Spinal Injury in New York City

Spinal injuries can range from damage to the spinal cord, resulting in complete or partial paralysis to herniated discs, which are also serious injuries capable of causing permanent disability. When someone else causes your spinal injury, you may be able to recover compensation for damages. At Rich & Rich, P.C., our New York lawyers thoroughly investigate accidents on behalf of our clients to determine causes, identify liable parties and hold them accountable.

Spinal cord injuries

While many different types of injuries can arise out of an auto accident, motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of spinal cord injuries in the United States. Falls, violence and sports accidents are the next most common causes.

Injury can result through an impact to the spine that crushes, fractures or dislocates the vertebrae. The bleeding, inflammation and swelling resulting from fluid accumulation around the vertebrae can be very painful and debilitating.

Spinal cord injuries involve damage to the spinal cord, which is the bundle of nerves contained within the spine. The area of the body below the damaged spinal cord can suffer from complete or partial paralysis, depending on the extent of damage to the nerves. Partial damage often involves loss of sensation or the ability to move and complete damage involves paralysis, which is the loss of both movement and sensation. The most severe spinal cord injuries are from the neck down, referred to as quadriplegia. Paraplegia is paralysis from the waist down. In either type of paralysis, whole bodily systems suffer adverse effects because of the lack of functioning nerves to relay signals from the brain.

Herniated or bulging discs

Discs cushion the vertebrae and serve as shock absorbers for the spinal column. Blows or impacts to the spine can cause herniated (protruded) discs — discs that bulge between the vertebrae. When pressing against nerves, discs can create extreme pain. Spinal injury accidents can also tear the discs, making them lose fluid, and the result is vertebra against vertebra or bone on bone. Herniated discs can be very incapacitating and some people suffer permanent disability. Surgery to handle herniated discs can involve removing part of the disc, replacing the disc with an artificial disc or spinal fusion, where the surgeon grafts bone to the spine, fusing the vertebrae together.

As with spinal cord injury, any type of accident can cause herniated discs, including construction site accidents and motorcycle accidents.

When you suffer injury from a serious accident where another party was at fault, you have the legal right to recover compensation for your injuries. Incapacitating injuries can be a tremendous financial burden. Find out how our New York lawyers at Rich & Rich, P.C. can help.

Don’t wait. Contact Our Personal Injury Attorneys in New York City at Rich & Rich, P.C. today


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