Most personal injuries are stressful and impactful on your life, but a spinal cord injury is catastrophic. Suddenly, you cannot feed, dress, care for yourself, work, or enjoy life as you once did. When another person causes an accident and spinal cord injury, they can be liable for your injuries and losses.
Rely on our Houston spinal cord injury lawyers at Suits & Boots Accident Injury Lawyers. Our personal injury attorneys will safeguard your rights and ensure that the insurance company provides just compensation for your medical bills, lost earnings, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and more.
Why Choose Us?
The Houston personal injury attorneys at Suits & Boots Accident Injury Lawyers have assisted many serious injury victims, including spinal cord injuries. Our seasoned personal injury attorneys have represented plaintiffs with spinal cord and brain injuries from car accidents, truck crashes, pedestrian accidents, swimming accidents, slip and fall claims, workplace accidents, and more. Our past clients have given us many five-star reviews for our legal experience, settlement, and jury trial results.
Call the Houston spinal cord injury attorneys at Suits & Boots Accident Injury Lawyers today, for a free consultation at (713) 489-0922.
Compensation In Houston Spinal Cord Injury Claims
You suffered a spinal cord injury in a Houston car accident on I-10 near Katy. You are in pain in the hospital and cannot move your legs. Another driver hit you, and you wonder what compensation you can receive. Compensation amounts vary widely by case, but you may expect some or all of the following:
- Medical expenses: This covers your past and future costs, including hospitalization, surgeries, rehabilitation, prescription drugs, medical devices, and long-term care for a spinal cord injury. Initial expenses can exceed $1 million, with annual costs over $100,000 or more.
- Lost income: Compensation for income lost due to inability to work after a spinal cord injury during recovery or permanently.
- Loss of earning capacity: Addresses reduced ability to earn in the future if the injury limits career options or work capability if you have a permanent injury. Your spinal cord injury attorney will determine the lost earning compensation you should receive based on the years of work remaining.
- Pain and suffering: Non-economic damages after a spinal cord injury for physical pain, emotional upset, and lowered quality of life caused by the injury.
- Caregiving costs: These include expenses for in-home care or assistance after a spinal cord injury, whether provided by professionals or family members who lose income to care for you.
- Property damage: Payment for damaged personal property from the accident, such as a totaled vehicle.
- Long-term health complications: Compensation for anticipated future issues related to a spinal cord injury, such as infections, bedsores, or other conditions linked to spinal cord injuries.
It’s critical to hire personal injury lawyer in Houston to represent you after a spinal cord injury. No layperson without extensive legal and negotiation experience can maximize the payout for a spinal cord injury. You can need millions to secure your future, so rely on a skilled personal injury at Suits & Boots Accident Injury Lawyers in Houston to assist.
Where Do Houston Spinal Cord Injuries Happen?
Spinal cord injuries often occur in motor vehicle accidents, including truck, car, and motorcycle crashes. Houston is a growing, thriving city, and many auto accidents happen every year. Common hotspots for serious car accidents and injuries like spinal cord injuries include:
Highways
- Interstate 45: Known as one of the deadliest highways in the U.S., I-45 sees a high number of serious accidents, particularly in the stretch running through Houston from Galveston to Dallas. Its heavy traffic, combined with speeding and drunk driving, contributes to frequent crashes.
- Interstate 10 (I-10): Ranking among the most dangerous roads nationally, the Houston section of I-10 experiences numerous collisions due to its high commuter and commercial traffic volume, primarily through Harris County.
- Interstate 610: This beltway around Houston is notorious for congestion and accidents, with hotspots like the intersections at North McCarty Street and Main Street seeing frequent incidents.
- US-59 and US-290: These highways also rank high for crashes, with dense traffic and complex interchanges adding to the risk.
Intersections
- Sam Houston Parkway - Beltway 8 - and Bissonnet Street: Often cited as one of the most dangerous intersections in Texas, this location sees high crashes due to heavy traffic and turning movements.
- FM 1960 and SH 6: Studies, including one from the University of Houston, highlight this as a crash hotspot, likely due to its proximity to shopping and residential areas.
- Pease St. and Fannin St.: Labeled as one of Houston’s riskiest intersections, with significant crash numbers attributed to downtown traffic patterns.
- S. Gessner Rd. and Westpark Dr.: Another busy intersection prone to collisions due to congestion and complex traffic flow.
- Main Street and Sam Houston Parkway: This intersection is frequently mentioned for its accident frequency, which is driven by high traffic and urban activity.
Talk to a personal injury attorney at Suits & Boots Accident Injury Lawyers immediately if you are severely hurt in a Houston car crash, such as a spinal cord injury.
What Causes Spinal Cord Injuries?
There are many causes of spinal cord injuries in Houston. Traumatic cases that can be the subject of a personal injury lawsuit include:
- Motor vehicle accidents: Car, motorcycle, or truck collisions are the leading cause, accounting for roughly 38-50 percent of SCIs in many regions. High-speed impacts or rollovers often jolt or crush the spine. Many auto accidents lead to vehicle ejection, which usually causes spine and head injuries or death.
- Falls: Especially prevalent in older adults, falls from heights or ground-level slips can fracture vertebrae and damage the cord. About 30 percent of SCIs stem from this.
- Violence: Gunshot wounds or stabbings can sever or compress the spinal cord. In the U.S., this accounts for 10-15 percent of cases, varying by region.
- Sports and recreation: High-impact activities like football, diving into shallow water, or skiing contribute 8-10 percent. Diving accidents often hit the cervical spine (neck).
- Workplace accidents: Construction or industrial mishaps, like being struck by heavy objects or falling equipment, are notable in labor-intensive fields. A work-related spinal cord injury can be a workers’ compensation claim or personal injury claim, depending on the situation.
Common Types Of Spinal Cord Injuries
All spinal cord injuries are catastrophic and may lead to severe injury or death. These are the most common injuries after a Houston auto accident with spine-related impacts:
Complete Spinal Cord Injury
This is a total loss of sensation and motor function below the level of the injury. The spinal cord is fully severed or damaged, interrupting all nerve signals. It is severe trauma from high-speed crashes, rollovers, or vehicle ejections. You can have paralysis, such as tetraplegia/quadriplegia if in the cervical spine or paraplegia if in the thoracic/lumbar spine.
Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury
This is partial damage to your spinal cord, where some sensation or movement remains is still felt below the site of injury. This type of injury is more common than complete injuries.
A common type of incomplete spinal cord injury is anterior cord syndrome, with damage to the spinal cord front, affecting motor function, temperature, and pain sensation. Central cord syndrome involves a center spinal cord injury that usually affects the arms more than the legs. These injuries happen in whiplash, compression fractures of the vertebrae, and twisting forces in the accident.
Contusion (Bruising)
This is bruising of the spinal cord tissue due to impact or pressure, often from the spinal cord striking the bony vertebrae. Depending on severity, the injury can cause temporary or permanent loss of function; swelling may worsen the damage. It is commonly caused by a direct impact in a head-on or rear-end crash.
Fighting The Insurance Company After A Spinal Cord Injury
Dealing with an insurance company after a spinal cord injury can be an uphill battle. However, it’s an essential fight if you seek fair compensation for medical bills, lost earnings, or ongoing care. Insurers often aim to minimize payouts, so you should always retain a spinal cord injury attorney.
Stakes Are Sky-High
First, the stakes are high with spinal cord injuries; medical costs can easily hit six figures in the first year alone, and lifetime care for severe cases might run into millions. Insurers know this and may delay claims, deny coverage, or lowball settlements to protect their bottom line. They might argue the injury isn’t as severe as claimed, question the necessity of treatments, or shift blame to pre-existing conditions.
Documentation is your most potent weapon in fighting against insurance company games and delays. Gather medical records, doctor’s statements, imaging (like MRIs or X-rays), and proof of how the injury impacts your daily life, such as photos, videos, or even journal entries if you’ve got them.
If the injury stemmed from an accident, police reports, witness statements, or scene photos can bolster your case. The more evidence, the harder it is for them to dismiss you. Deliver all case evidence to your Houston spinal cord injury attorney.
Never Take The First Offer
Next, don’t take their first offer, or even their second, without scrutiny and assistance from your personal injury attorney. Insurance adjusters often start low, banking on you being desperate or uninformed. A spinal cord injury isn’t just a broken bone; it’s a life-altering event, so factor in future costs like rehab, adaptive equipment, and lost earning potential.
Hiring a spinal cord injury lawyer will help level the playing field. Personal injury lawyers with extensive knowledge in spinal cord cases work on contingency, so there is no upfront cost, just a cut of what you win. They know the tactics insurers use and can negotiate or litigate if it comes to that. You’re more likely to get steamrolled without one, especially if the insurer’s team starts throwing legalese at you.
Patience is key to getting the most money in a spinal cord injury claim. These battles can drag on, sometimes months or years, if it goes to court. Insurers might count on you to give up. Stay organized, keep records of every call or letter, and don’t let them intimidate you into silence.
Remember, your spinal cord accident lawyer is your dedicated legal advocate every step of the way with the insurance company. They’ll fight for the most compensation in your settlement and take the case to court in a lawsuit, if necessary.
What To Do After A Spinal Cord Injury
After a serious accident and spinal cord injury, you or your loved one may be shocked and clueless about the next steps. Obviously, immediate medical attention in the hospital is vital. After that, there are several things you or your family should do to preserve your legal options:
Document the Accident
Gather evidence from the scene, such as videos, photos, police reports, and witness statements. You or your loved ones should provide this vital evidence to your spinal cord injury lawyer.
Report the Accident
You or your loved one will need extensive medical care and to preserve legal options. So, immediately report the accident or incident to the police and the insurance company. If it was a slip and fall claim, inform the property owner or manager the same day. Notify the appropriate parties depending on the circumstances:
Consult a Houston Spinal Cord Injury Attorney
An experienced Houston spinal cord injury attorney is a must to maximize your compensation and legal rights. Your attorney offers a free consultation and isn’t paid unless you receive compensation. The personal injury lawyer will handle the entire case, including proving fault, documenting and proving your losses, insurance negotiations, and court trials if needed.
Prepare for a Potentially Long Process
Spinal cord injury cases can take months or years to resolve, especially if they go to trial. Be patient and rely on your legal and medical teams for support.
Contact Our Houston Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Now
Few situations are graver than an accident with a spinal cord injury. You may have legal options for compensation if another party’s negligence caused the accident. Our proven spinal cord injury lawyers at Suits & Boots Accident Injury Lawyers will safeguard your rights and pursue maximum compensation for your injuries and damages. No legal fees unless we win your case. Call us today at (713) 489-0922.