Active, Attentive & Effective Representation

Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys

You can’t walk. You can’t support your family. You can’t play with your kids or help them with a science fair project. You need help to do the most basic tasks of everyday life, from eating to bathing to going to the restroom. In an instant, a workplace injury or car accident resulting in a spinal cord injury can make all those things part of your new reality.

At Hiden, Rott & Oertle, LLP, we have secured millions of dollars. Let our decades of experience help you get the compensation you need to live your new life as a spinal cord injury survivor. With a free consultation, you have nothing to lose to learn how we can fight for you and your family.

Spinal Cord Injury Statistics

Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

Affects on The Family

Millions Recovered

Free Consultation

Blog Posts

Thousands of Lives Are Upended by Spinal Cord Injuries Every Year

Your spinal cord is essential to almost all your physical movement. It is what allows your brain to communicate with the rest of your body. When a spinal cord is injured or broken, the part of the body controlled by the affected area may lose its ability to function, resulting in permanent disability or paralysis. This can leave the lower extremities nonfunctioning (quadriplegia) or impact all four limbs (paraplegia).

Sadly, the lives of thousands of people are turned upside down every year by devastating spinal cord injuries. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center:

There are approximately 17,700 new spinal cord injury cases in the U.S. every year.
Approximately 288,000 Americans are currently living with a spinal cord injury.
The average yearly cost of treatment for those with paraplegia is $537,271 in the first year, and $71,172 every year thereafter.
The average life expectancy for individuals with spinal cord injuries is significantly lower than life expectancies of those without such injuries.

Get the help you need today. Call 619-369-3323 or email us today for a free consultation.

Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

Automobile accidents are by far the single largest cause of spinal cord injuries, followed by slips and falls, such as from a ladder or scaffolding at work, acts of violence, and sports and recreational injuries.
Spinal cord injuries can occur in a variety of ways, including:

Car accidents like rear-end collisions, rollovers and T-bone crashes can violently jolt or crush the spine.
Falls from heights, such as off ladders, scaffolding, roofs or through unsafe flooring at construction sites or workplaces.
Slips and trips on wet, oily or uneven surfaces in the workplace or someone else’s property can lead to sudden, awkward landings that damage the spinal cord.
Heavy machinery accidents, where improper training, lack of safety equipment or defective equipment cause traumatic injury.
Acts of violence, including gunshot wounds, stabbings and physical assaults, can damage the spinal cord directly or indirectly.
Sports and recreational activities like diving into shallow water, high-impact football tackles, skiing crashes or horseback riding accidents can cause blunt force trauma to the back or neck.

While not all spinal cord injuries are the fault of other people, many do involve the negligent or intentional conduct of others, whether they are a reckless or intoxicated driver of a car, a property owner who fails to keep their premises in a safe condition, or a person committing a violent act. When others are responsible for the pain and loss of a spinal cord injury, they need to be held accountable.

Call 619-369-3323 or email us for a free consultation about your or a loved one’s spinal cord injury.

Types of Spine Injuries

Spinal cord injuries are classified based on two main factors:

The severity of the injury
The location along the spinal cord where the damage occurred

The severity is usually categorized as either complete or incomplete. In a complete injury, the brain can no longer send signals below the site of injury, leading to total loss of sensation and movement.

However, in an incomplete injury, some communication between the brain and body remains, meaning the person may retain some feeling or motor function. The location of the injury also determines a person’s symptoms and level of disability:

Cervical spinal cord injuries: They affect the neck region and can result in tetraplegia (also called quadriplegia), causing paralysis of both the arms and legs.
Thoracic spinal cord injuries: They impact the upper and mid-back. They often affect the chest, abdominal muscles and lower body, leading to paraplegia, but usually spare the arms.
Lumbar spinal cord injuries: They involve the lower back and usually affect the hips and legs.
Sacral spinal cord injuries: They impact the pelvic area, potentially causing loss of function in the hips, thighs and bladder or bowel control.

Understanding the type and level of a spinal cord injury is crucial for planning effective treatment, rehabilitation and long-term care. You can contact us today to schedule your free consultation.

Spinal Cord Injuries Devastate Entire Families

Those statistics don’t reflect the fact that spinal cord injuries change the lives of not only the injured individuals, but also their families who must adjust to the all-consuming responsibilities and challenges of caring for a loved one with new physical limitations. Overwhelming financial burdens, emotional and psychological trauma, intense and long-term rehabilitation, and an entirely new way of life make the impact of a spinal cord injury truly catastrophic.

Let us help your family. Call 619-369-3323 or email us today for a free consultation.