A spinal cord injury can be extremely painful and challenging. Depending on its nature and severity, the consequences may last a lifetime, and the treatment may lead to substantial costs. At Arfaa Law Group, our Baltimore spinal cord injury lawyers have represented many Maryland residents in complex cases arising from devastating accidents. We are dedicated to helping the most seriously injured members of our community, advocating for the full extent of compensation that they deserve.
Pursuing Compensation for a Spinal Cord InjurySpinal cord injuries may result from car crashes, motorcycle accidents, slip and falls, incidents of medical malpractice, or other harmful events. They may consist of trauma to any part of the spine or the nerves of the spine that causes a change in its function. Some of these changes may involve a permanent reduction in strength and sensation. There are many different types of spinal cord injuries that a victim can suffer, including a herniated disc, crushed vertebrae, a lower back injury, or a fractured spine.
Severe spinal cord injuries may result in paralysis. Paraplegia is a type of paralysis in which the patient suffers from a loss of sensation and movement in the legs and lower extremities. This is caused by an injury to the spinal cord below the neck. Even more serious than paraplegia is quadriplegia, which is paralysis of all four limbs. Essentially, quadriplegia is the inability to move any part of the body below the neck. Given the severity of both conditions, paraplegic and quadriplegic individuals are usually dependent on wheelchairs, and many require help throughout their lifetime.
Whether a spinal cord injury was caused by a reckless driver, a careless business owner, a negligent surgeon, or another party, the resulting lawsuit will most likely be rooted in the theory of negligence. This is the failure to exercise reasonable care in one’s actions or omissions. To succeed in a negligence claim, a spinal cord injury victim must demonstrate that his or her harm was caused by the defendant’s failure to use reasonable care. Generally, this standard is interpreted to require acting as a reasonable person would act under the same or similar circumstances. In medical malpractice cases, however, the reasonable care standard refers to how another medical professional in the same specialty would have acted in treating a similarly situated patient.
A spinal cord injury can affect every aspect of a victim’s life. In addition to the physical pain and emotional distress, dealing with the aftermath of paralysis can be extremely costly. The costs of surgeries, medications, and rehabilitation tools can quickly pile up. Fortunately, Maryland law allows victims of devastating accidents to seek both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages may include tangible costs like past and future medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and lost income. Non-economic damages are intended to account for the victim’s physical and emotional pain and suffering.
Protect Your Rights by Consulting a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer in BaltimoreVictims of devastating accidents should not hesitate to assert their rights. The Baltimore spinal cord injury attorneys at Arfaa Law Group have helped many injured individuals hold accountable a wide range of negligent people and entities. Arfaa Law Group proudly serves victims and their families in all areas of Maryland. For more information, call 410-889-1850 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with a knowledgeable personal injury or wrongful death attorney.