"Whether it's a whiplash, serious injury or wrongful death case, we pride ourselves on representing you with the personal service and aggressive representation that you expect and deserve!" -Attorney Ron Sholes​
Spine Injury Lawyer
Navigating a Spinal Cord Injury Claim
If you or someone you love has suffered a spinal cord injury, you already know just how catastrophic these injuries are. Because the spine houses the body’s central nervous system, spine injuries can impact everything from movement to sensation to various bodily functions. Often, spinal cord injury victims suffer some degree of disability, whether partial loss of function or permanent and total paralysis. Treating such injuries is challenging, expensive, and time-consuming; victims and their loved ones often face significant, unexpected physical, emotional, and financial hardships.
At the Law Offices of Ron Sholes, P.A., our spine injury lawyers understand what you are going through—and we know how to help. If you were severely injured due to someone else’s negligent or wrongful conduct, we can help you fight for the maximum recovery you are owed, including compensation for your current and future medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.
To learn more, give us a call at (855) 933-3881 or contact us online for a free consultation.
Types of Spinal Cord Injuries
While there are several different types of spinal cord injuries, they are classified into two main types:
- Complete: A complete spinal cord injury occurs when all communication is severed between the brain and the body below the injury.
- Incomplete: With an incomplete spinal cord injury, the victim retains some degree of functioning below the point of injury.
Often, victims of both complete and incomplete spinal cord injuries will experience loss of function, sensation, and movement below the point of injury—loss of motor function and/or sensation does not necessarily indicate a complete spinal cord injury. Only a properly qualified medical professional can accurately diagnose a spinal cord injury and provide the appropriate treatment recommendations.
Some common examples of complete and incomplete spinal cord injuries include:
- Paraplegia: Complete loss of motor function/sensation in the lower limbs and lower half of the torso (paralysis from the waist down)
- Quadriplegia/Tetraplegia: Complete loss of motor function/sensation in all four limbs and the torso (paralysis from the neck down)
- Triplegia: Loss of motor function/sensation in three limbs (paralysis of three limbs, whether both legs and one arm or both arms and one leg)
- Anterior Cord Syndrome: Compression of the spinal cord, leading to partial or complete motor paralysis and loss of sensation
- Central Cord Syndrome: An incomplete injury to the cervical (neck) spine, leading to weakness in the arms and, sometimes, the legs
- Brown-Sequard Syndrome: An injury to the spine that leads to paralysis or weakness in one side of the body and loss of sensation in the opposing side
Sometimes, disc injuries are also classified as spine injuries. Such injuries include herniated discs, also referred to as bulging or slipped discs. These injuries are extremely painful and require extensive, ongoing medical attention and care.
Common Causes of Spine Injuries
Unfortunately, most spine injuries result from the negligent or wrongful actions of others. Traumatic accidents and events are a leading cause of spinal cord injuries, followed by alcohol-related incidents and disease.
Common causes of spine injuries include:
- Motor vehicle accidents, including those involving cars, motorcycles, large trucks, and RVs
- Falls, including slip and fall accidents and falls from heights
- Sports and recreational accidents, such as boating and ATV accidents
- Acts of violence, such as assault
- Bicycle and pedestrian accidents
If you or a loved one suffered a spine injury in any type of accident or traumatic event, you could have grounds for a personal injury claim. By taking legal action, you can not only work to hold the negligent person or party accountable, but you can also seek fair financial compensation for your economic and non-economic damages.
Establishing Fault for a Spine Injury
Whether you were hit by a drunk driver or slipped and fell due to unsafe conditions on someone else’s property, it’s important that you understand how liability affects your case and your potential recovery. In Florida and Georgia, you are not prohibited from filing a personal injury claim if you were partially at fault for the accident, but your total recovery will be limited. In Georgia, you will not be able to file a claim at all if you are found to be more than 50% at fault.
Often, insurance companies will raise the issue of shared fault to devalue or deny valid claims. The insurance company might argue that you were mostly to blame for the accident and, therefore, you are not entitled to compensation or are only entitled to a small percentage of the total recovery. But for spine injury victims facing years of costly medical treatment, lost wages, and pain and suffering, recovering full compensation is critical to recovery.
At the Law Offices of Ron Sholes, P.A., we know how to fight back against unjust insurance company tactics. Our spine injury lawyers work with a team of experts—including accident reconstructionists, medical professionals—and investigators to effectively build powerful cases on behalf of our clients. Our goal is to not only help you navigate the legal process as easily as possible but also to recover the maximum compensation you are owed. We are prepared to work tirelessly to accomplish this, even if that means taking your case to trial.
Schedule a No-Cost Consultation Today
If you have been severely injured due to someone else’s negligent or wrongful conduct, turn to the Law Offices of Ron Sholes, P.A. to learn how our team of attorneys can fight for you. When you choose us to represent you, you get an entire team of 20 attorneys, 6 investigators, and 100+ professional support staff on your side. We take the time to get to know you, your concerns, and your goals. Throughout the process, we will provide you with consistent communication and updates on the status of your case to ensure that you always remain informed and confident in our team.