that negligence or misconduct was involved, you should not delay in contacting an attorney. If the statute of limitations expires, your right to pursue a claim may be forever barred.
The usual arrangement for a bicycle injury case is a contingent fee agreement. In such an arrangement, our bicycle injury attorney agrees to be paid only if the client’s case is ultimately successful, either by settlement out of court or by a judgment following a court proceeding. The bicycle injury attorney then receives a percentage of the final amount recovered. This fee arrangement is helpful for most people who have suffered a serious bicycle injury because it does not require the person bringing the case to pay any money upfront.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a bicycle accident, you should immediately contact a plaintiff’s law firm that handles bicycle accidents. When you contact our Law Firm, one of our experienced bicycle injury attorneys will discuss your case with you to help you determine the best way to proceed. We would be pleased to be among those that you interview and would be honored to be the firm you select.
============================gtg
Frequently Asked Questions about bicycle safety and bicycle injuries
How frequent are bicycle injuries and fatalities in the U.S?
The National Centers for Disease Control reports that each year, more than 500,000 people in the US are treated in emergency departments for bicycle-related injuries. More than 700 people die as a result of bicycle-related injuries.
What causes bicycle crashes?
Vehicle drivers’ errors or inattention are the most frequent cause of bicycle crashes. Loose gravel on the road or rain-slicked surfaces frequently contributes to crashes. Speed increases risk; cyclists are more likely to sustain serious injury when they are riding fast. Doing stunts on your bicycles also increases the odds of accidents and injury.
How can bicyclists protect themselves?
The simplest and most effective protection is to wear a helmet. Helmets reduce the number of deaths and traumatic brain injuries, and they reduce overall medical costs.
How important are preventive tactics?
Wearing a helmet will not prevent you from being hit by a vehicle. The essential practice of safe bicycling is to be as predictable and as conspicuous as possible so that motorists always know you are there and can predict what you are going to do.
Should bicyclists ride with the traffic, or against the traffic?
The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center of the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center advises that bicyclists should ride with traffic. By riding against traffic — especially on the sidewalk — you make yourself almost invisible to motorists turning at intersections and driveways who may not be expecting or looking for road users coming from your direction. Indeed, as many as one in four bicycle/motor vehicle collisions involve a rider who is either riding against traffic and/or riding on the sidewalk.
How can I be sure that my bike is safe?
The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends that you check your bicycle frequently to make sure that all parts are working right. Before you ride, check the brakes to see that they’re working. Look for loose or broken parts on your bike, and remove them. Use your lights and be sure you have reflectors; especially in the dark, they make you much more visible to drivers.
Can I carry a child on my bicycle?
A child riding with you always needs to wear a helmet, and you should use a special seat that fits behind the main seat. The bike should have spoke guards to prevent the child’s feet from getting caught in the spokes.
What is the most dangerous time for bicyclists?
The night is the most dangerous time because visibility is reduced. Thirty-six percent of bicycle fatal injuries occur between 6 pm and midnight.
How can I protect myself when I’m biking at night?
Every bicyclist should have a headlamp, preferably the newer LED models, which have a brighter light and draw less power from batteries. Every bicyclist should also have a blinking red rear light. In addition, cyclists traveling at dusk or in the dark should wear a reflective vest with the SMV (slow-moving vehicle) triangle on it. Bicyclists’ clothing should be bright-colored, with reflective strips, to increase visibility to drivers.
If a dangerous roadway condition or a hazardous intersection contributed to my bicycle accident, can your Law Firm take on my case?
We have extensive experience of over 20 years in highway design cases. If our bicycle injury attorneys take on your case, they will thoroughly evaluate a possible highway design claim.
As a bicycle rider in Texas, what are the regulations I should follow?
All bicyclists must operate under Texas Motor Vehicle Laws while on public roadways, including stopping at stop signs, yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks, displaying proper illumination, and riding with the traffic flow on designated “One-way” streets in designated bicycle lanes.
After a bicycle crash, what resources will I have to pay my medical expenses?
Many people will have insurance that will help pay medical bills, either through their health insurance or through the healthcare or the uninsured motorist provision in their automobile insurance policy. These are called first-party benefits, and they are the usual first resource for payment for medical expenses related to a bicycle injury. Our bicycle accident lawyers ask our clients to bring in copies of all their policies so that we can determine their rights of recovery under all policies that may apply.
If my insurance company pays some of my medical bills after a bicycle accident when I recover will they be entitled to reimbursement?
Most insurance policies have a contractual provision stipulating that the insurance company has a right to seek recovery for reimbursement. At the conclusion of your case, our bicycle accident lawyers will negotiate the best possible terms with your insurance company for reimbursement from the proceeds of your case.
=========================gtg
