Houston Spinal Cord Injury Attorney
PRACTICE AREAS
Back Injury Lawyer in Houston, TX
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A back injury or spinal cord injury is nothing to take lightly. It can cause serious trauma to both your body and your mind. Both back injuries and spinal cord injuries can result from a wide variety of accidents and situations, including Houston car accidents or workplace incidents. No matter where your back injury occurred, we strongly recommend speaking with a Houston spinal cord injury attorney as soon as possible.
If you’ve recently found yourself experiencing back pain as a result of someone else’s negligence, you need a Houston spinal cord injury attorney. The back injury attorneys at Reich & Binstock have the legal experience you need to protect your rights after suffering a back injury or spinal cord injury in Houston, TX.
Contact our caring and skilled personal injury attorneys today to help you negotiate the physical and economic fallout that a back injury can bring. Call our office today at 713-622-7271 to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation with us.
What Is the Spinal Cord and Why Is It so Important?
The spinal cord acts as a link between the brain and the rest of the body. It is part of the central nervous system, along with the brain. Working in tandem with the brain, it controls bodily functions, including behavior and movement. The spinal cord is surrounded and protected by the bones of the spine. It is also protected and cushioned by cerebral spinal fluid, which is clear.
If we think of the body as a spaceship, the brain acts as a command center for the body. The spinal cord is the message pathway for signals sent by the brain to the body and vice versa.
How To Know if Your Back Injury is Serious
The muscles and bones within your back allow your body to stand upright and move freely. In addition, your spinal cord transmits several nerve impulses that signal your muscles to function in ways you don’t even realize.
For example, your spine controls your motor or sensory function aspects such as your speech, blinking, and even breathing.
Back and spinal cord injuries are so serious because they can impact almost any necessary bodily function. Even the smallest amount of trauma to your back can potentially lead to permanent nerve damage, chronic pain, or even paralysis.
When Should I See a Doctor for a Back Injury?
If you’ve just endured a serious accident, you should see a doctor immediately. However, sometimes it’s hard to determine if back pain is worthy of a trip to the emergency room. Medical expenses tend to add up quickly, and many who have suffered spinal cord injuries are in pain way too long before seeking appropriate medical care. You do not want to cause permanent spinal cord damage, so it’s important to talk to a trusted physician before continuing any form of physical activity after you’ve hurt your back.
Spinal Cord Injury Symptoms
If you have any of these issues, you should see a doctor as soon as possible:
- The back pain persists for several weeks
- Rest doesn’t improve the back pain
- The back pain is severe and prevents you from doing basic activities
- You have weakness, numbness, or tingling in one or both legs
- The back pain spreads down one or both legs
- Your back pain exists alongside unexplained weight loss
Common Types of Back Injuries and Spinal Cord Injuries
According to the American Chiropractic Association, 80-90% of Americans struggle with back pain at some point in their lives. It’s no surprise that back pain is the second most common reason for missing work. The first most common reason for missing work is the common cold.
Countless different types of back or spinal cord injuries and sources of back pain exist.
Generally, back pain and injuries depend on the type of accident you endured as well as your overall health.
Back Injuries From Accidents
- Sprains in the back are basically overstretched or torn ligaments.
- Strains may sound the same as back sprains, however strains refer to tendon or muscle tears.
- Spasms are muscle contractions in the back.
- Herniated discs happen when the material inside a disc, which acts as a cushion for the spine, ruptures and presses on surrounding nerves.
- Fractured vertebrae can happen from some kind of accident or even from osteoporosis. Basically, a fractured vertebrae is when one of the back bones collapses or bursts.
- Spinal nerve compression or inflammation can be caused by some kind of accident that puts excess pressure on the spine and the nerves.
- Spondylolisthesis can also be the result of an accident. It happens when a lower back bone slips out of place.
- It is also possible for an accident to aggravate an existing back injury, or a pre-existing condition. If this happens, a pre-existing back injury settlement may differ from settlements for new injuries.
Spinal Cord Damage
- Sciatica is when something in the back or spine presses on the sciatic nerve. This nerve travels down the buttocks and one of the legs. As a result, patients with this condition may feel a burning or tingling sensation down their back, buttocks, and leg.
- Spinal stenosis happens when the spinal column narrows and therefore puts excess pressure on the spinal cord and surrounding nerves.
- Osteomyelitis is basically an infection that can start anywhere in the body and can later spread to the bone. Occasionally, the vertebrae can become infected.
- Cauda equina syndrome happens when a herniated disc presses on lumbar and sacral nerves. If this condition doesn’t receive treatment, a patient can suffer permanent neurological damage.
- Osteoporosis is basically a gradual decrease in bone density that can cause the back bones to fracture easily.
Common Causes of Back Injuries and Spinal Cord Injuries
- Slips and Fall accidents
- Car or motor vehicle accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Sports accidents
- Lifting heavy objects
- Natural wear and tear of the spine and back muscles due to overuse or old age
- Osteoporosis
- Arthritis
- Degenerative disc disease
- Bulging discs
- Pinched spinal nerves
Activities That Can Lead to a Spinal Injury or Back Pain
Aside from specific conditions and major accidents, some activities that you do or don’t do can lead to spinal injury or back pain.
- Slouching when you walk or sit
- Being overweight
- Extreme emotional stress which can cause muscle tension or exacerbate pre-existing back pain.
- Heavy lifting
- Smoking
- Frequently wearing high heels
- Not exercising regularly
What To Do After a Back or Spine Injury
A back or spinal cord injury can be traumatic, especially when some kind of accident is the sole cause of your pain. The first step is seeking medical care. Once you’re on the road to recovery, it’s crucial to contact a Houston spinal cord injury attorney to cover the costs of your medical bills.
Seek Medical Care
Whether you go to the emergency room or your regular doctor’s office, you will likely undergo a series of tests and scans.
- CT Scan: Shows disc injuries or disc ruptures, tumors, spinal stenosis, and more. Basically, a CT scan will show any soft tissue injuries or conditions that an X-ray can’t pick up.
- MRI: This kind of scan will take detailed pictures of all bodily organs and tissues. If a doctor suspects you’re suffering from some kind of spinal inflammation, disc injuries, such as a rupture or pinched nerve, they will likely order an MRI for you.
- X-ray: If your doctor suspects you fractured or misaligned your back bones, an X-ray will be able to show this.
Your doctor may then recommend surgery, physical therapy, pain medication, and heat or ice therapy to help you recover from your injury.
Seek Legal Help From a Houston Spinal Cord Injury Attorney
If your back injury was caused by a work or car accident that wasn’t your fault, then seeking legal help is crucial. An experienced spinal cord injury attorney can help you win both economic and non-economic damages as you recover from your injury.
How Much Does Insurance Pay for a Back or Spinal Cord Injury in Texas?
For average motor vehicle accidents, injured victims can expect to see between $2,500 and $10,000 for back or spinal cord injuries from the at-fault party’s insurance.
We all know that isn’t going to touch the cost of medical treatment for most spinal cord injuries or any severe injury, for that matter.
For this reason, we recommend hiring an experienced Houston spine injury lawyer to handle your case. Look for personal injury law firms who have a team and the resources necessary to handle your spinal cord injury claim, especially if you have a serious spinal cord injury.
Our personal injury law firm has both.
What Damages are Available for Spinal Cord Injuries in Texas?
Every case is unique, and what damages you ask for will depend on all the circumstances of your case. Some of the damages you may be awarded include, but are not limited to medical expenses, long-term care costs, lost income and lost earning capacity, emotional and physical suffering, and punitive damages.
Economic Damages for Spinal Cord Injuries
Economic damages basically cover all monetary losses that you suffered as a result of your accident. But in order to win economic damages, your spinal cord injury lawyer must prove that all monetary losses are a direct result of your accident.
Economic damages will generally cover:
- All medical expenses
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Property damage
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning potential
Non-Economic Damages for Spinal Cord Injuries
On the other hand, non-economic damages are those that don’t have a set monetary value.
Listed below are the things that non-economic damages will generally cover:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish following your accident or injury
- Loss of enjoyment in daily life
- Loss of consortium
Punitive Damages for Spinal Cord Injuries
Punitive damages may be awarded when the at-fault party’s actions were grossly negligent. Punitive damages do not relate to your physical or emotional injuries from an accident. Instead, these damages are a monetary award given to the victim. This award aims to punish the at-fault party for causing the accident with their negligent behavior.
This award also helps to discourage other people in society from engaging in similarly negligent behavior in the future, and therefore it helps prevent similar accidents from happening.
While punitive damages can result in more compensation for you, they’re specifically designed to punish the person who caused the accident.
Costs of Living with Permanent Spinal Cord Injuries
Medical Expenses
Spinal cord injuries often result in medical expenses that exceed a million dollars. The precise costs that one can expect to pay largely depend on the severity of your injuries, as well as the medical treatments you have received and that you will need to receive.
Travel, Airfare, and Other Hidden Expenses
Medical expenses are just the beginning when it comes to the costs of a spinal cord injury. In many cases, survivors of spinal cord injuries must travel outside their hometown for treatment. Other victims need the help of their friends and family just to make it to these appointments. Plane tickets and hotel stays can quickly add up in terms of expenses. They can easily exceed thousands of dollars.
Lost Wages and Earning Potential
While the physical toll of a spinal cord injury is significant, the loss of your ability to return to work is often just as devastating. From a financial standpoint, the loss of employment can be both long-term and life-changing.
Depending on the severity of your injury and the age at which it occurs, you could lose millions of dollars in lost wages over the course of your lifetime.
Longer-Term Expenses
Long-term and lifetime costs for victims of spinal cord injuries may not be totally apparent at first. This is especially true when one’s main focus is just to survive the injury. Some additional expenses and lifetime costs associated with a spinal cord injury can include the following.
- Mental health problems from the injury. These problems can affect your ability to make a living. They can also result in further medical expenses and costs as a result of treating the mental health conditions.
- Long-term health issues. Survivors of spinal cord injuries are more likely to die at a young age than those without these injuries. Some of the reasons for this include further medical complications, such as respiratory infections.
- Home modifications. Many spinal cord injury survivors must install ramps or other handicap accessible items to make their homes more accessible.
- Additional equipment, such as wheelchair-accessible vans, that impact your living expenses.
Back Injuries From Workplace Accidents
Not only can we help spinal cord injury victims, we can help clients involved in workplace accident cases, as well.
A spinal cord injury attorney at Reich & Binstock can provide legal representation for:
- Construction site accident back or spinal cord injuries
- Oil and gas industry accident back or spinal cord injuries
- Spinal cord damage from explosions
- Plant and refinery spine injuries
- Maritime back and spinal cord injuries
- Back injuries from defective tools
- Catastrophic injuries from defective machinery
- Wrongful death claims
Maybe you’re trying to decide if you should file a personal injury claim or a worker’s compensation claim. The biggest difference between the two is fault based by nature. Basically, you must prove that someone else’s actions caused your injury.
How Much Time Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim After a Back Injury?
In Texas, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is two years from the date of your injury. Hiring a spinal cord attorney as soon as possible will ensure you meet all necessary deadlines.
How Long Will a Spinal Cord Injury Case Take?
There is no way to tell how long a spinal injury case will take because the answer can vary so greatly. Cases that settle out of court will not take as long as those that go to trial. If your case goes to trial, it could be months or even over a year before your case is resolved.
The complexity of the case and severity of your injuries could also affect the time it takes. If your injuries are severe, determining what you will need down the road right after the injury may be challenging.
How Much Should I Expect From a Back Injury Settlement in Houston?
As with almost all settlements, there are several factors that go into the amount of compensation you’re able to recover. The most contributing factors are the type of back or cord injury sustained and the experience of your lawyer. As experienced Houston spinal cord injury lawyers, we’ll look at your current medical expenses, how much medical treatment will cost in the future, how much motor or sensory function you have most or may lose, lost wages, and how much financial compensation we feel we can get you as an injury victim.
Spinal cord injury claims consistently rank as one of the highest grossing types of cases for personal injury cases.
At Reich & Binstock, our Houston personal injury trial lawyers have successfully collected millions of dollars for spinal cord injury victims. We’ve been litigating spinal cord injury cases for decades and have the experience you need if your case goes to trial.
How Can a Spinal Cord Injury Attorney Help Me?
Spinal cord injuries are some of the most catastrophic injuries a person can suffer. They can ultimately result in permanent disability, paralysis, a loss of independence, and wrongful death.
If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury, it is important to have an experienced spinal cord injury lawyer on your side. Our attorneys at Reich & Binstock have helped countless clients get the compensation they need in order to try and make life normal again.
We understand the extensive physical, emotional, and financial turmoil these injuries can take, and we will fight tirelessly to get you the justice you deserve.
Experienced Houston Spinal Cord Injury Attorney
If you’ve suffered a serious back or spinal injury from a car accident or a fall at work, a Houston spinal cord injury attorney at Reich & Binstock can help you get the compensation you deserve. We handle all upfront legal costs and we can help you tap all available coverage options while your legal case is pending.
Call us today at 713-622-7271 or complete the online intake form below. We offer a free consultation for spinal cord injury victims. Our team of Houston personal injury lawyers look forward to working with you and will strive to get you the maximum compensation you deserve!
There is a never a fee unless we recover on your behalf.