Burbank Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
Although any injury has the potential to affect your life, when it comes to spinal cord injuries, the consequences can be disastrous. These injuries are known to completely turn people’s lives upside down, impacting them and their families emotionally, physically, and financially.
That is why, if you suffered a spinal cord injury in Burbank because of another person’s reckless, negligent, or wrongful actions, it is time to fight back with a Burbank spinal cord injury attorney and go after the justice that you deserve.
Any type of catastrophic injury can be life-altering and spinal cord injuries affect nearly every aspect of a person’s life. A cervical spinal cord injury usually causes loss of motor and sensory function in the arms or legs. A spinal cord injury may result in types of paralysis such as paraplegia or quadriplegia.
A spinal cord injury can also involve types of sensory or motor function disabilities. These can include loss of the ability to breathe, chronic pain, loss of control over arms or legs, and loss of bowel or bladder function.
If you’ve been suffering from a spinal cord injury due to the carelessness of another, it is in your best interest to contact a personal injury attorney.
Burbank Attorney for Spinal Cord Injuries, CA
The law firm of Yarian Accident & Injury Lawyers, APC, was founded with the mission of helping those injured in an accident achieve the best results possible for their injury claims, and over the last two decades, they have done just that.
With over 20 years of experience, our legal team understands that the injuries you suffer after an accident affect not only the quality of your life but your ability to care for your family and your loved ones. That is why we make it our goal to provide our clients the attention their case deserves as we fight for the maximum compensation they need.
As a result of this diligence and dedication, we have obtained millions of dollars on behalf of our clients through settlement negotiations and jury trials, and we are here for you, ready to take on your case, no matter how small or large. While we guarantee no result, contact us today to see what we can do for you.
Overview of Spinal Cord Injuries in California
What Happens in a Spinal Cord Injury?
A spinal cord injury refers to damage to any part of the spinal cord or the nerves located at the end of the spinal canal. These devastating injuries tend to occur because of a sudden blow, disease, or a cut to the spine and will often result in a person experiencing a loss of strength, function, and sensation below the injury site.
Although there is no cure for this debilitating injury today, rehabilitation methods and assistive medical devices are available that can help individuals with this injury live productive and independent lives.
Spinal Cord Injury Symptoms
A spinal cord injury defined Johns Hopkins Medicine as a traumatic injury that can result in a bruise, partial tear, or complete tear in the spinal cord. The spinal cord is a message stream between the brain and the body. These messages control all of our bodily functions, including:
- Breathing
- Blood pressure and blood flow
- Bladder and bowel movements
- Sweating
- Digestion
- Sexual function
- Muscle control
When the spinal cord is injured it can interfere with communication to certain parts of the body. A spinal cord injury can result in abnormal muscle behavior, activities, and sensations above the point of injury. It can also create neuropathic pain, spastic movement, and a life-threatening over-activity of the Autonomic Nervous System.
Some of the most frequent signs of spinal cord damage include:
- Loss of motor functions
- Pain or weakness
- Swelling and internal bleeding
- Alteration of the senses
- Numbness of the exterminates
- General paralysis
- Loss of bowel movement control
- Difficulty breathing
Common Burbank Accidents Resulting in Spinal Cord Injuries
As mentioned previously, spinal cord injuries can occur for several reasons.
However, in Burbank, these injuries frequently result from:
- Acts of violence
- Assaults and fights
- Falling objects and debris, Falls from great heights
- Car crashes, especially at some of Burbank’s most dangerous roadways and intersections, including Verdugo Road and Colorado Street, Adams Street and Colorado Street, and Burbank Avenue and Colorado Street
- Sporting activities
- Boating accidents
- Construction site accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Alcohol-related accidents
- Slips and falls
Yet, even if the cause of your spinal cord injury accident is not listed above, you should still reach out to a skilled Burbank spinal cord injury attorney, such as those at Yarian Accident & Injury Lawyers, APC, especially if your accident was due to the wrongful actions of another party. These lawyers can promptly review the incident, determine what or who caused your injuries, and help you fight for the damages you need.
Types of Spinal Cord Injuries
The spinal cord has four sections—the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral parts. Each of these sections is responsible for protecting specific groups of nerves that have control over the body. For these reasons, the effects of a spinal cord injury will often depend on which part of the spinal cord was damaged.
Take, for example:
- Cervical Injuries: A cervical spinal cord injury will often affect the head and the neck region above the shoulders. This type of injury is considered to be the most severe type of spinal cord injury.
- Thoracic Injuries: These injuries often impact the abdominal muscles, the upper chest, and the mid-back. However, arm and hand function will usually remain with this spinal cord injury.
- Lumbar Injuries: Those who suffer a lumbar injury will usually have issues with their hips and legs and may need a wheelchair or other medical assistive devices to get around.
Sacral Injuries: Sacral spinal cord injuries often affect the back of the thighs, hips, pelvic organs, and buttocks. Yet, individuals with this type of injury will likely be able to walk.
How Do You Know If You Have a Valid Burbank Spinal Cord Injury Accident Claim?
Unfortunately, suffering a spinal cord injury is not enough to be able to bring a legal claim and fight for compensation for the harm and losses you sustained.
In truth, you need an attorney who can examine many factors and questions before you can go after the damages you deserve, such as:
- Was the spinal cord injury the result of another individual’s negligent, reckless, or wrongful actions?
- Did you endure significant medical bills because of your spinal cord injuries?
- Did you have to miss work because of your spinal cord injury accident?
- Do you have time to file a spinal cord injury claim in Burbank?
- Is there any insurance available following the spinal cord injury accident?
Fortunately, you will not have to struggle with this question for long when you work with a Burbank spinal cord injury accident attorney, such as those at Yarian Accident & Injury Lawyers, APC. These lawyers can go over your accident, figure out what happened, and determine whether you have a valid legal claim you can pursue.
Damages Available in a Burbank Spinal Cord Injury Accident Lawsuit
After a Burbank spinal cord injury accident due to another person’s intentional or negligent actions, you may be entitled to specific damages for the harm and losses you sustained. In California, these damages include:
Economic Damages: These damages refer to the actual and easily measurable losses that result from an accident.
They can include:
- Past, present, and future medical bills related to doctor visits, hospital stay, surgeries, emergency services, and prescription medications
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Rehabilitative therapy such as occupational and physical therapy
- Personal property damages
- Household replacement services
- Other out-of-pocket expenses
Non-economic Damages: These damages refer to the personal losses that result after an accident. However, because of their subjective nature, these losses are not easily quantifiable.
They can include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional and mental anguish
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of a limb
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of reputation
- Loss of consortium
- Inconvenience
In some cases, punitive damages may also be available. However, unlike the compensatory damages listed above, which compensate the victim for their losses after an accident, punitive damages punish the defendant for their wrongful actions and to deter others from committing this act. Yet, to obtain these damages in California, the victim’s lawyer must present clear and convincing evidence that the defendant had been guilty of oppression, fraud, or malice.
The Statutes of Limitations and Spinal Cord Injury Claims
If you want to bring legal action following your spinal cord injury accident, you first need to figure out whether you still have time to file your case. The statute of limitations is a law that dictates the amount of time an individual has to file a claim following an alleged offense. If they do not file their case within that time, they may not be able to collect the compensation they need for their losses and injuries.
In California, the statute of limitations to bring an injury claim following a spinal cord injury accident is two years from the accident date. Yet, this period can be shortened or extended depending on the various exceptions that apply to this rule. For these reasons, if you have been injured in a spinal cord injury accident, do not wait to reach out to a Burbank spinal cord injury accident attorney. At Yarian Accident & Injury Lawyers, APC, our lawyers can promptly review your case, figure out the maximum amount of time you have to file your claim, and help ensure that your legal motions and documents are correctly prepared and filed before time expires.
Fair Compensation to Protect Your Future
Long-term treatment for spinal cord injuries is costly. Many initial insurance company settlement offers are grossly inadequate to cover your long-term rehabilitation care and lost future income. This is why it is in your best interest to contact a qualified personal injury attorney.
If your spinal cord injury was caused even in part by the negligence of another, you may be entitled to compensation. You need a personal injury attorney who is experienced in prosecuting spinal cord cases and understands injury and insurance law.
A practiced attorney will work closely with your medical team to give you the best opportunity to secure thefinancial resourcesyou need, including:
- Medical expenses
- Rehabilitation
- Lost income
- Reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional damages
Depending on the circumstances of your injury, you may also be entitled to punitive damages.
Life After a Spinal Cord Injury
Those that suffer a spinal cord injury may have to endure numerous symptoms depending on the extent of the harm.
Yet, in general, some of the more common symptoms of this horrifying injury include:
- Bladder and bowel issues
- Breathing problems
- Heart rate issues
- An inability to move
- Altered reflexes and sensations
- Changes in sexual fertility, function, and sensitivity
- Intense pain
- Mental health issues including depression and severe anxiety
- Fitness and wellness problems
If you start experiencing any of these issues after an accident, you should get to a medical professional as soon as possible to get examined and get the medical treatments you need.
The Actions You Should take After a Burbank Spinal Cord Injury Accident
If you have been involved in a Burbank spinal cord injury accident, you need to take action. This is because the steps you take after this accident can not only keep you safe but can also protect your legal rights.
That is why you need to:
Contact the Authorities Right Away
After your Burbank spinal cord injury accident, you need to call 911 right away. This is the fastest way to alert EMS that you or someone at the scene needs immediate medical help and get the accident on record.
Once the authorities arrive, they can perform a preliminary investigation into the accident and jot down their findings in their police report. If you decide you want to pursue legal action after the accident, this report can provide your attorney with helpful details regarding what happened.
Try to Collect Evidence
Following a spinal cord injury accident, collecting evidence from the accident scene is not always possible. But if you can, you should try to take as many photos and videos of the scene as possible. This should include pictures of your visible injuries, the weather conditions at the time of the accident, vehicles that may have been involved, any dangerous conditions that contributed to the accident, and any other evidence that can help show what happened.
Speak to Witnesses
If there were people at the scene who saw your accident, try to get their names and contact information. These witness statements can often provide your lawyer with valuable details regarding what happened, as well as back up your claim.
Get Examined by a Doctor
In some instances, spinal cord injuries can take some days to manifest. Yet, the longer you wait to seek medical treatment, the more severe the injury can become. That is why it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible after your spinal cord injury accident.
Besides, these doctors can also help your legal claim by documenting everything about your accident and injuries in their medical report, ultimately providing you with evidence of a direct connection between your spinal cord injury and the accident.
Following a Burbank Spinal Cord Injury Accident, Get the Legal Help You Need
At Yarian Accident & Injury Lawyers, APC, we know that if you have suffered a spinal cord injury in an accident due to another person’s wrongful actions, no amount of compensation will ever truly erase the injuries, losses, and trauma you went through. However, we also know that you need compensation to help rebuild your life after this traumatizing event and get the ongoing medical treatments you require.
That is why our firm is here for you, ready to fight on your behalf and go after the damages you deserve. In fact, once you retain us, our legal team can:
- Evaluate your legal claim, determine if you have a viable case, and figure out your legal options.
- Investigate the accident and secure the evidence required to prove fault and damages.
- Bring in the experts such as accident reconstructionists and doctors to substantiate your claim.
- Handle all the negotiations with the other side, including the insurance company, and fight for a just settlement.
- Proceed to trial, if necessary, and fight for maximum damages.
For these reasons, if you or a loved one suffered a spinal cord injury in a Burbank accident, contact Yarian Accident & Injury Lawyers, APC, today at (818) 459-4999 or through our contact page for a free case evaluation.
Yarian Accident & Injury Lawyers Burbank Office
500 E Olive Ave Suite 720,
Burbank, CA 91501
(818) 459-4999
Additional Resources
What is an Acute Spinal Cord Injury?– Visit the John Hopkins School of Medicine website to read about acute spinal cord injuries. Learn more about spinal cord injury levels, spinal cord injury complications, and other spinal cord injury symptoms. Also get additional links for spinal cord injury rehabilitation centers in California.
Spinal Cord Injury– Visit the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, a scientific and educational association dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery for the public. See spinal cord injury treatment, types of spinal cord injury, and clinical evaluations of spinal trauma.
Spinal Cord Trauma– Visit MedlinePlus to read an article for spinal cord injuries and resources. See statistics, research, journal articles, and clinical trials, for spinal cord injuries. Learn more about treatments and therapies regarding spinal cord injuries and what you should do if you expect you have spinal trauma.
