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spine INJURY ATTORNEYS

Tireless Advocacy & Compassionate Counsel to achieve Justice

Spinal injuries can change life forever. Debilitating and deeply traumatic, these injuries are often caused by reckless and negligent actions. When that happens, a spinal cord injury claim can be victims’ path to recovery and holding the negligent parties accountable.

At Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers, our 5-star spinal cord injury lawyers have vast experience bringing negligent parties to justice. Strategic, aggressive, and relentless, we know how to win the toughest cases, and we are highly effective at securing the maximum recoveries. No matter how challenging a case may be, we can provide winning representation when it matters most.

That’s why we are recognized as top spinal cord injury attorneys in Louisiana and Texas. And it’s why you can count on Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers for superior advocacy when it’s time to recover and get justice.

Whenever you need answers or advice about a potential spinal cord injury case, just contact us. We are here for you, ready to help 24/7.

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Morris & Dewett spine Injury Lawyers represents the injured and their families

in all types of spinal  injury claims, recovering millions in the most challenging cases. We are ready to make your recovery our next victory.

Click on a link below to jump directly to a section and learn more about spinal cord injury causes, lawyers, cases, and compensation.

Spine Injury Defined: What Is an SCI (spinal cord injury)?

A spinal cord injury occurs via damage, degeneration, trauma, or illness affecting the spinal cord. More than 9 in 10 spinal cord injuries are caused by trauma, rather than an illness (source: WHO). This damage can be:

  • Complete or incomplete:

    Complete SCIs involve the total severing of the spinal cord while incomplete SCIs leave the spinal cord intact. With incomplete spinal cord injury, tears or some type of compression are typically the source of damage.

  • Anywhere along the spinal cord:

    The site of the injury impacts the area(s) of the body affected. For example, SCIs in the lumbar spine tend to impact the legs while injuries high on the spinal cord can affect the lower body and/or arms.
The table below shares a closer look at 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
TriplegiaLower body and one arm
Tetraplegia or QuadriplegiaLower & upper body (arms & legs) + possibly the neck, shoulder, & head

Spine Injury Facts & Statistics

Check out some of the latest spinal cord injury statistics below for a snapshot of how pervasive and damaging these injuries truly are (sources: NSCSC & WHO):

  • Spinal cord injury increases the risk of premature death by 2 to 5 times.
  • Pneumonia and septicemia (blood poisoning) are the two leading causes of death and lower life expectancy for SCI patients.
  • Each year, there are about 375,000 new spinal cord injuries diagnosed worldwide.
  • Roughly 17,900 new SCIs are diagnosed in the U.S. each year.
  • Nearly half of all new SCIs are diagnosed as incomplete tetraplegia.
  • Close to 1 in 3 SCIs are complete injuries.
  • Nearly 20% of SCIs are cases of incomplete paraplegia.
  • Close to 80% of all spinal cord injuries are sustained by males.
  • At least 1 in 3 SCI patients needs to be hospitalized more than twice a year for treatment. On average, these SCI patients need to spend 18 days in the hospital.
  • The average age for a new spinal cord injury diagnosis is 43.
  • Go back 50 years, and the average age for an SCI diagnosis was 29.
Doctor physiotherapist doing healing treatment on man's back.
Pain in the spine,

Lifetime Costs of Spinal Cord Injury Treatments

Beyond the incidence of SCIs, the statistics also show the substantial financial impacts of these injuries. Check out the table below for a breakdown of spinal cord injury costs, including the average medical and living expenses, based on the age at which someone is injured. These numbers do not include the costs of lost earnings (source: NSCSC).

SCI Type & SeverityEstimated SCI Cost:
1st Year After Injury		Estimated Lifetime Cost:
SCI at 25*		Estimated Lifetime Cost:
SCI at 50*
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 Are the Top Causes of Spinal Cord Injury?

When trauma (and not illness) causes spinal cord injuries, most result from accidents involving negligence (source: WHO). In fact, the top two causes of trauma-related spinal cord injury include:
  • 1

    Motor vehicle accidents

  • 2

    Falling accidents

Here is a closer look at these and other causes of spinal cord injury (statistics below sourced from: NSCSC).
Motor Vehicle Accidents & SCI
Auto crashes cause close to 40% of all trauma-related spinal cord injuries. This can include:
  • Car wrecks
  • 18-wheeler crashes
  • Pedestrian accidents
  • Bus accidents
  • Motorcycle wrecks
SCIs can occur in motor vehicle accidents when victims are:
  • Thrown from vehicles
  • Run over by vehicles
  • Injured by the sheer force of an impact
While negligent drivers are commonly at fault for SCIs caused by crashes, many others can be liable instead or as well. That’s why it’s important to carefully investigate motor vehicle accidents that cause spinal cord injuries.
Falling Accidents & Spinal Cord Injury
About 33% of trauma-related spinal cord injuries are caused by falls. Like other catastrophic injuries, falling accidents don’t have to happen from an elevated area. Same-level falls can result in serious SCIs, especially when slip and trips — or elderly individuals — are involved. In many cases, the falling accidents that cause SCIs occur at home or at work. Of course, they can happen in any unsafe location, from public to commercial and private settings. Additionally, falls and SCIs can occur when dangerous products or equipment malfunction.
Other Spinal Cord Injury Causes
Beyond auto accidents and falls, there’s a vast array of traumatic incidents that could end up causing SCIs. Violence, sports accidents, and medical negligence are just a few. No matter what the circumstances are, talking to an attorney can enlighten you as to how negligence may have contributed to SCIs.

Can I Sue After Suffering a Spinal Cord Injury?

Potentially. You may have a spinal cord injury claim if:

  • Negligence caused or contributed to your injuries:

    For some types of SCI claims, you will need to prove that some other party (other than you) is mostly to blame for your spinal cord injury.

  • The statute of limitations has not passed:

    This is the deadline for filing a case. It varies by state and the type of claim being filed. If the statute of limitations for a spinal cord injury claim passes, you could lose the chance to pursue that action.
Keep in mind that this is the bare minimum to consider when you’re thinking about filing a spinal cord injury claim. Some other key issues to consider include:

  • What you can prove:

    Evidence to establish fault and damages is necessary to win a case and compel the at-fault parties to pay. Sometimes, evidence can be ambiguous or difficult to obtain. Other times it can be highly obtuse. Regardless, a lawyer can help collect the evidence needed to back up a spinal cord injury case.

  • What type of case(s) you may have:

    Depending on where and how an SCI happened, you could have more than one claim. If you do, those cases could involve different deadlines and procedures.
A spinal cord injury attorney at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers can explain whether you have a case and, if so, who you can sue. Our team can also help you get your case started, putting it on the right track for success.

Do I Need a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer?

Yes, you need a spinal cord injury attorney IF:
  • You have this question.
  • You or a loved one suffered an SCI caused by another’s negligence.
  • A loved one has passed away from spinal cord injury complications (and their SCI was caused by trauma and negligence).
  • An insurance company is contacting you after an accident that may have caused a spinal cord injury.
  • You need answers about your rights and legal options.

In fact, it’s always better to talk to a spinal cord injury attorney ASAP instead of putting it off. That’s because a lawyer can give you immediate answers and actionable advice about your rights and potential SCI claim.

Beyond that, an attorney can also start:

  • Investigating a case while handling the administrative work necessary to get it officially underway
  • Collecting and preserving the evidence you need to bring a strong spinal cord injury claim
  • Taking charge when it comes to insurance company investigations, interactions, and negotiations
Remember, you don’t have to pay anything upfront to speak to or partner with a spinal cord injury lawyer at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers. We work on contingency, so the injured can access excellent representation without having to take on more financial hardship.

What Damages Are Covered in Spinal Cord Injury Compensation?

Financial recoveries are determined on a victim-by-victim or case-by-case basis because damages vary by the severity of the injuries and losses sustained. That said, damages for SCI cases typically cover past and future losses that can be economic (financial) and non-economic in nature.

As a result, damages for spinal cord injury cases can include compensation for (but not limited to):

Other Accidents Causing Catastrophic Injuries

Beyond the roads and work, catastrophic injuries can also happen when people of any age come into contact with:
  • Medical treatments and care
  • Lost wages and earnings
  • Lost ability to earn a living
  • Property damage
  • Pain and suffering
  • Loss of consortium
  • Funeral expenses (for fatal burn injuries)
The more severe the SCI, the more substantial the losses and compensation may be. No matter how much compensation may be on the line, however, winning these recoveries can be critical to helping victims and families heal and move on.

A 5-Star Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Is Standing by, Ready to Help You 24/7

After a spinal cord injury, you may have a claim, but you won’t have unlimited time to seek justice. Don’t let another minute go by without getting free answers and advice that could put you on track to get the compensation and justice you may deserve. Contact a neck injury attorney at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers now.

We have decades of experience representing the injured in the most complex neck injury cases. No matter how complex or challenging a case may be, we provide the advocacy and counsel we would expect if we were in our clients’ shoes — and we know how to secure best possible outcomes when it matters most. That’s why we’re known as leading spinal cord injury lawyers throughout Louisiana and Texas.

When you only have one chance to win and get justice, we’re the team you can trust.

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