Bowling Green Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers

• We have more than 45 years of experience obtaining compensation while representing injured clients, including spinal cord injury victims.
• Our Kentucky spinal cord injury lawyers have acquired millions of dollars for clients and have achieved a 90 percent success rate in our cases.
• We are a nationally-recognized personal injury law firm with offices in Bowling Green and Glasgow. Consultations are always free and if we don’t win your case, you won’t pay us anything.

Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

There are two main forms of spinal cord injuries, complete and incomplete, and the severity is determined by the location affected.

Complete Spinal Cord Injury

When the spinal cord suffers permanent damage, often resulting in the following:

• Paraplegia:

Affecting the thoracic or lumbar vertebrae, causing impairment below the location of the injury. Function typically remains normal in the upper half of the body.

• High Tetraplegia:

An injury to the C1-C4 vertebrae, resulting in paralysis of the entire body from the neck down.

• Low Tetraplegia:

A victim may experience limited mobility of the shoulder, elbow, and hand due to damage to the C5-C8 vertebrae.

Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury

This type of spinal injury leaves victims with some feeling below the site of injury. There is a better chance of recovery with an incomplete spinal cord injury and also if immediate action is taken to reduce swelling once the accident occurs.

Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

The most common accidents leading to spinal cord injuries include:

• Traffic Accidents
• Motorcycle Collisions
• Truck Accidents
• Violent Crimes (gunshot wounds and stab wounds)
• High Impact Sports Collisions
• Slip and Fall Accidents
• Falling Objects and Debris
• Construction Site Accidents
• Workplace Accidents

The leading cause of spinal injuries in the U.S. is vehicle accidents, followed closely by falls. Every year there are 17,730 new cases of spinal injuries, according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC).

Spinal Cord Injury Statistics

The following facts are from the 2019 data reported by the NSCISC:

• Approximately 291,000 people are living with a spinal cord injury (SCI) in the U.S.
• Vehicle accidents are responsible for 39.3% of all cases.
• Falls lead closely behind (31.8%), followed by acts of violence (13.5%), sports/recreation (8%), medical/surgical (4.3%), and lastly other reasons (3.1%).
• The average lifetime costs associated with any type of SCI injury is more than one million dollars and can reach more than five million dollars in cases of high tetraplegia.
• The most frequently occurring type of SCI is incomplete tetraplegia (47.6%), followed by incomplete paraplegia (19.9%), then completed paraplegia (19.6%), and lastly complete tetraplegia (12.3%).
• The average hospital stay is 11 days for an SCI and 31 days for rehabilitation.
• The average age most people suffer an SCI is 43.
• The majority of new SCI cases are male (78%).

Why You Need a Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

Spinal injuries can permanently alter your life. When they are caused by a catastrophic event, it is important to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident to determine if you are able to recover monetary damages. In many cases, spinal injuries that result from car accidents, slip and falls accidents, assault due to negligent security, and many other similar incidents, entitle a person to compensation.

An experienced spinal cord injury attorney in Kentucky can identify liable parties, collect evidence and negotiate settlements with insurance companies in an effort to obtain the maximum recovery amount, all while you focus on healing. While money can never undo the pain and suffering you are enduring, it can certainly ease the burden of present and future medical costs, property damage, lost wages, and any other expense related to a spinal cord injury.