Spinal Cord Injuries

Connecting the brain to the body, the spinal cord is the channel through which the brain communicates commands about movements and sensations. When the spinal cord is damaged, the injured person may be left with complete or partial loss of sensation and/or movement in the area of the body below the point of the injury.

If a person can’t feel or move either the arms or the legs due to a neck-level spinal cord injury, the condition is called “quadriplegia.” “Paraplegia” is the term for loss of movement and/or sensation solely in the lower body.

Spinal cord injuries may occur in car accidents, motorcycle accidents, slip-and-fall incidents, and other circumstances in which the spine receives a sudden blow. In such cases, the bony vertebrae that usually protect the spinal cord may be dislocated or fractured, and in the process either tear or compress the soft spinal cord. Aside from either complete or incomplete paralysis and loss of sensation in various parts of the body, spinal cord injuries can lead to chronic impairment in the functioning of the heart, lungs, bowel, and bladder.

If you or someone you love fell victim to a spinal cord injury, you should consult an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. You already know that such injuries can be devastating, both physically and psychologically. You have also probably realized that medical treatments and the long-term care required by the injured person are extremely expensive. Moreover, the kind and quality of medical and therapeutic care that the injured person will receive will have a huge impact on the extent of his or her physical and emotional recovery. You may not be able to handle the financial aftermath of a spinal cord injury on your own.

If the spinal cord injury was the result of someone else’s negligence (including medical malpractice), or of the use of a defective product, the injured person may seek compensation for the resulting pain and suffering, medical bills, lost wages, loss of ability to earn a living, loss of enjoyment of life, and more. Parents or legal guardians of injured children may pursue compensation on the children’s behalf. In addition, the spouses and children of people who suffered such devastating injuries may be able to bring their own claims for compensation for related harm that they suffered as a result.

From offices in Bangor and Portland, Maine, Peter Thompson & Associates attorneys represent injured clients throughout the state. We understand full well the impact that spinal cord injuries have on entire families, and we fight to ensure that our clients receive full compensation. We thoroughly investigate each case and use the best-trained experts to demonstrate precisely how a spinal cord injury will affect the rest of our clients’ lives. Our meticulous preparation is often the key to favorable settlements for our clients.

If you or someone you love suffered a spinal cord injury, or if you are considering a wrongful death claim related to a spinal cord injury, please contact Peter Thompson & Associates right away.

for a free consultation, please call 800.804.2004 or fill out and submit our online form.