Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers in Texas
Spinal cord injuries can be life-altering for the more than 18,000 people who experience these serious injuries each year. They impact a person’s ability to walk and move by causing permanent changes in the body’s strength, sense of touch, and even organ functions. Spinal cord injuries can also increase medical complications. For example, if the injury occurs in the neck, it can affect your ability to breathe or cause issues with your circulatory system, increasing the potential for blood clots and life-threatening elevations in blood pressure.
As you can imagine, the road to recovery and adjusting to living with a spinal cord injury is a lifelong journey. Our compassionate and knowledgeable lawyers at The Button Law Firm are ready to advocate for you and your family anywhere in Texas if you have suffered a spinal cord injury. We will hold the negligent parties accountable, so you can get justice and seek compensation to assist with your medical and other expenses and give you peace of mind. Give us a call at 214-699-4409 or submit a contact form here for a free consultation.
Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis
Spinal cord injuries are one of the most common ways that people become paralyzed. Two factors that determine whether a spinal cord injury will result in paralysis are where the damage occurs and the severity of the injury.
The two types of paralysis from a spinal cord injury are:
- Quadriplegia: A person with a complete spinal cord injury is unable to feel or move their hands, arms, body, legs, and pelvic organs.
- Paraplegia: A person still has function in their arms, but has no feeling or movement in parts of the body, including their legs and pelvic organs. This is an incomplete spinal cord injury.
How to Tell If You Have a Spinal Cord Injury
Immediately following an accident, there are certain symptoms you may experience that indicate a spinal cord injury. These include:
- Loss of movement in arms and/or legs
- Sense of touch is lost, including the inability to feel temperatures on hot and cold surfaces
- Difficulty breathing or coughing
- Spasms
- Loss of bladder control
If you or a loved one exhibits any of these signs, it is important to stay where you are, remain still, and have someone call 9-1-1- to seek immediate emergency medical attention.
Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
Approximately 18,000 spinal cord injuries occur each year in the United States, according to a 2022 report from the University of Alabama’s National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center.
The most common causes of spinal cord injuries are:
- Auto accidents involving cars and motorcycles account for nearly half of cases
- Falls, particularly for people 65 or older
- Acts of violence such as gunshot and knife wounds
- Sports and recreational activities such as boating accidents and amusement park accidents
- Injuries to children, including injuries at daycare
While spinal cord injuries can happen to anyone, they are most common in males between the ages of 16 and 30 years old, according to the Mayo Clinic. In addition, there is a spike in spinal cord injuries among senior citizens as a result of falls.
Spinal Cord Injury Claims in Texas
Adjusting to a new “normal” after experiencing a spinal cord injury can feel overwhelming. Along with the change to your body’s abilities, you will receive frequent medical treatments over your lifetime that can be very expensive. In fact, the average initial hospital stay after a spinal cord injury is approximately 12 days, followed by an average of 32 days of rehabilitation care, according to a 2022 report from the University of Alabama’s National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center.
In addition to the mounting hospital bills, you may experience dramatic shifts in your income due to challenges that impact your ability to work. The good news is: You don’t have to face these financial hardships alone. You have a right to file a claim or lawsuit anywhere in Texas that can help you seek compensation, also known as damages, and hold the negligent person or company accountable for causing your spinal cord injury.
Following a spinal cord injury, the damages that you can be awarded include:
- Medical expenses for existing treatments
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
- Future medical expenses to manage and treat a spinal cord injury
- Necessary modifications for your home and vehicle
- Assistive technology or adaptive equipment such as power wheelchairs, hand bikes, smartphones, or other devices
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of consortium
In Texas, the time limit for filing a lawsuit is two years from the date of the accident that caused your spinal cord injury. Give us a call at 214-699-4409 or submit a contact form here for a free consultation on a spinal cord injury claim anywhere in Texas.
How Our Texas Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Can Help You
We understand the immense life changes that a spinal cord injury can take on a person and their family. Our Texas Super Lawyer-ranked attorneys are here to listen and help guide you and your family on the best path forward after a spinal cord injury. We can also help deal with insurance companies so that you don’t have to. We have teams in Dallas, Houston, and Midland, so give us a call at 214-699-4409 or submit a contact form here for a free consultation anywhere in the Lone Star State.
Helpful Spinal Cord Injury Resources
Resources to help people with spinal cord injuries and their families include:
- Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injuries by advancing research and improving the quality of life for individuals and families impacted by paralysis.
- The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is conducting clinical trials and funding research to better understand spinal cord injuries and how to treat them.
- United Spinal Association is a nonprofit that aims to empower people with spinal cord injuries and disorders so they can live successful and fulfilling lives.
Frequently Asked Questions About Helping You with a Spinal Cord Injury Claim
Is there a time limit to file a claim?
People who have experienced a spinal cord injury have two years to file a claim. There are some exceptions to this time limit, so contact our team of legal professionals today at 214-699-4409 or fill out a contact form, and we can determine how the legal statutes impact your case.
How much does it cost to file a claim?
At The Button Law Firm, we don’t charge you or collect any upfront fees to get started on your case. We work on contingency. This way, you can focus on treating your injuries while we focus on advocating and fighting for you. Call us at 214-699-4409 or fill out a contact form to get started.
Who do you represent?
We advocate for adults and children in Texas who have experienced spinal cord injuries or been hurt in an accident, as well as the family members of a loved one who has passed away from an accident. With attorneys in Dallas, Houston, and Midland, we are ready to help you and your family anywhere in the Lone Star State.
How can I file a claim?
Simply contact our team by calling 214-699-4409 or filling out a contact form, and we can determine the best way to help you.
Why should I work with The Button Law Firm?
We are dedicated to defending adults and children harmed in a serious accident. Our team is ready to listen to you, advocate for you, and help you hold negligent parties accountable. See what our past clients say about working with us to handle their legal matters.