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spinAL CORD INJURY ATTORNEYS

Experienced Counsel & Winning Representation from 5-Star spine Injury Attorneys

Spinal cord injuries can be profoundly devastating. Physically, psychologically, and financially, spinal cord injuries often come with crippling impacts. While that can alter nearly every aspect of life, these injuries can also shorten lives, multiplying the risk of premature death by 2 to 5 times (source: WHO).

Far too often, these spinal cord injuries are caused by preventable negligence. Whenever that happens, victims and families may have various options for justice.

At Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers, our 5-star Ruston spinal cord injury lawyers are dedicated to helping people just like you recover from injuries caused by negligence. For more than 20 years, we have been advocating tirelessly for justice and compensation when it matters most.

Skilled at winning the toughest spinal cord injury cases, we have what it takes to provide strong, persuasive representation while setting these claims up for the maximum available recoveries. Whether you need more answers or you are ready to file a case, we are here for you 24/7, ready to help.

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What Is a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)?

SCI describes damage to the spinal cord caused by degeneration, illness, or trauma. This damage can be “incomplete,” meaning the spinal cord is compressed or torn but still intact, or “complete,” in which case the spinal cord would be totally severed.

Most spinal cord injuries, more than 90%, result from trauma (source:WHO). The most serious involve complete SCIs that cause permanent paralysis. The table below outlines the different types of spinal cord injuries, based on the nature and impacts of the damage.

Type of Spinal Cord InjuryAffected Areas of the Body
ParaplegiaLegs & lower body
TriplegiaLowe body & one arm
Tetraplegia or QuadriplegiaLower & upper body (arms & legs) + possibly the neck, shoulder & head

Spinal Cord Injury Statistics & Facts

The pervasiveness and impacts of SCIs can be easier to understand when looking at some of the latest statistics on spinal cord injuries (sources: NSCSC & WHO):

  • Each year, about 375,000 people worldwide are diagnosed with a new spinal cord injury. This does not count the newly suffered SCIs that are immediately fatal.
  • About 17,900 Americans are diagnosed with a new SCI every year.
  • Incomplete tetraplegia is diagnosed in more than 47% of new SCI cases, making it the most common type of spinal cord injury.
  • Nearly 1 in 3 spinal cord injuries is a complete injury, meaning the spinal cord is totally severed.
  • Close to 20% of spinal cord injuries are diagnosed as incomplete paraplegia.
  • The average age at which people are diagnosed with a new SCI is 43.
  • The average age for SCI about 50 years ago was 29.
  • Close to 4 in 5 SCIs are suffered by males.
  • More than 33% of (1 in 3) people with a spinal cord injury are hospitalized at least twice a year. The average length of their hospital stays is 18 days.
  • The top two causes of death and lower life expectancy for SCI patients are pneumonia and septicemia (blood poisoning).

Spinal Cord Injury Treatment & Lifetime Costs

Looking at the financial impacts of SCIs, the following table highlights the average costs of medical bills and living expenses for spinal cord injury patients. Please note that these figures do not include costs associated with lost earnings (source: NSCSC).

SCI Type & SeverityEstimated SCI Cost: 1st Year After InjuryEstimated Lifetime Cost: SCI at 25*Estimated Lifetime Cost: SCI at 250*
High Tetraplegia
(C1 to C4)		$1,163,425$5,162,152$2,837,031
Low Tetraplegia
(C5 to C8)		$840,676$3,771,791$2,319,988
Paraplegia$567,011$2,524,270$1,656,602
*Costs when victims suffer spinal cord injuries at the age of 25 versus 50.

What Causes Spinal Cord Injury?

Negligence and preventable accidents are responsible for most trauma-induced spinal cord injuries (source: WHO). Most often, the accidents that end with SCIs involve the following incidents (all statistics below have been sourced from: NSCSC).
Traffic Accidents & Spinal Cord Injury
Nearly 40% of spinal cord injuries result from car accidents, truck wrecks, bus crashes, and other traffic collisions. In many cases, the force of the impact is enough to seriously damage the spinal cord. Sometimes, however, SCIs occur when pedestrians are hit by cars or motorists are thrown out of vehicles during a crash. Reckless drivers are often to blame for the traffic crashes that cause SCIs, but they may not be the only at-fault parties. That’s especially relevant if commercial motorists, poor road conditions, and/or other factors are involved in a wreck.
Falls & SCIs
Falling causes roughly 33% of (1 in 3) spinal cord injuries. While these falls can happen from elevated areas, they can also occur on the same level, as slip, trip, and falls commonly cause SCIs too. Depending on where falls and spinal cord injuries occur, various parties may be liable for victims’ injuries. For instance, property owners, contractors, or even equipment manufacturers can be in the hot seat when their oversights or carelessness causes falling accidents and SCIs.
Other Spinal Cord Injury Causes
Dangerous products, violent assaults, medical negligence, and even sports-related accidents are also common causes of SCIs. These and other incidences can involve unique forms of negligence, depending on the specific circumstances involved and how exactly the injury was sustained.

Do I Have a Spinal Cord Injury Claim?

Maybe. There are a few key factors to consider when it’s time to figure out whether you have a spinal cord injury claim and, if so, who you can sue. Specifically, it will be important to look at:
  • When the injury happened or when it was diagnosed: If it’s been more than a year since the accident or diagnosis, the opportunities to seek compensation may be limited or lost altogether.
  • Who all the liable parties are: Even if you share some fault for your injuries, you may still be entitled to spinal cord injury compensation as long as some other party is more at fault than you are. Also, keep in mind that insurance companies and others don’t always make proper fault determinations. Don’t assume they’ve gotten it right if you’ve been blamed for your injuries.
  • What evidence you have: You will need to be able to prove that negligence caused your injuries as part of your spinal cord injury claim. Without evidence to prove liability or damages, claims can hit a dead-end.
A Ruston spinal cord injury attorney at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers can explain your options and help you determine liability, the essential evidence, and the next steps in a potential claim.

When Should I Contact a Ruston Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer?

ASAP. The longer you put off talking to a Ruston spinal cord injury attorney, the more you could be hurting your chances of recovering. That’s because, as more time passes after an accident and SCI diagnosis, the higher the chances are that:
  • Key evidence for your claim may get lost, damaged, or destroyed evidence. That could weaken your case, making it more challenging to prove injuries and liability.
  • You could miss an important case deadline, which could impact your options for recovery.
  • You may unknowingly give the insurance companies the upper hand. Without the counsel of an experienced attorney, it can be easier for insurance companies to take advantage of you. That can increase the risks of losing compensation, mistakenly accepting fault, or agreeing to take less than you deserve.
A Ruston spinal cord injury lawyer at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers can prevent these problems while fiercely protecting your rights and interests. From the moment you retain our team, we will immediately take action to fight for you and set your spinal cord injury claim up for success.
Doctor physiotherapist doing healing treatment on man's back.
First aid for head injuries and considered for all trauma incidents of worker in work

How Do Spinal Cord Injury Cases Work?

SCI claims are like other catastrophic injury claims in that the event that caused the injury can dictate how a subsequent claim proceeds. For instance, claims involving on-the-job SCIs can involve a completely different process than claims involving crash-related spinal cord injuries.

No matter what type of negligence caused an SCI, however, spinal cord injuries tend to have these elements in common:

  • Medical records and doctors’ bills are usually crucial evidence in these cases.
  • The insurance company is never on your side. Never forget that they are out to pay as little as possible, and they aren’t above using dirty tricks to try to avoid paying deserving victims.
  • Most spinal cord injury claims never go to court and are, instead, settled without trial.
  • Going to court can be necessary when victims are wrongfully blamed or when litigants don’t see eye to eye on damages or other critical facts of a claim.
Contact Morris & Dewett Injury for a no-obligation consultation. We are ready to give you confidential, case-specific answers that can help you get on the path to recovery.

How Much Are Spinal Cord Injury Settlements & Compensation?

Every spinal cord injury is different, and each SCI claim is unique. Consequently, compensation for these injury claims hinges on details specific to a given accident, victim, and case.

Still, even though amounts and damages can vary, successful SCI cases tend to include compensation for (but not limited to):

  • Medical bills (past and future)
  • Lost wages and earning capacity (past and future)
  • Property damage
  • Pain and suffering
  • Funeral expenses (if spinal cord injury ends in death)
  • Loss of consortium
At Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers, we know a check won’t make a devastating spinal cord injury won’t go away. We also understand how compensation from SCI claims can empower victims while giving them the resources they need to start rebuilding their lives.

A Ruston Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Is Ready to Explain Your Recovery Options

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a spinal cord injury after some type of accident, don’t hesitate to contact a Ruston spinal cord injury lawyer at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers. We are here to explain your rights and legal options, and we can get started helping you today.

Backed by decades of experience, our Ruston attorneys have a reputation for success and a record of winning in the most challenging cases. Discover the difference our team can make in your spinal cord injury case by contacting us today.

Call (318) 221-1508 or Email Us for a Free, Confidential Consultation. Your path to justice can start with a call or an email.

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