Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer in St. Louis, MO

spinal cord injury

A spinal cord injury (SCI) can completely alter the course of a person’s life. Someone who has suffered an SCI may experience excruciating physical pain and lifelong impairments that prevent them from working or caring for themselves. But beyond these debilitating consequences, treating and adapting to a spinal cord injury often comes at a tremendously high financial cost.

If you or a loved one sustained a spinal cord injury in an accident that was someone else’s fault, you might be owed significant compensation for your losses. The team at Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC understands how challenging life can be after suffering a spinal cord injury. We are here to help you seek the justice and financial security you deserve. Call us today at (800) 746-0226 or contact us online for a free consultation with a St. Louis spinal cord injury lawyer.

What Is a Spinal Cord Injury?

The spinal cord is a tight bundle of cells and nerves that is housed within the spine and runs from the base of the skull to the lower part of the back. This cord is responsible for transmitting signals between the brain and the rest of the body.

A spinal cord injury happens when this cord suffers some form of damage, jeopardizing the body’s ability to transmit these signals. This can result from a direct injury to the spinal cord or the spine’s tissue or bones.

SCIs are classed according to two broad categories:

  • Incomplete injury– This type of injury is one in which the spinal cord is still capable of transmitting some signals between the brain and the rest of the body. There are varying degrees of incomplete injury.
  • Complete injury– A complete injury means there is a complete lack of nerve communication and voluntary motor function below the site of the injury.

There are two additional terms you may encounter associated with types of paralysis caused by a spinal cord injury:

  • Tetraplegia (or quadriplegia)– This is a type of paralysis that affects the arms, hands, trunk, legs, and organs of the torso.
  • Paraplegia– This type of paralysis may affect all or part of the torso, legs, and organs of the pelvis.

Major Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

Most commonly, SCIs occur when part of the spine becomes bent or compressed by trauma due to events such as:

  • Motor vehicle accidents, especially truck accidents
  • Cycling accidents
  • Falls
  • Sports injuries
  • Diving accidents
  • Trampoline accidents
  • Injuries from violence, such as gunshots or stab wounds
  • Infections forming an abscess on the spinal cord
  • Birth injuries

About Spinal Cord Injuries Due to Truck Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents are the number-one cause of spinal cord injuries in the U.S., according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Those involving large commercial vehicles like semi-trucks are more likely to result in SCIs because of the truck’s sheer size and weight relative to passenger vehicles. Not only do these trucks hit with more force, but the occupants of the smaller vehicles almost always get the worst of a collision due to the size differential.

Depending on the circumstances of the crash, any of the following parties could be liable for the damages stemming from a spinal cord injury:

  • The truck’s driver
  • The truck company that employs the driver
  • The company that owns the truck
  • The mechanics who maintain the truck
  • The crew that loaded the truck’s cargo
  • The cargo’s owner
  • The company that manufactured the truck or its components

An experienced personal injury lawyer can review the circumstances surrounding the crash and determine who may be responsible for the harm you or a loved one suffered.

Symptoms of Spinal Cord Injuries

Some of the most common spinal cord injury symptoms include:

  • Loss of movement, coordination, or balance
  • Extreme pain or pressure in the head, neck, or back
  • Loss or change in sensation, such as changes in your ability to feel touch or differences in temperature
  • Loss of bladder or bowel control
  • Exaggerated reflexes or spasms
  • Difficulty walking
  • Unnatural positions of the spine or head
  • Changes in sexual function, sensitivity, or fertility
  • Pain, burning, or stinging sensation from nerve damage in the spinal cord
  • Difficulty breathing, coughing, or clearing one’s throat

If you or a loved one recently suffered trauma to your head, neck, or back and experience any of these symptoms, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Serious spinal injuries are not always immediately apparent, and severe damage can occur without speedy medical intervention.

Living with an Acute SCI

Spinal cord injuries often require long-term hospitalization and rehabilitation, including physical therapy, to help prevent muscular atrophy and contractures. Patients may also need occupational therapy to learn how to use other muscles to improve mobility and movement. Patients might need regular medical evaluations and testing so that their medical team can monitor their progress.

Furthermore, many people who become paralyzed due to a spinal cord injury struggle with mental health issues. As a result, patients may find it helpful to explore talk therapy, pharmaceutical options such as antidepressants, or both.

The challenges of living with an acute SCI cannot be exaggerated. The victim’s life may forever change, and the expenses of securing even a moderate quality of life are often substantial.

Compensation for Your Spinal Cord Injury Claim

If you or someone you love suffered a spinal cord injury in an accident that was caused by another party’s negligence, you can seek to recover compensation for financial losses like:

  • Medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Loss of future earning capacity
  • Household assistance
  • Transportation and accommodation expenses if you need to travel for your treatment

Additionally, you may also seek compensation for losses that are not expressly financial but that have had a negative effect on your quality of life, such as:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress
  • Loss of enjoyment of life

An experienced St. Louis spinal cord injury attorney can investigate your case and determine how much compensation you could be entitled to for the specific losses you suffered.

Contact an Experienced St. Louis Spinal Cord Injury Attorney

Have you or someone you love suffered a spinal cord injury that wasn’t your fault? Then contact Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC today. You could be owed money for your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, diminished quality of life, and more. Let an experienced St. Louis spinal cord injury attorney from our firm help you get it. We offer free consultations, so it won’t cost you anything to learn your legal options.