If you suffered a back or spine injury in a Glendale accident that was not your fault, the lawyers at Mushkatel, Gobbato, & Kile, P.L.L.C., are ready to help you seek compensation from the parties responsible for your injuries.
Our Glendale back and spine injury attorneys understand how life-changing these injuries can be. You may need medical treatment for months or even years, which can be expensive. If your injuries prevent you from working, the lack of income could deplete your finances even faster. But if someone else was to blame for the accident that harmed you, these losses should be their responsibility, not yours.
Let us help you demand what you need to live the best, most comfortable life possible. Contact the law firm of Mushkatel, Gobbato, & Kile, P.L.L.C., today for an initial consultation with one of our Glendale back and spinal injury lawyers.
Table of Contents
- What Are Some Spinal Cord Injury Statistics?
- What Are Common Glendale Accidents That Can Cause Spinal Injuries?
- What Are the Different Types of Spinal Injuries?
- Potential Long-Term Impact of Spinal Cord Injuries
- What Damages Are Available for a Glendale Spinal Cord Accident Lawsuit?
- What If I Was Partially at Fault for the Accident?
- What Is the Deadline in Arizona for Filing a Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit?
- What Should I Do After a Glendale Spinal Injury Accident?
- Contact a Glendale Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
What Are Some Spinal Cord Injury Statistics?
According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC), nearly 18,000 spinal cord injuries occur annually, while an estimated 294,000 people in the United States live with spinal cord injuries. Furthermore:
- The average age at injury is 43 years old.
- Approximately 78 percent of new spinal cord injuries occur in men.
- Vehicle crashes are the primary cause of spinal cord injuries (38.6 percent), followed by falls (32.2 percent).
- The average hospital stay for acute care after a spinal cord injury is 11 days. Rehabilitation stays average 31 days.
- Approximately 30 percent of people with spinal cord injuries are re-hospitalized one or more times during any year after injury.
- Only 18 percent of people with spinal cord injuries are employed one year after injury.
What Are Common Glendale Accidents That Can Cause Spinal Injuries?
Many types of accidents can cause back and spinal injuries, such as the following:
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Boat accidents
What Are the Different Types of Spinal Injuries?
A total of 33 stacked vertebrae protect the spinal cord, a bundle of nerves that runs through the vertebral column and carries messages back and forth between the brain and all parts of the body. The vertebrae are connected by facet joints and separated by intervertebral discs. Ligaments, muscles, and tendons attach to and support the spine.
Any component of the back and spine can suffer an injury, such as:
- Compressed vertebrae – Small breaks or cracks in the vertebrae
- Herniated disc – Bulging of a portion of an intervertebral disc
- Back strains and sprains – Small tears in the muscles, ligaments, or tendons in the back
- Pinched or damaged nerve – Too much pressure on a nerve
- Incomplete spinal cord injury – Injury to the spinal cord with some function remaining below the level of injury
- Complete spinal cord injury – Injury to the spinal cord that causes total paralysis below the level of injury
- Monoplegia – Paralysis of a single area of the body, typically one limb
- Hemiplegia – Paralysis of one side of the body
- Paraplegia – Paralysis of the lower body
- Quadriplegia – Paralysis of the upper and lower body
Potential Long-Term Impact of Spinal Cord Injuries
Accident victims with spinal cord injuries face long-term complications and consequences, such as the following:
- Bladder and bowel control issues
- Pressure injuries
- Circulatory problems, such as blood clots, swelling, and fluctuations in blood pressure
- Difficulty breathing
- Osteoporosis
- Spasticity (uncontrolled muscle movements)
- Flaccidity (lack of muscle tone)
- Sexual dysfunction
- Weight loss or gain
- Chronic pain
- Depression
What Damages Are Available for a Glendale Spinal Cord Accident Lawsuit?
With the assistance of a spinal cord accident attorney, you may be able to recover compensation in the form of damages from the party at fault for your injury. These damages can provide you with money for:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Ongoing rehabilitation and therapy
- In-home assistance
- Adaptation of the home and vehicle
- Lost wages
- Diminished future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
- Disability
If your case goes to trial, the court could also award punitive damages, which are meant to punish the defendant and deter similar misconduct in the future. Punitive damages are limited to cases where the victim can prove with clear and convincing evidence that the defendant’s actions were outrageous, oppressive, intolerable, and evidenced a deliberate disregard for others.
What If I Was Partially at Fault for the Accident?
Under Arizona’s comparative negligence law, you can still seek compensation even if you were partially at fault for the accident that caused your spinal cord injury. However, your compensation will be reduced in proportion to your share of fault. For example, if you are 10 percent responsible for your injuries, your compensation would be reduced by 10 percent.
What Is the Deadline in Arizona for Filing a Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit?
Under Arizona law, accident victims must file a lawsuit against a negligent party within two years of the date they were injured. Only very narrow and rare circumstances can extend the deadline. Failing to file within the statute of limitations will most likely result in your case being time-barred. It is critical to contact our Glendale back and spine injury attorneys as soon as possible to get started on your case.
What Should I Do After a Glendale Spinal Injury Accident?
If you recently suffered a spinal injury in Glendale, we urge you to do the following:
- Get appropriate medical attention. Spinal injuries typically require immediate, specialized medical care. If you did not receive emergency medical attention at the accident scene, go to the doctor or hospital as soon as possible. Timely treatment may improve your chances of recovery, and your medical records will serve as essential evidence in your case.
- Retain all accident-related information. Your case’s success will hinge on the strength of the evidence. Keep all accident-related information, documentation, and records. That may include photos and videos of the accident and your injuries, medical bills and records, accident reports, wage records, and other documents.
- Keep a journal. Back and spinal injuries often result in severe pain and disability. The suffering can be challenging to quantify, but you deserve to seek compensation for what you’re going through. Consider keeping daily notes about your physical, mental, and emotional experiences.
- Get legal representation. Consult an attorney as soon as possible after the accident. An attorney from Mushkatel, Gobbato, & Kile, P.L.L.C., can fight for your rights and interests while you focus on your recovery.
Contact a Glendale Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
The experienced lawyers at Mushkatel, Gobbato, & Kile, P.L.L.C., take spine and back injuries seriously. Our Glendale spinal cord injury attorneys have represented many accident victims in positions like yours. We understand how much compensation you need to care for yourself and live the fullest life possible.
Contact us today for a consultation to learn how our Glendale lawyers can help you after a back or spinal injury.
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