If you suffered a spinal cord injury in an accident, you might be entitled to compensation for your hospital stay, medical care, and other expenses. The Washington personal injury lawyers of Tamaki Law, we have over 100 years of combined experience representing accident victims and seeking the justice they deserve.
Spinal cord injuries can occur in various scenarios, such as car accidents, slip and falls, and workplace accidents. They’re painful and can lead to permanent medical problems. You could end up with a physical disability and require assistance performing routine tasks. An injury of this type can disrupt your whole life and affect your daily routine.
No matter how the injury occurred, Tamaki Law might be able to help you hold the at-fault party liable. You deserve compensation for the suffering you endured due to another person’s negligent actions. You can depend on our Washington spinal cord injury attorneys to work together to meet your needs and try to reach a favorable outcome in your case.
Call us at (800) 801-9564 right now for a free initial consultation.
Common Types of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can have debilitating consequences. The spinal cord relays signals between the brain and the rest of the body. If there’s trauma to this vital structure, it can affect normal function.
A spinal cord injury typically causes mobility issues and lost sensation below the site of the trauma. Some people face challenges walking or picking up items with their hands. Many lose feeling in their limbs or extremities and can’t function as usual.
The most common types of spinal cord injuries include:
- Anterior cord syndrome
- Brown-Sequard syndrome
- Central cord syndrome
- Tetraplegia (quadriplegia)
- Paraplegia
- Triplegia
A spinal cord injury can fall under one of two classifications depending on the severity:
- Complete – A complete injury causes a total loss of motor function and feeling below the injured area of the spinal cord.
- Incomplete – An incomplete injury affects some feeling and motor function but not all.
Despite the severity of a spinal cord injury, many accident victims can still lead the lives they had before. Physical therapy, spine stabilization, rehabilitation, and other forms of treatment can manage pain and improve mobility. Assistive medical devices are available for individuals unable to walk on their own or who are unable to perform simple tasks.
It’s critical that you hire a Washington spinal cord injury attorney immediately after the accident. We can investigate what happened and start building a case against the careless or negligent party. You’re more likely to recover higher compensation with an experienced legal team on our side than if you try to handle the process on your own.
Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can be traumatic. They often result in expensive and ongoing medical treatment. Even if we can secure an insurance settlement or favorable jury verdict, you could continue to feel the effects of your injury for the rest of your life.
The severity of your injury and how it impacts your physical functioning could depend on the type of accident you were in and the affected body part. The most common causes include:
Motor vehicle accidents – Accidents involving motor vehicles commonly cause spinal cord injuries. Since 2015, 38.2 percent of spinal cord injuries resulted from a traffic-related accident. If the other driver was at fault, you could file an insurance claim to compensate for the losses you suffered. Common reasons car and truck accidents occur include:
- Tailgating
- Failing to obey traffic signs and signals
- Unsafe lane changes
- Speeding
- Driving under the influence
- Fatigued driving
- Distracted driving
Product liability – Defective products contain inherent dangers that can harm the user. Manufacturing errors, design issues, and other problems can cause the product to malfunction and lead to a spinal cord injury. Common defective products include:
- Furniture
- Cars and parts
- Medical devices
- Exercise equipment
- Household appliances
- Tools and machinery
Medical malpractice – Medical malpractice occurs when a medical provider, such as a doctor or radiologist, injures a patient because of negligence or an act of omission. Some examples of scenarios that could result in a spinal cord injury are:
- Surgical errors
- Performing an unnecessary procedure
- Inadequate post-op care
- Failure to diagnose an illness or injury
- Incorrect interpretation of imaging test results
Construction accidents – Construction workers often face dangerous conditions. Spinal cord injuries can occur for numerous reasons, such as:
- Faulty equipment
- Slip/trip and fall on hazards
- Repetitive motion
- Fall from heights due to lack of safety devices
- Carrying heavy materials
- Assault
Premises liability – Commercial and residential property owners have a responsibility to perform routine maintenance and repairs. If a visitor gets hurt, the owner could be held liable for the dangerous conditions. Common causes of spinal cord injuries on someone else’s property include:
- Slippery or wet floor
- Defective escalator or elevator
- Lack of handrails
- Damaged staircase
- Loose carpeting or rugs
- Debris and other hazards in walkways
Nursing home abuse – Patients in nursing home facilities can face sexual and physical abuse by a doctor, administrative employee, or another resident. Older adults are susceptible to abuse because they’re vulnerable. Around one in ten adults, 60 years of age and older, suffer abuse. It’s a prevalent issue throughout the country, resulting in severe injuries and fatalities. Spinal cord injuries are likely to occur during instances of physical abuse or from a fall if no one is around to help the victim to the bathroom.
How Tamaki Law Can Help You with Your Case
A spinal cord injury is one of the most devastating injuries a person can suffer. Significant damage could lead to paralysis and require lifestyle changes. You might need prescription medication to manage your pain and spend months or years trying to recover and get your life back on track.
Insurance claims can be complicated for anyone to handle. They can be especially overwhelming if you’re already dealing with a debilitating spinal cord injury. When you’re in pain, the last thing you want to do is fill out paperwork and communicate with the insurance adjuster.
The Washington spinal cord injury attorneys of Tamaki Law can take over your case so you can focus on healing. You shouldn’t face the responsibility of filing a claim, determining the available insurance coverage, and gathering the necessary evidence on your own. Let us handle all of that for you, so you’re not burdened by the legal requirements of a personal injury case.
When you hire us, we will investigate the accident to determine who was at fault. We’ll need to obtain vital evidence to prove someone else caused your injury and should be held liable for your medical bills, medication expenses, and other costs. We can file an insurance claim on your behalf and negotiate with the insurance company for a full and fair settlement. If they deny your claim, we have the experience and resources to file a lawsuit and take them to court.
Compensation You Could Pursue for a Spinal Cord Injury
One of the main reasons you should seek immediate legal action following a spinal cord injury is because of the financial strain medical bills can cause. Medical treatment is expensive and can include physicians’ bills, radiology bills, and surgery bills. You might not be able to afford these costs and worry about how you’re going to pay.
If you file an insurance claim or lawsuit, you can seek the compensation necessary to cover your losses, so you’re not forced to pay for anything out of pocket. The settlement you receive could potentially cover the following losses:
- Medical bills
- Disfigurement
- Lost wages
- Lost future earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Mental anguish
- Property damage
If you lost a loved one due to a fatal spinal cord injury, you could file a wrongful death lawsuit and seek a financial award that compensates their estate for the losses they suffered. Common examples of losses that may be eligible for compensation in a wrongful death lawsuit include:
- Funeral and burial costs
- Loss of intangible benefits, such as companionship, provided by the deceased
- Final medical bills related to the injury
- Pain and suffering the deceased suffered before their death
- Property damage costs
- Lost income the deceased could have earned if they survived the accident
The specific circumstances of the accident you were in will determine the losses you’re entitled to pursue if you suffered a spinal cord injury. Tamaki Law can calculate the monetary value of your case and try to recover the maximum possible compensation you need to afford your expenses.
Contact Us
The Washington spinal cord injury attorneys of Tamaki Law will be your advocate and fight for your rights. We will remain by your side to provide the guidance and support you need to get on the road to recovery. We put our experience and knowledge to work for each client who hires us.
We know you’re facing an uphill battle and worry about the financial strain of seeking legal representation. We don’t want to add more stress to your life, which is why we take most cases on contingency. That means there are no upfront fees or costs. You won’t have to pay us unless we win your case.
If someone else’s negligence caused your spinal cord injuries in an accident, call Tamaki Law at (800) 801-9564 immediately for a free initial consultation to discuss your case.