Life after a Spinal Cord Injury

 Posted on November 30, 2023 in Catastrophic Injuries

Spinal cord injuries, or SCIs, are extremely serious injuries that can change your life in an instant. The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that carries signals to and from the brain and the rest of the body. When it is damaged, it can result in substantial problems - including complete paralysis below the site of the injury.

The Rockford spinal cord injury attorneys at Mannarino & Brasfield, A Division of Schwartz Injury Law understand how devastating SCIs can be and know how to get victims the compensation they deserve under Illinois law. Call us today to schedule a free case evaluation with a lawyer.

Incomplete vs. Complete SCIs

Spinal cord injuries can be categorized as either complete or incomplete. When an SCI is complete, the victim has no feeling or function below the injury site. On the other hand, when an SCI is incomplete, the victim retains some feeling and function below the injury site.

An SCI Can Affect Every Aspect of Your Life

Regardless of whether your SCI is complete or incomplete, it can change every aspect of your life. You may be unable to perform the job you had before your accident or even engage in everyday tasks without help. You may require mobility devices such as a walker or a motorized wheelchair just to get around. In addition, your injuries may affect your personal relationships or even impair your ability to be intimate with your partner.

SCIs Often Result in Significant Damages

As a result of these far-reaching complications, spinal cord injury victims are often entitled to significant compensation. In fact, according to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, the estimated lifetime costs for a 25-year-old with high tetraplegia is $4,724,181 - and these costs do include indirect costs like lost income and productivity.

Under Illinois law, if someone else's negligence caused your SCI, you are entitled to compensation for your economic and non-economic damages. These often include:

• Medical expenses
• The cost of future medical treatment and care
• The cost of medical devices
• Physical and emotional pain and suffering
• Present and future lost income

Unsurprisingly, when insurance companies deal with spinal cord injury claims, they do everything they can to deny them or at least minimize the settlement they pay out. This is why it is vital for any SCI victim to retain an attorney as soon as they can. A lawyer who handles catastrophic injury claims will be able to protect your rights with the insurance company and get you the compensation to which you are entitled.

Call Us Today to Speak with a Rockford, IL, Spinal Cord Injury Attorney

If you have suffered a spinal cord injury in a preventable accident, you should contact a Winnebago County, IL spinal cord injury lawyer in Winnebago County, IL, as soon as you can. At Mannarino & Brasfield, A Division of Schwartz Injury Law, we know how to get people with catastrophic injuries the compensation they deserve. To schedule a free case evaluation with an attorney, call our office today at 815-215-7561 or contact us online.