Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer In Pennsylvania

The spinal cord is the main pathway for information connection the brain and peripheral nervous system and controlling many of the functions of the body. As a result, damage to the spinal cord can cause loss of some of all ability to control movement and feeling below the injury site.

The consequences are likely to be severe and may result in permanent disability or loss of movement (paralysis). People who suffer from spinal cord injury often need long-term medical care and rehabilitation, and they face costly medical bills, lost income, a reduced quality of life, and severe depression.

What Compensation Covers After A Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)

An SCI is a life-altering event that creates a permanent “new normal” for both the survivor and their family. When we evaluate the value of a spinal cord claim, we look far beyond the initial ER visits and surgeries. Because these injuries often result in permanent paralysis or loss of motor function, the financial recovery must account for decades of specialized needs. At Rieders, Travis, Dohrmann, Mowrey, Humphrey & Waters, we meticulously build claims to include:

• Future medical care and life care planning: We work with certified life care planners to project every medical expense you will encounter for the rest of your life, including anticipated surgeries, infection management and specialized neurological follow-ups.
• In-home care and attendant services: Most SCI survivors require daily assistance. Whether you need 24/7 nursing care or a few hours of help with daily living activities, the cost of professional caregivers is a significant and recoverable damage.
• Home and vehicle modifications: To restore your independence, we pursue compensation for the high cost of making your world accessible. This includes installing ramps and elevators, remodeling bathrooms for roll-in showers and purchasing adaptive vans with wheelchair lifts.
• Durable medical equipment: We ensure your claim covers the recurring costs of power wheelchairs, standing frames, ventilators and specialized pressure-relief mattresses designed to prevent life-threatening skin breakdowns.
• Lost earning capacity and job retraining: If you can no longer return to your previous profession, we seek damages for your total lost future income. We also account for the costs of vocational rehabilitation and job retraining if a transition to a different career is possible.
• Intangible damages: We fight for “noneconomic” damages that reflect the true human cost: physical pain, mental anguish and the “loss of life’s pleasures” – the inability to engage in hobbies, sports or family activities you once loved.
• Spousal and family impacts: A spinal cord injury affects the entire household. We often pursue loss of consortium claims to compensate spouses for the loss of companionship, affection and intimacy caused by the injury.

Our lawyers at Rieders, Travis, Dohrmann, Mowrey, Humphrey & Waters know the courts and the system and what needs to be done do to win a good settlement. Every case is unique, so we offer personal injury consultations to discuss the facts of your individual situation. Contact us at our office or online today to set up your personal injury consultation at 570-796-7613.

About The Spinal Cord

The spinal cord runs from the skull down to the tailbone and has three general areas:

• The cervical spine, the upper part of the spine in the neck area;
• The thoracic spine, the middle part of the back; and
• The lumbar spine, the lower part of the back

There are 31 bones in the spine, called vertebrae, which provide a channel and protection for the spinal cord. Between the vertebrae are discs that act as shock absorbers to allow the spine to flex without damage to the bones. Nerves pass through the channel between the bones, and muscles and ligaments support the whole spinal assembly.

Damage To The Spinal Cord

The spine is complex, and an accident, blow or twist to the back which damages any part of it can cause pain, disability, paralysis or death. Motor vehicle accidents, falls, violent attacks, birth injuries, and athletic or recreational injuries contribute to spinal cord injuries each year in the U.S., about 12,000 new cases annually.

Spinal cord injuries may be complete or incomplete:

• Complete SCI results in complete paraplegia or complete quadriplegia. Paraplegia involves loss of sensation and movement in the legs, bowel, bladder and sexual function, but arms and hands are not affected. Quadriplegia involves the loss of hand and arm movement as well and may result in the need for a ventilator to assist in breathing.
• Incomplete SCIs involve a loss of some but not all movement and/or feeling.

Symptoms of SCIs vary, depending on the severity and location of the spinal cord injury and whether pressure is put on the nerves. Generally, disability is worst when injury occurs to the upper area of the spine and may be fatal because of inability to breathe.

Common Symptoms Include:

• Changes in sexual function
• Difficulty breathing
• Inability to feel hot or cold
• Loss of bladder and/or bowel control
• Loss of movement and sensation
• Pain or stinging, tingling or numbness sensation
• Pressure in head, neck or back
• Spasms or exaggerated reflexes.

Rehabilitation

The type and severity of the SCI determine the degree of impairment and potential for rehabilitation. The nerves of the spinal cord usually do not fuse back together and damage cannot be reversed, so spinal cord accidents often result in permanent disability or loss of movement that requires long-term medical care and rehabilitation.

Rehabilitative costs can be astronomical. In addition to doctor and hospital charges, a person who has suffered a spine injury is likely to require one or more of the following:

• Assistance with feeding, dressing, toileting, etc.
• Physical, occupational, speech, and/or respiratory therapy
• Durable equipment and assistive devices
• Psychological counseling

Patients may require an acute, subacute or long-term rehabilitation program in a nursing home, an assisted living facility. Patients’ families will suffer from the present and future loss of income, and may require household assistance and counseling in order to bear the burden of care.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our skilled and experienced Pennsylvania spinal cord accident attorneys have represented individuals who have sustained spinal cord injuries of all types. Listed below are questions we often hear at initial consultations.

How long do I have to file a spinal cord injury lawsuit in Pennsylvania?

In Pennsylvania, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is generally two years from the date of the accident. However, because spinal cord injuries are catastrophic and complex, it is vital to begin the investigation immediately. Waiting too long can result in the loss of crucial evidence, such as black box data from a truck or maintenance records from a property.

How is a spinal cord injury settlement calculated (including future care costs)?

Calculating a settlement involves more than just adding up bills; it requires an actuarial look at the future. We utilize medical experts and economic analysts to calculate the “present value” of your lifetime needs. This includes adjusting for medical inflation to ensure that the money awarded today will still be sufficient to cover your care 20 or 30 years from now.

What should I do if the insurance company asks for a recorded statement after my accident?

You should refer them to your attorney without saying anything about your claim. Insurance adjusters are trained to ask “loaded” questions designed to get you to downplay your injuries or admit partial fault while you are still in shock or on pain medication. Anything you say in a recorded statement can be used to devalue or deny your claim later. Let your legal team handle all communications to protect your rights.

Contact Us For Help

If you or a loved one has sustained a spinal cord injury caused by someone else’s negligence, such as a careless driver, a faulty product, or a negligent manufacturer, physician, property owner or employer, you should seek legal assistance to obtain compensation for these injuries. Call us today at 570-796-7613 to schedule a consultation. You can also reach us using our online contact form.

Our skilled and experienced Pennsylvania spinal cord accident attorney at Rieders, Travis, Dohrmann, Mowrey, Humphrey & Waters understands the enormous financial and emotional ramifications of a spinal cord injury and can help victims and their families receive compensation. Our attorneys have spent decades successfully representing Pennsylvania families who have suffered an injury or loss and offer personal attention and loyalty to every client, aggressively fighting for their right to compensation. Whether in settlement negotiations or pursuing a favorable trial verdict, we are thoroughly prepared and committed to achieving a just outcome. With our competent staff, we offer strength in numbers while providing top-notch personal service.

Attorney Cliff Rieders

Cliff Rieders is a Nationally Board-Certified Trial Lawyer practicing personal injury law. A large part of Cliff’s practice are serious personal injury matters involving vehicles, trucks, medical and hospital malpractice, products liability claims involving personal injury, and multi-district litigation including cases related to pharmaceuticals, vitamin supplements, and medical devices. He is admitted in several state and federal courts, as well as the Supreme Court of the United States. Rieders is the past regional president of the Federal Bar Association and is a life member of the distinguished American Law Institute, which promulgates proposed rules adopted by many state courts. He is a past president of the Pennsylvania Association for Justice, formerly Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association. As a founder of the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority, he served on the Board for 15 years.

Not only has Rieders held many highly esteemed, leadership positions, he authored legislation related to the Patient Safety Authority and the Mcare Act, which governs medical and hospital liability actions in Pennsylvania. He authored texts upon which both practitioners and judges rely, including Pennsylvania Malpractice Laws and Forms, and Financial Responsibility Law Issues in Pennsylvania, the latter governing auto and truck collisions in Pennsylvania. In addition, he wrote several books on the practice of law in Pennsylvania regarding wrongful death and survivor actions, insurance bad faith, legal malpractice claims and worker rights, among others. Rieders also serves as a resource to practitioners as a regular speaker for Celesq, an arm of the world’s largest legal publisher, Thomson Reuters West Publishing.

As recognition of his wide range of contribution to his profession and of his dedication to protecting the rights of his clients, he received numerous awards, among them the George F. Douglas Amicus Curiae Award, the Milton D. Rosenberg Award, the B’nai B’rith Justice Award and awards of recognition from the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers. [ Attorney Bio ]