South Carolina Spine Injury Lawyer
A spine injury is one of the most life-changing personal damages a victim can sustain in a traumatic accident. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most common. Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) can occur during a car crash, workplace accident, a slip and fall, or while playing sports. There are many different levels of spine injuries. Some result in minor back pain for a few months while others lead to permanent paralysis. The spine is a delicate part of the body we must strive to protect. When someone else’s preventable mistake results in an SCI, patients come to HawkLaw for professional legal assistance.
Types of Spine Injuries
The spine contains a delicate bundle of nerves, responsible for relaying messages from the brain to the body. Any level of spinal cord damage can result in significant pain and lifelong back problems. There are two main types of spinal cord injuries:
- Incomplete. An incomplete SCI is when an accident severs the spinal cord only partially, reserving some function in the injured person. The degree of function depends on the extent of the injury.
- Complete. A complete SCI is the total severance of the spinal cord. A complete SCI eliminates all function and sensation below the point of injury. With physical therapy, it may be possible to regain some function after a complete SCI.
Thanks to increased understanding of the spine and advances in treatment technologies, incomplete SCIs are becoming more common than complete. An incomplete spine injury can occur to the front, center, or back of the spinal cord. The location of the SCI will determine a victim’s level and location of movement and sensation loss.
Whiplash and other injuries of the neck occur when a force such as a rear-end collision “whips” the head and neck around rapidly. Accident victims may suffer a herniated disc, strained muscle, or torn ligament in the cervical spine. Whiplash can lead to a variety of related problems, including joint dysfunction, chronic neck pain, faulty movement patterns, and cognitive issues. An accident victim may not feel a whiplash injury right away. Always visit a doctor after any personal injury accident, even if you don’t think you have an injury.
Damages You Can Recover for a SCI
Spinal cord injuries can be immensely damaging to victims, leading to temporary or permanent disabilities. In cases where a SCI is life changing, victims may suffer mental and emotional distress on top of physical injury. If an SCI is paralyzing, the victim will have to alter his/her lifestyle forever. Pursuing a personal injury claim is your best chance to recover:
- Past, present, and future medical expenses, including live-in care
- Costs of medical equipment and home/vehicle modifications
- Lost wages and earning capacity
- Lost quality of life
- Loss of consortium
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
If you have a loved one who has sustained permanent damage due to an SCI, the courts may award you similar compensation for your mental anguish and costs of caring for the accident victim. The outcome of each spine injury case is different and depends on the circumstances of the accident and severity of the SCI. It’s impossible to estimate what an individual spine injury lawsuit is worth without consulting with a South Carolina spinal injury lawyer about your case.
HawkLaw: Experienced SC Spine Injury Attorneys
South Carolina’s laws make it crucial to trust a team of personal injury attorneys for your spine injury. Call 888-HAWKLAW to set up your free consultation* today.
