Lake Charles Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers

Over 10,000 people in the US suffer a spinal cord injury (SCI) each year, and as a result live with disabling paralysis, paraplegia, quadriplegia, or other nerve damage. The loss of function, mobility, sensation, bowel control, or bladder control has a far-reaching impact on a person's life. If you have suffered a spinal cord or back injury, it is important that you get sound legal advice before accepting any insurance settlement, so you recover maximum compensation for your loss.

If you would like to speak with an attorney from our Lake Charles firm, Broussard & Hart, L.L.C., about a personal injury claim, please contact our office and arrange a free and confidential consultation. Our firm has extensive experience in similar claims, and we assure you the matter will be handled with sensitivity.

Causes and types of spinal cord injuries

Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries, followed by violent attacks, falls, and sports injuries. Infants may suffer spinal cord damage from shaking, or even during birth.

• 18-wheeler Truck accidents
• Car accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Pedestrian knock-downs
• Slip and fall accidents
• Construction accidents
• Birth injuries
• Maritime accidents
• Aircraft accidents

There are two types of spine and back injury, complete and incomplete. A complete injury is one in which the victim has no sensation or voluntary motor movement on either side of the body below the level of the injury. If the victim has some feeling or partial movement, it is called an incomplete injury.

Understanding continuing medical advances and spinal injuries

There is currently no cure for spinal cord injuries, but research shows continuing possibilities. Our lawyers work to get adequate damages so our clients can maintain condition in affected body parts, in the event future treatments are developed.

Injuries are usually defined with reference to the area of the spine affected. Nerves in the spine are defined by the area of the vertebrae:

• Injury to the spine in the neck area will affect the cervical vertebrae – an injury to the nerves at the fifth cervical vertebra is called a C-5 injury, for instance.
• Below the neck are the thoracic vertebrae, so a back injury to the spine there is defined as T-1, T-2, etc.
• Then there are lumbar, which are the largest vertebrae of the spinal column, and sacral vertebrae located in the pelvic region

Generally speaking, neck injuries will lead to paralysis of all limbs (quadriplegia) while thoracic injuries cause paralysis to the lower limbs only (paraplegia). Both areas have variations in the amount of dysfunction, depending on the severity of the injury. An incomplete cervical injury can leave the patient with some hand use, while a complete injury at C-4 can require the patient to be on a ventilator. Thoracic injuries can leave the arms functional but interfere with walking, bowel and bladder control, and sexual function. Other functions that can be affected are blood pressure, body temperature, and pain levels.

A spinal cord injury usually involves swelling of the spinal cord which affects the whole body. When the swelling goes down, the patient may regain function months or years after the back injury but it is rare for all function to be recovered. Treatment presently consists of stabilizing any broken vertebrae, maintaining the patient, preventing movement to the injured area, and reducing swelling.

Contact a Calcasieu Back Pain and Disabling Injury Claim Lawyer

Our firm serves, from our Calcasieu Parish offices, clients throughout Southwest Louisiana. If you would like to discuss a personal injury claim for a spinal cord injury with one of our lawyers, please call 337-513-0288 (Toll Free: 888-391-5595) or e-mail our office to arrange a free and confidential consultation to evaluate your claim. We will respond quickly to your inquiry.