Injuries to the spinal cord can drastically change the life of an individual and require life-long rehabilitation and care. If you or your family member has been involved in a motor vehicle accident in New Mexico that caused spinal cord injuries, you may have the right to file a personal injury claim against the negligent party. It is important to consult an Albuquerque spinal cord injury lawyer to help you with the case.
At Caruso Law Offices, our Albuquerque injury law firm is dedicated to providing compassionate and expert legal services to individuals who sustained spinal cord injuries due to motor vehicle accidents. Contact us today for a free consultation. Call (505) 883-5000 to get started on your spinal cord injury lawsuit.
Why Choose Our Albuquerque Spinal Cord Injury Attorney?
When a traffic accident leads to a back injury, the best way forward is to choose an Albuquerque spinal cord injury lawyer who works exclusively with your type of accident claim.
At Caruso Law Offices, we only handle traffic accident cases, including pedestrian, car, motorcycle, and semi truck accidents in Albuquerque and throughout the state of New Mexico. This gives our team the power to fight even the most challenging cases with the following advantages:
Experience
Our law firm has over twenty years of experience in injury law in New Mexico. We spend every day working within the legal system and handling insurance claims, giving us an in-depth knowledge of the law and how to apply it in each client’s case for the best possible outcome.
Our experience also allows us to understand how profoundly a back injury can affect motor control and a spinal cord injury survivor and what they will need to more forward in their life.
Diligence
We take nothing for granted and thoroughly prepare all aspects of a spinal cord injury claim as though it’s going to court. Documenting compelling evidence gives us an edge in negotiations for a settlement. Our preparation also means we’re ready for a lawsuit if it becomes necessary to win the compensation our client deserves.
Results
Our firm’s long history of handling traffic accidents means we have access to the best expert witnesses and other resources that give us the power to win even the most challenging spinal cord injury cases against powerful defendants and their insurers.
We’ve secured multi-million dollar settlements and jury awards for injured clients, including two recent notable outcomes for clients with jury verdicts awarding over $5 million.
What is a Spinal Cord Injury?
A spinal cord injury happens if the spinal cord gets damaged, often due to a traumatic event like a motorcycle crash, or truck collision, or car accident in Albuquerque.
These injuries can result in severe and life-altering consequences, including partial or complete paralysis, loss of sensation, chronic pain, and impaired motor control and bodily functions.
There are multiple symptoms of spinal cord injury. Some common ones include:
- Back pain
- Digestive issues
- Incontinence
- Loss of coordination or balance
- Loss of function or feeling
- Numbness or tingling in the body
- Pain or stiffness when moving
- Respiratory or breathing problems
- Sexual dysfunction
- Weakness in the limbs
The financial, emotional, and physical toll on the accident victim and their close ones can be overwhelming. It is integral to consult an Albuquerque spinal cord injury lawyer to help you recover damages and hold the negligent party responsible.
Recoverable Damages in a Spinal Cord Injury
In spinal cord personal injury cases, victims may receive multiple types of compensation. This includes economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Firstly, victims of spine injury accidents receive damages for financial losses, including:
- Adaptations to your vehicle and home
- Appointments with dietitians, physical therapists, specialists, and other medical providers
- Continued treatment expenses
- Emergency medical interventions
- Hospitalization and ambulance fees
- Loss of earning capacity
- Loss of future income
- Lost wages and benefits
- Medical devices and equipment coverage
- Prescription medications expenses
Non-Economic Damages
In spinal cord injury cases, not all losses can be measured. The major job of an Albuquerque spinal cord injury attorney is to determine the amount for all non-economic damages you endured due to the accident caused by someone’s negligence. This can include:
- Diminished quality of life
- Emotional anguish and psychological trauma
- Inconvenience
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent disability
Calculating non-economic damages is a challenging job. A skilled Albuquerque spinal cord injury lawyer can help you come up with this number by including the mentioned areas and other non-economic losses.
Punitive Damages
In some cases, punitive damages are also granted. This happens when the negligent party’s behavior is considered intentional or extremely reckless. If your lawyer justifies this, the court may add punitive damages to your compensation. This is done to punish the negligent party and prevent such actions in the future.
Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries occur due to various types of accidents, with motor vehicle accidents being a significant cause. Here are some common causes:
- Distracted driving accidents: Activities such as eating, using the phone, or texting while driving can divert attention from the road and lead to accidents causing spinal cord injuries.
- Drunk driving accidents: Alcohol impairs judgment, coordination, and reaction times, increasing the likelihood of severe motor vehicle accidents resulting in spinal cord injuries.
- Head-on collisions: These high-impact collisions can result in severe spinal cord injuries, as the force of the collision can result in the spine compressing or twisting unnaturally.
- Motorcycle accidents: There is a lack of protection in an enclosed vehicle when riding a motorcycle, making the riders more vulnerable to spinal cord injuries when involved in motorcycle accidents due to the direct impact and lack of restraint systems.
- Pedestrian accidents: Pedestrians struck by motor vehicles can sustain significant spinal cord injuries due to the force of impact and the vulnerability of their bodies.
- Rear-end collisions: If a vehicle is struck from behind, the force of the impact can cause the head and neck to snap backward, leading to spinal cord injuries, particularly in the cervical (neck) region.
- Rollover truck accidents: Rollover accidents can cause occupants to be thrown around inside the vehicle or be crushed by the collapsing structure, leading to spinal cord injuries.
- Side-impact collisions: T-bone or broadside accidents can result in spinal cord injuries when the impact occurs on the side of the vehicle where the occupant is seated.
- Truck accidents: Due to their weight and size, collisions involving commercial trucks can cause severe spinal cord injuries to occupants of smaller vehicles involved in the accident.
It’s important to remember that spinal cord injuries can vary in severity, ranging from temporary loss of function to permanent paralysis. If you have suffered spinal cord injuries due to someone’s negligent behavior, consult a personal injury attorney immediately.
Long-Term Impacts of Spinal Cord Injuries
The consequences of any spinal cord injury are substantial, with life-altering effects on the victim and their family. The level of immobility after a spinal cord injury depends on the height of the injury in the spinal column. When damage to the spinal cord occurs, it limits or restricts the brain’s ability to send or receive messages below the level of the injury.
Injuries to the lower portions of the spine, or the lumbar and sacral levels, cause paralysis in the lower body and legs. These injury victims can typically achieve independence with physical therapy and assistive equipment like wheelchairs and home adaptations.
Injuries to the cervical spine in the neck cause paralysis to the entire body below the neck. Those with cervical spine injuries require full-time care. Most spinal cord injury victims cannot return to work in their previous capacity or may not be able to work at all.
In addition to loss of sensation and immobility, spinal cord injuries cause related health implications including the following:
- Loss of bone density
- Urinary tract infections
- Pressure sores
- Respiratory infections
- Muscle spasm
- Autonomous dysreflexia (symptoms similar to shock caused by the brain’s attempt to bring attention to an illness or injury the person cannot feel due to their loss of sensation)
Do I Have to Go to Court for a Spinal Cord Injury Claim?
When a skilled Albuquerque spinal cord injury attorney builds a compelling case, they send a demand package to the at-fault party’s insurance company with evidence of liability and a carefully calculated list of the victim’s damages. In most cases, the insurance company offers a settlement to avoid going to court where they might face further financial losses.
In a small minority of cases, insurance companies fails to provide an acceptable settlement offer or uses bad faith policies to deny a valid claim. In these cases, the injury victim must file a lawsuit within New Mexico’s three-year statute of limitations, under N.M. Stat. § 37-1-8, for personal injury claims.
At any time during the lawsuit, the insurer could offer a settlement, or the case might go to trial for a jury to decide. Lawsuits take longer than settlements, but jury verdicts for damages are often substantially higher than the amount a spinal cord injury survivor would receive in a settlement.
Contact Our Albuquerque Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Today
If you or a loved one has been involved in a motor vehicle accident in Albuquerque and sustained spinal cord injuries, the experienced spinal cord attorneys at Caruso Law Offices are here to help.
We prioritize our clients’ well-being and strive to provide personalized attention throughout the legal process. We aim to build a strong case and seek justice on your behalf, ensuring you receive the compensation you deserve.
Contact Caruso Law Offices today to understand your legal options in a free case consultation.