Spinal Cord Injuries

SPINAL CORD INJURIES

ST. LOUIS SPINAL CORD INJURY LAWYER

A spinal cord injury (SCI) is among the most devastating types of injuries that can result from a car accident. The term SCI refers to damage to the spinal cord that causes loss of function, such as mobility or feeling. Spinal cord injuries can be life-altering for both the victims and their loved ones, causing tremendous pain and suffering and costing hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills and lost wages.

If you or someone you love has suffered a spinal cord injury, the person who caused those injuries should be held responsible.  Michelle M. Funkenbusch can help you receive proper compensation to pay for medical expenses, lost earnings, and the costs of assistive devices for your home and vehicles, as well as compensation for pain, suffering, permanent disability, and loss of enjoyment of life.

Missouri spinal cord injury lawyer Michelle M. Funkenbusch has more than 15 years experience helping accident victims in Missouri. Whether you have suffered a spinal cord injury or another back injury — such as a herniated disc, ruptured disc, whiplash, spinal stenosis or pinched nerves contact Michelle now.

About Spinal Cord Injuries

The spinal cord is about 18 inches long and runs down the middle of the back from the base of the brain to the waist. The nerves within the spinal cord carry messages back and forth from the brain to the spinal nerves along the spinal tract. The spinal nerves, in turn, branch out and carry these messages to various parts of the body.

The spinal cord is surrounded by rings of bones called vertebra. These vertebra make up the spinal column. Spinal cord injury occurs when trauma damages the vertebra or the spinal cord, making it impossible for the brain to communicate with the parts of the body. Generally, the higher in the spinal column the trauma occurs, the more dysfunction a person will experience.

Results of Spinal Cord Injuries

While spinal cord injuries result in permanent disability, not every accident results in quadriplegia or paraplegia. The effects of spinal cord injury depend on the type and level of the injury.

Spinal cord injuries are generally classified into two categories:

  • Complete — A complete spinal cord injury results in permanent paralysis below the level of the injury. Currently, there is no curable treatment for complete spinal cord injuries.
  • Incomplete — In incomplete spinal cord injuries, the victim has some functionality below the level of the injury. Victims of incomplete spinal cord injuries can often make full recoveries.

Accidents That Cause Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries can occur in any type of car accident. Though they can occur even if all of the car’s safety devices work properly, car defects have been known to be a frequent cause of spinal cord injury. Common defects that lead to spinal cord injury include:

The precise causes of spinal cord injury are not always immediately obvious, such as when the force of a collision causes a passenger wearing a lap-only seat belt to violently jackknife forward and suffer a fracture of the thoracic or lumbar vertebra. That is why Missouri  Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Michelle M. Funkenbusch begins every case with a thorough investigation of the relevant facts and law to properly determine all possible causes of injury.

According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Association, there are approximately 10,000 new spinal cord injuries every year in the United States. Of these, 82 percent involve men between the ages of 16 and 30. The most common cause is a motor vehicle accident.

Contact Missouri Personal Injury Trial Lawyer Michelle M. Funkenbusch

If you or someone you love has suffered a spinal cord injury in a car accident or other accident, it is best to talk with an attorney. At our St. Louis law firm, we focus on more than just litigation. Our goal is to help you resume as normal a life as possible after a spinal cord injury, so we assist with healthcare rights and benefits, and negotiating with your health insurance company.

For a free initial consultation with a lawyer about your car accident, contact our law firm. For your convenience, home and hospital visits are available upon request.