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Did you or a loved one injure your spinal cord in an accident in Boston, MA? If someone else was to blame, you could be entitled to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and more. Call our Boston spinal cord injury lawyers at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP for help getting the full compensation available in your case.
The legal process can be overwhelming. We’ve been helping clients navigate cases like yours for over a decade–and we’ve recovered millions of dollars in the process.
Are you interested in learning more about how an experienced lawyer can add value to your case? Contact our law offices in Boston, MA today. Call (617)-391-9001 to schedule a free consultation.
Even a relatively minor spinal cord injury can diminish your quality of life. Severe injuries can be life-altering and even catastrophic. You may have to adapt to an entirely different lifestyle.
These types of injuries can also cause serious emotional damage. While you might deserve compensation if someone else was to blame, you might not have the energy for an extensive legal fight. An experienced Boston personal injury lawyer can help.
When you hire Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP to protect your best interests, your lawyer will:
Our personal injury lawyers always prepare to take your case to trial if necessary. We’ll fight to win what’s fair so that you can focus on what’s important: your physical and emotional recovery.
If you’re interested in learning more, call our law offices in Boston, Massachusetts for a free consultation.
The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) estimates that about 17,180 new spinal cord injury cases happen each year in the U.S. That number doesn’t include spinal cord injury fatalities.
In total, it’s estimated that about 300,000 Americans are currently living with spinal cord injuries.
The spinal cord is a complex column of nerves and bones, called vertebrae, that runs from the base of the skull to the tailbone. The cord itself is about 18 inches long and controls how signals are sent throughout the body.
When the spinal cord is damaged, all areas of the body beneath the damaged segment can be impacted.
Injuries to the spinal cord are classified initially as either complete or incomplete, as follows:
Both types of injury can dramatically impact your quality of life. After all, the spinal cord is responsible for communications between the brain and the rest of your body.
The spinal cord itself is divided into segments. From skull to tailbone, those segments include the cervical spine, the thoracic spine, the lumbar spine, and the sacral spine.
Our law firm handles all types of spinal cord injuries, including:
The cervical spine contains seven vertebrae, numbered C1-C7. The cervical spine begins at the base of the skull and extends through the neck. Damage to the cervical spine causes the most severe damage–as everything below the neck can be impacted by the neck injury.
Cervical spine injury victims can suffer complete paralysis, or tetraplegia/quadriplegia. They often have difficulty breathing on their own–and these injuries can often be fatal.
The thoracic spine contains 12 vertebrae, T1-T12, and is located in the upper portion of the back, below the cervical spine. Serious damage to the thoracic spine can lead to paralysis of the torso and legs, difficulty breathing or controlling the bladder and bowels.
The severity of this type of spinal cord injury depends heavily on which vertebrae were damaged.
The lumbar spine consists of five vertebrae, L1-L5. The lumbar spine carries much of the body’s weight. Because of this, the vertebrae are larger and more sturdy. Lumbar spine injury victims often suffer loss of control over the legs or hips, but the upper body is rarely affected.
Sacral spine injuries are relatively rare. The sacral spine consists of five vertebrae, S1-S5, that are fused together in a triangular shape at the base of the spine. Each vertebra corresponds to a specific nerve. Therefore, the severity of an injury to the sacrum will depend upon which nerve was impacted.
Sacral spine injury victims usually retain their ability to walk, although they may lose some function and require ongoing assistance with bladder and bowel problems.
As with any injury, getting prompt medical care is key to preventing lasting damage.
Some signs and symptoms of a spinal cord injury might include:
Any of these symptoms can signal a need for medical attention.
Most people know that a serious spinal cord injury can cause paralysis. Loss of motor function, however, is only one of the serious long-term consequences.
Spinal cord damage can cause the victim to suffer:
The consequences of a spinal cord injury can be devastating. If you’re suffering because of spinal cord damage, you might have options. Call our personal injury attorneys in Boston today to learn more about your legal rights if you were hurt in an accident.
Motor vehicle accidents are by far the most common cause of spinal cord injuries in recent years. Fall injuries also account for a significant number of injuries.
At Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP, we handle all types of spinal cord injury cases, including those involving:
If you were hurt, our lawyers are here to help. We’d be happy to arrange a free consultation to discuss your accident and injuries.
Over a lifetime, treating a serious spinal cord injury can cost millions of dollars. It’s estimated that the lifetime cost of treatment for a 25-year old paraplegic is about $2.3 million. For a 50-year old victim, the cost is around $1.5 million.
If someone else caused the injury, they should be responsible for the financial consequences. To find out what your case is worth, we’ll work closely with you to see how the injury changed your life.
Relevant issues include:
You’ve probably never had to make an insurance demand based on a severe injury before. It can be difficult to know what your case is really worth–and you only have one chance to ask the insurance company for compensation.
Fortunately, help is just a call away. Schedule a free consultation with Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP today to learn more.
Our lawyers will fight to recover the full economic and non-economic damages available in your case. You may be entitled to compensation for:
Our legal team at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP has been handling cases like yours for over a decade. In that time, we’ve developed relationships with experts who can help us understand your injuries. We can use their insight as proof of what your case is really worth.
Spinal cord injury victims in Massachusetts only have three years to file a personal injury lawsuit. You could have even less time, depending on the facts. Give us a call today if you have questions about the statute of limitations in your case.
Did you or a loved one sustain a spinal cord injury in an accident caused by someone else’s carelessness? Call our experienced Boston spinal cord injury lawyers at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP for a free consultation today.
Attorneys at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP have been recognized and honored by several of the top legal associations, including SuperLawyers, National Trial Lawyers Association, and Best Lawyers.
Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP is a highly successful personal injury law firm serving Massachusetts since 2011.
There are no fees or costs unless we win your case!
