Did you or a loved one injure your spinal cord in an accident in Boston, MA? If someone else was to blame, you could be entitled to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and more. Call our Boston spinal cord injury lawyers at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP for help getting the full compensation available in your case.
The legal process can be overwhelming. We’ve been helping clients navigate cases like yours for over a decade–and we’ve recovered millions of dollars in the process.
Are you interested in learning more about how an experienced lawyer can add value to your case? Contact our law offices in Boston, MA today. Call (617) 944-5134 to schedule a free consultation.
How Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP Can Help After Suffering a Spinal Cord Injury in Boston, MA
Even a relatively minor spinal cord injury can diminish your quality of life. Severe injuries can be life-altering and even catastrophic. You may have to adapt to an entirely different lifestyle.
These types of injuries can also cause serious emotional damage. While you might deserve compensation if someone else was to blame, you might not have the energy for an extensive legal fight. An experienced Boston personal injury lawyer can help.
When you hire Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP to protect your best interests, your lawyer will:
- Dig deep to find out who was responsible for your injury
- Carefully evaluate your injuries with the help of experts who can accurately value your injury claim
- Defend you if the insurance company tries to blame you or undervalue your claim
- Use over 100 years of combined legal experience to negotiate the highest available settlement
Our personal injury lawyers always prepare to take your case to trial if necessary. We’ll fight to win what’s fair so that you can focus on what’s important: your physical and emotional recovery.
If you’re interested in learning more, call our law offices in Boston, Massachusetts for a free consultation.
How Common Are Spinal Cord Injuries?
The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) estimates that about 17,180 new spinal cord injury cases happen each year in the U.S. That number doesn’t include spinal cord injury fatalities.
In total, it’s estimated that about 300,000 Americans are currently living with spinal cord injuries.
Overview of Spinal Cord Injuries
The spinal cord is a complex column of nerves and bones, called vertebrae, that runs from the base of the skull to the tailbone. The cord itself is about 18 inches long and controls how signals are sent throughout the body.
When the spinal cord is damaged, all areas of the body beneath the damaged segment can be impacted.
Injuries to the spinal cord are classified initially as either complete or incomplete, as follows:
- Complete spinal cord injuries result in loss of all feeling and function below the damaged area
- Victims of incomplete spinal cord injuries retain some feeling and function below the damaged area
Both types of injury can dramatically impact your quality of life. After all, the spinal cord is responsible for communications between the brain and the rest of your body.
Types of Spinal Cord Injury
The spinal cord itself is divided into segments. From skull to tailbone, those segments include the cervical spine, the thoracic spine, the lumbar spine, and the sacral spine.
Our law firm handles all types of spinal cord injuries, including:
Cervical Spine Injuries
The cervical spine contains seven vertebrae, numbered C1-C7. The cervical spine begins at the base of the skull and extends through the neck. Damage to the cervical spine causes the most severe damage–as everything below the neck can be impacted by the neck injury.
Cervical spine injury victims can suffer complete paralysis, or tetraplegia/quadriplegia. They often have difficulty breathing on their own–and these injuries can often be fatal.
Thoracic Spine Injuries
The thoracic spine contains 12 vertebrae, T1-T12, and is located in the upper portion of the back, below the cervical spine. Serious damage to the thoracic spine can lead to paralysis of the torso and legs, difficulty breathing or controlling the bladder and bowels.
The severity of this type of spinal cord injury depends heavily on which vertebrae were damaged.
Lumbar Spine Injuries
The lumbar spine consists of five vertebrae, L1-L5. The lumbar spine carries much of the body’s weight. Because of this, the vertebrae are larger and more sturdy. Lumbar spine injury victims often suffer loss of control over the legs or hips, but the upper body is rarely affected.
Sacral Spine Injuries
Sacral spine injuries are relatively rare. The sacral spine consists of five vertebrae, S1-S5, that are fused together in a triangular shape at the base of the spine. Each vertebra corresponds to a specific nerve. Therefore, the severity of an injury to the sacrum will depend upon which nerve was impacted.
Sacral spine injury victims usually retain their ability to walk, although they may lose some function and require ongoing assistance with bladder and bowel problems.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Spinal Cord Injuries?
As with any injury, getting prompt medical care is key to preventing lasting damage.
Some signs and symptoms of a spinal cord injury might include:
- Muscle weakness
- Loss of feeling in the legs, arms, chest, or torso
- Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
- Loss of sensation to heat or cold in the extremities
- Acute back pain
- Breathing problems
- Changes in sexual function
- Spasms or exaggerated reflexes
Any of these symptoms can signal a need for medical attention.
What are the Long-Term Consequences of Spinal Cord Injuries?
Most people know that a serious spinal cord injury can cause paralysis. Loss of motor function, however, is only one of the serious long-term consequences.
Spinal cord damage can cause the victim to suffer:
- Respiratory problems
- Loss of bladder or bowel function
- Loss of sexual function
- Loss of fertility
- Loss of speech
- Chronic pain
- Paralysis from the neck down, or tetraplegia
- Paralysis from the waist down, or paraplegia
The consequences of a spinal cord injury can be devastating. If you’re suffering because of spinal cord damage, you might have options. Call our personal injury attorneys in Boston today to learn more about your legal rights if you were hurt in an accident.
What Causes Spinal Cord Injuries?
Motor vehicle accidents are by far the most common cause of spinal cord injuries in recent years. Fall injuries also account for a significant number of injuries.
At Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP, we handle all types of spinal cord injury cases, including those involving:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Bus accidents
- Maritime accidents
- Uber or Lyft accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Electric scooter accidents
- Taxi accidents
- Defective products
- Premises liability
- Construction accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Birth injuries
- Medical malpractice
- Sports injuries
- Gun violence
If you were hurt, our lawyers are here to help. We’d be happy to arrange a free consultation to discuss your accident and injuries.
What is My Boston Spinal Cord Injury Case Worth?
Over a lifetime, treating a serious spinal cord injury can cost millions of dollars. It’s estimated that the lifetime cost of treatment for a 25-year old paraplegic is about $2.3 million. For a 50-year old victim, the cost is around $1.5 million.
If someone else caused the injury, they should be responsible for the financial consequences. To find out what your case is worth, we’ll work closely with you to see how the injury changed your life.
Relevant issues include:
- The cost of your past and future medical care
- Your lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
- How the injury changed your daily life
- The pain and overall trauma of the accident and injury
You’ve probably never had to make an insurance demand based on a severe injury before. It can be difficult to know what your case is really worth–and you only have one chance to ask the insurance company for compensation.
Fortunately, help is just a call away. Schedule a free consultation with Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP today to learn more.
What Compensation Can I Recover for My Spinal Cord Injury in Boston, Massachusetts?
Our lawyers will fight to recover the full economic and non-economic damages available in your case. You may be entitled to compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Future medical bills
- Lost future earning capacity
- Physical therapy
- Medical devices
- Home modifications
- Long-term care
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of your independence
- Damages for wrongful death
Our legal team at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP has been handling cases like yours for over a decade. In that time, we’ve developed relationships with experts who can help us understand your injuries. We can use their insight as proof of what your case is really worth.
How Long Do I Have to File a Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit in Massachusetts?
Spinal cord injury victims in Massachusetts only have three years to file a personal injury lawsuit. You could have even less time, depending on the facts. Give us a call today if you have questions about the statute of limitations in your case.
Contact Our Boston Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Did you or a loved one sustain a spinal cord injury in an accident caused by someone else’s carelessness? Call our experienced Boston spinal cord injury lawyers at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP for a free consultation today.
