Florida Spinal Cord Injuries

A spinal cord injury (SCI) is perhaps the most significant that one can experience in terms of life-changing consequences. They can occur in a myriad of ways, due to a myriad of causes – but one of the most common, unfortunately, is in road accidents. Data from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) estimates that around 40 percent of all new spinal cord injuries occur due to vehicular accidents, any number of which were caused by the negligence of another driver.

Serious Injuries Caused By Negligence

Any type of damage to the spinal cord or the nerves at the end will qualify as a spinal cord injury, though cracked vertebrae will not necessarily do the same. Because the spinal cord handles so much of the body’s communication, any damage to it may result in loss of sensation below the site of the injury – for example, if a person sustains damage in their lumbar vertebrae, they may lose the use of their legs, while an injury higher up may include the arms as well.

A SCI may be complete (no feeling at all in the affected limbs) or incomplete (some sensation remains). In addition to the immediate physical effects, it is not uncommon for SCI patients to have mental and emotional side effects as well – after all, an injury of this nature can affect a person’s way of life. If you have reason to believe that your SCI was caused by the negligence of another driver, this can make the fallout even worse.

A “Significant & Permanent” Injury

In Florida, most auto accident cases are handled via insurance claims, as all Florida drivers are required to carry personal injury protection (PIP) and property damage liability (PDL) coverage to handle minor issues. Unless an injury is “significant and permanent,” a person cannot file a standard lawsuit in an auto accident case. However, any SCI that results in permanent loss of function of one or more limbs will qualify as “significant,” allowing an injured person to file suit against the allegedly negligent driver.

It may feel overwhelming to try and seek monetary compensation for what you have been through, but an SCI is one of the most expensive long-term injuries one can sustain, and compensation for what you have been through can help ease the financial burden going forward, to say nothing of potentially getting closure on the other person’s negligence. The right attorney can help.

Contact A Spinal Cord Injury Attorney

If you have sustained a spinal cord injury in Florida, you deserve the chance to recover damages for the harm you have suffered. An Orlando spinal cord injury lawyer from the Hornsby Law Group can work with you and try to give you the best possible outcome. Contact our office today at (407) 871-6375 to schedule a free consultation.

Source:

nscisc.uab.edu/PublicDocuments/fact_sheets/Recent%20trends%20in%20causes%20of%20SCI.pdf