Think of the spinal cord as a thin electrical wire surrounded by a C-shaped shell but vulnerable to strong impacts, infection, and serious effects in situations like accidents. Since the spinal cord is such a fragile system, when it is damaged, bleeding or swelling can cause significant damage to the vertebrae and the complex nervous system. The injury often results in substantial disability that could lead to temporary or permanent paraplegia or quadriplegia. These terms refer to needing to be in a wheelchair or loss of use of arms or legs.
More than 10,000 individuals sustain serious spinal cord injury every year. While most occur in the workplace or from a sports injury or automobile accident, many are the result of negligence, surgical error, misdiagnosis or errors by medical staff. The overwhelming stress and expense when coping with spinal cord injuries is often life-altering . In addition, the financial toll on the family can be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars every year to deal with additional surgeries, rehabilitation, durable medical equipment, physical therapy and long-term home care.
Negligence or misdiagnosis by the medical staff is often the foundation of most medical malpractice cases. Usually, an injury to the spinal column results from a doctor’s error when treating the patient for another condition, including these categories: Anesthesia error, Emergency Room error, Malpractice during surgery. The experts at our law firm are trained in how to determine which or if several of these may be involved in your case. A detailed interview called a deposition may need to occur where people involved in the care are interviewed to determine timeline, and if factors are relevant in your case, such as improper moving of an injured patient or medical personnel not being sufficiently trained in specialty care.
If the injury causes partial or full paralysis, or other significant nerve issue, the victim has the legal right to seek a claim for damages. Doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers can also be held legally liable when a patient suffers serious injuries through neglect. If the victim suffers spinal cord injuries through an undiagnosed infection or tumor, the medical staff can be held accountable for compensation.
Being unsatisfied with the results of your medical care is not enough. An experienced personal injury lawyer Naperville IL trusts must prove negligent or improper standard of care was a causal factor in a bad outcome. These include, but are not limited to background checks, evidence gathering, review of medical record in specialized manner, interviewing eyewitnesses to care given, as well as other techniques.
Perhaps you are wondering why you need an attorney after a Spinal Cord Injury? Handling a claim for any type of negligent medical care is complex. But spinal cord injuries add an additional level of sophistication because medical specialists and in some cases expert witnesses may need to become part of your case. With an attorney, the victim is less likely to accept a low settlement amount from the insurance company or facility, before the full impact of their injuries is realized.
If you or a loved one is suffering a spinal cord injury caused by medical malpractice, our attorneys can help you seek financial compensation against all professionals involved including: physicians, nurses and hospitals. We provide aggressive legal representation by fully investigating your case and preparing your claim for trial. We accept medical malpractice cases across Illinois on contingency to help you avoid paying legal fees until our law firm obtains a jury award or settlement on your behalf.
Thanks to our friends and contributors from The Law Offices of Konrad Sherinian for their insight into getting justice after your spinal cord injury.