Spinal Cord Injury Attorney in Birmingham

spinal cord injury

The spinal cord is responsible for sending messages between the brain and the rest of the body. Injury to this vital communication link can cause permanent and life-changing complications. Back and neck injuries don’t just lead to physical issues. They can lead to emotional distress and jeopardize your financial stability.

At Collins Law, LLC, Attorney April H. Collins and her compassionate team knows the significant physical and emotional toll a spinal cord injury can take on an accident victim. Attorney Collins aims to empower accident victims, helping them pursue maximum compensation for their injuries and giving them a voice at a time in their lives when they may feel they have none.

Our team strives to offer honest feedback and caring support to help you get through this challenging time. Contact a spinal cord injury lawyer in Birmingham from Collins Law to discuss your situation and learn more about how we can help you.

What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Birmingham, AL Spinal Cord Injury Attorney?

Too often, accident victims feel isolated and overwhelmed as they manage their spine injury claims. With mounting medical debt and other accident-related expenses causing financial uncertainty, the last thing you want to do is spend money to hire an attorney. However, seeking effective, high-quality legal representation can benefit you in several ways.

Attorney Collins and her team at Collins Law work hard to reduce their clients’ accident-related medical bills after their cases are resolved. They strive to help accident victims keep more of the compensation they win, with a policy of never taking more money than their clients would.

When you seek help from a Birmingham spinal cord injury attorney, you increase your chances of recovering meaningful compensation for your financial losses. You also get customized legal representation, honesty, and a team willing to fight for you. Attorney Collins and her staff take pride in alleviating the stress and worry that keeps most people from calling an attorney in the first place.

What Compensation Can You Pursue for a Spinal Cord Injury?

Assessing the value of a spine injury case and calculating spine injury compensation can be challenging. The cause of the accident, the extent of the spinal cord injury, and other factors can impact the value of a case. Insurance companies want accident victims to settle for as little as possible because they get to keep more money in their company’s pockets.

To protect your legal rights and ensure you are getting the money you need to cover your medical expenses and other losses, you need an experienced spinal cord injury law firm to calculate your case’s value accurately. Every spinal cord case is unique, but in most cases, an accident victim can seek compensation for the following:

  • Medical bills
  • Future healthcare costs and rehabilitation
  • Lost wages
  • Loss of earning capacity
  • Property damage
  • Diminished quality of life
  • Loss of consortium
  • Emotional distress
  • Pain and suffering

Never accept money from anyone without consulting a spine injury attorney. Working with an experienced lawyer can make all the difference in obtaining the money you deserve.

What Is the Average Settlement for a Back Injury from a Car Accident?

Coming up with an average settlement for a car accident back injury is difficult, as back injuries can vary drastically. Minor back injuries or herniated discs may only generate medical expenses in the thousands of dollars range. Significant spinal cord and paralyzing injuries are much more costly. Statistics from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation suggest that medical costs for paraplegia patients in the first year can amount to nearly $519,000. Costs for a patient diagnosed with high tetraplegia within the first year can be as high as $1.06 million.

At Collins Law, we don’t want you to settle for average. Our spinal injury law firm fights to bring down the cost of your medical bills upon your case’s resolution and helps you pursue fair compensation for your injuries and other accident-related financial losses. Reach out to us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.

How Long Do You Have to File a Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit in Alabama?

Accidents that cause spinal cord injuries can result in personal injury cases. Alabama law gives accident victims two years from the accident date to seek compensation via a personal injury lawsuit. Timing is vital because if you file a case after the two-year deadline, the court can dismiss it. You lose potential leverage against the insurance company and the ability to have your spine injury lawsuit heard by a judge or jury. With Attorney Collins and Collins Law on your side, we’ll take care of the filing and paperwork while you focus on healing.

Some form of physical trauma often causes spinal cord injuries. The most common causes of spinal cord injuries that a back injury lawyer in Alabama sees include:

  • Car accidents
  • Truck accidents
  • Motorcycle accidents
  • Premises liability
  • Slip-and-fall accidents
  • Workplace accidents
  • Assault or violence

A spinal injury lawyer can evaluate your situation and help you understand your legal rights and options for seeking compensation when someone else is to blame for causing your injury.

The spinal cord is a thick bundle of nerves. It runs from the base of the brain down the back and to the tailbone and is protected by the vertebrae. The spinal cord acts like a messaging service, allowing the brain to communicate with the rest of the body and vice versa. The spinal cord helps link the brain with the rest of the body.

When medical professionals talk about spinal cord injuries, they place them in one of two categories:

  • Incomplete – An incomplete spinal cord injury occurs when the spinal cord gets damaged due to an accident or injury but is not severed. The damage may cause complications, but the brain and body can communicate to some degree.
  • Complete – A complete spinal cord injury occurs when the spinal cord is severely damaged or completely severed. The brain and body can no longer communicate below the point of injury. Complete spinal cord injuries are permanent.

Physicians and medical professionals also identify spinal cord injuries by the location of the spine where the injury occurs, such as:

  • Cervical
  • Thoracic
  • Lumbar
  • Sacral

A complete injury to the cervical region of the spine typically results in quadriplegia. Quadriplegia is paralysis of all four limbs, torso, and certain internal bodily functions. Spinal cord injuries in the thoracic and lumbar regions can result in different paralytic conditions such as:

  • Paraplegia
  • Monoplegia
  • Hemiplegia
  • Diplegia

Conditions caused by an accident, such as a herniated disk, can also put pressure on the spinal cord, causing pain, discomfort, and injury.

The symptoms of a spinal cord injury depend on the severity of the injury. In some cases, an individual immediately knows they are paralyzed because they cannot move or feel their extremities. In other situations, the signs of spinal cord damage may not be as apparent.

Some of the most common indications that a person’s spinal cord may be injured include:

  • Neck or back pain
  • Muscle weakness
  • Exaggerated reflexes or muscle spasms
  • Numbness or tingling in the extremities
  • Trouble breathing
  • Problems with balance or coordination
  • Loss of sensation in extremities
  • Loss of movement in extremities
  • Loss of bowel and bladder control

Do not move anyone you suspect of suffering a severe back or neck injury. Allow emergency personnel to move yourself or the accident victim unless the person is in imminent danger. You can do more damage to the spinal cord if you attempt to move someone without proper training. Always seek medical attention immediately after an accident if you suspect neck or back injuries.

Treatment options for spinal cord injuries depend on the nature of the injury. Some patients may require surgery to remove sharp bone fragments, repair herniated discs, or relieve pressure on the spinal cord. Prescription pain medication can help control pain, and corticosteroid drugs can help ease swelling.

Medical professionals may also utilize stabilization techniques to allow the neck, back, and spine to heal. Braces, traction, and specialized harnesses can prevent movement in the neck and back, allowing the injured area to heal without causing further damage.

While some patients can regain sensation and function, complete spinal cord injuries are permanent. Once severed, the spinal cord’s nerves cannot be reattached or repaired. Physical and occupational therapy can help individuals learn to adapt. Mental health services can help people cope with the feelings of depression and anxiety they may experience as a result of the injury.

Paralysis is not the only long-term effect of a significant spinal cord injury. Other complications and long-term effects of a spinal injury can include:

  • Chronic pain
  • Respiratory issues
  • Cardiovascular issues
  • Loss of bowel and bladder control
  • Loss of sexual function
  • Increased risk of osteoporosis
  • Increased risk of developing
  • Mental health issues

Those with spinal cord injuries need support and compassion to help them cope with the life-altering changes that they may experience because of their back or neck trauma.

Contact a Birmingham, AL Spinal Cord Injury Attorney Today

A spinal cord injury can leave you feeling vulnerable and alone. Attorney Collins and the Collins Law team want to empower you, help you recover the money you need, and hold the careless party accountable for their actions. Contact our firm today to schedule a free, no-obligation case evaluation. Let a Birmingham spinal cord injury lawyer fight for the compensation you deserve.