The human spine is both incredibly strong and extremely delicate. A spinal cord injury in an auto accident can have devastating consequences in a person’s life. They can go from one day leading an active vibrant life, to the next day being bound to a hospital bed and relying on a breathing tube after being injured in a catastrophic auto accident.
The spinal cord is the long, curving column of bones that carries the messages between the body and the brain through nerve impulses that originate in the bundles of nerves running up and down the spinal column. When the spinal column suffers the tremendous trauma of a car crash, the nerves that carry information up and down the spine from the brain to the limbs and the organs get crushed and those messages cannot get through. This causes partial or complete paralysis. The point of injury on the spine determines the extent of the paralysis.
The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) estimates that there are about 54 cases of spinal cord injury per million population in the United States with about 17,000 new cases every year. The median age of spinal cord injury patients is 42 and about 80 percent of new SCI cases are males. The NSCISC estimates that the lifetime costs (health care and living expenses) associated with spinal cord injury can range between $1,065,980 in the first year of injury to $185,000 each subsequent year. These estimates do not include lost productivity, lost wages and benefits.
How a skilled Oklahoma injury lawyer can help
If you have sustained a spinal cord injury in a car accident in Oklahoma that was caused by another person’s negligence, you may be entitled to pursue compensation for your injuries. Damages from a personal injury settlement or lawsuit may include damages for:
- Medical expenses now and into the future related to your injury
- Lost wages for the time you miss at work due to the injury
- Disability if you are unable to return to your job because of the injury
- Pain and suffering
- Severe emotional distress
When you work with a McAlester spinal cord injury attorney from the Stipe Law Firm you will enjoy the benefit of an experienced legal practitioner who will be a strong advocate for your rights under the law. Whether you have partial or complete paralysis, your lawyer can make sure that your settlement is enough to cover all the extensive medical costs, rehabilitation, nursing care, home health care and all the other expenses that you will incur as a result of your spinal cord injury.
When you have suffered serious injuries in a car accident in Oklahoma, you might wonder what will happen if you never recover enough to be able to care for yourself and your family and get back to work. A trusted McAlester personal injury attorney will guide you towards the best strategies and solutions for obtaining compensation for your catastrophic injuries. Please call (918) 505-7741 or fill out our contact form today to schedule a free consultation with the Oklahoma auto accident lawyers who are here for you.