A spinal cord injury (SCI) is among the most debilitating injuries a person can experience. It often results in chronic pain or lasting disability, including partial or total paralysis. The physical, financial, and emotional toll can be profound, impacting nearly every aspect of the survivor’s daily life.
According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC), the lifetime cost of living with a spinal cord injury varies widely depending on the age at the time of injury and other factors — but for the most severe cases, it can reach as high as $6.2 million. That dollar amount does not account for indirect costs, such as lost wages and fringe benefits.
If you are living with a spinal cord injury someone else caused, preparing for the future and maximizing your quality of life could depend on securing financial compensation from the person responsible. A Mississippi spinal cord injury lawyer from Mama Justice – MW Law Firm can help you seek fair compensation for your losses.
Call or contact our compassionate legal team for a free consultation now. We’ll explain what to expect from your spinal cord damage lawsuit and what we can do to make the legal process as stress-free as possible.
Why Do You Need to Hire a Lawyer for a Spinal Cord Injury?
Hiring a spinal cord injury law firm in Mississippi is essential due to the long-term complications associated with these catastrophic injuries. Spinal cord injury cases involve seeking compensation not only for past medical expenses and lost wages, but also for future medical bills, your loss of earning capacity, and the tremendous pain and suffering you endured. Mississippi personal injury law allows you to pursue money for those losses and more. However, obtaining full compensation from the insurance company can be a battle. A determined and empathetic lawyer can help you seek a fair settlement or trial award that covers your anticipated expenses and the effect your injury has on your daily life.
Why You Should Work with the Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys at Mama Justice
Mama Justice is the fastest-growing, female-owned law firm in the United States, with 400+ five-star reviews from satisfied clients. For us, it’s not just about winning. It’s about making a positive difference in our clients’ lives by providing solid legal representation, emotional nurturing, healthcare referrals, and lived empathy for their suffering.
When you work with the Mama Justice personal injury team, you’ll receive:
- Compassionate guidance that recognizes you’re a person, not a legal case
- Tailored solutions for the unique circumstances of your case
- Time and attention from an experienced spinal cord injury attorney who will work with you every step of the way
- Holistic representation that includes medical management staff to help you seek the care you need from medical specialists
- A trusted Southern firm built on hospitality and deep regional roots
Worried about whether you can afford a lawyer? At Mama Justice, you get a free initial consultation, and you only pay if we win your case. Reach out today to learn what our Mississippi personal injury attorneys can do for you.
Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries in Mississippi
Spinal cord injuries can result from various types of traumatic events in Mississippi, such as:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Commercial truck accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Slip-and-fall accidents
- Sports injuries
- Workplace accidents
- Physical assaults, such as gunshot wounds
The Consequences of a Spinal Cord Injury
The ramifications of a spinal cord injury can be lifelong, depending on its severity. Even a mild spinal cord injury can cause chronic back pain or lead to permanent numbness in the extremities. Severe spinal injuries can result in partial or complete paralysis (paraplegia or tetraplegia), which causes irreparable damage and permanent disability.
The effects these injuries have on your body can pervade all areas of your life. You may need ongoing medical treatment, continual pain management, 24-hour nursing care, and the use of adaptive medical equipment to complete tasks like getting out of bed and toileting. Many spinal cord injury victims have a limited ability to work or to continue in the line of work they had before the accident. An SCI often has emotional consequences, leading to mental health conditions like depression. Around 30 percent of spinal cord injury victims experience re-hospitalization at some point post-injury, with the average stay lasting 18 days to treat related medical issues.
Types of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are typically classified based on the location of the damage along the spine and whether the spinal cord is partially or completely severed. The four primary regions where these injuries can occur are:
- Cervical spine (neck)
- Thoracic spine (upper back)
- Lumbar spine (lower back)
- Sacral region (around the tailbone)
An incomplete spinal cord injury typically causes weakness, numbness in the limbs, and localized pain. In contrast, a complete spinal cord injury leads to a total loss of motor control below the injury site. For example, a complete injury in the lower back may result in paraplegia, while one in the neck can cause tetraplegia (also called quadriplegia).
What Compensation Can I Receive for a Spinal Cord Injury?
Compensation for spinal injuries in Mississippi falls into two main categories: economic and non-economic damages.
- Economic damages – Medical bills, lost wages, lost earning capacity, cost of home modifications, assistive devices, prescriptions, rehabilitation, physical therapy, future medical care costs, etc.
- Non-economic damages – Pain and suffering, emotional distress, lost quality of life, loss of consortium, lost enjoyment of life, etc.
The difference between the two is that economic damages have a value that can be calculated using receipts and other documentation. By contrast, there’s no single dollar value that you can assign to the pain and suffering a person experiences after a spinal cord injury. Because the value of these losses is subjective, it’s crucial to work with a skilled personal injury attorney in Mississippi who can assess your injuries, place a fair estimate on your case, and fight for maximum compensation.
Proving Damages in a Spinal Injury Case
Proving a spinal cord injury claim requires substantial evidence. As in any personal injury claim, accident scene photographs, videos, eyewitness statements, and police reports are vital. However, medical evidence arguably plays the most significant role in a spine injury case.
Your medical records are essential to substantiate your claim. These records detail your diagnosis, prognosis, the medical treatment your doctors recommended and performed, and notes from your treating physicians about the extent of your spine injuries. Medical and vocational experts can also explain how your injuries will affect your daily life and ability to work going forward.
Contact a Mississippi Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
Life after a spinal cord injury is hard enough without worrying about the legal process. Reach out to Mama Justice to speak with our trusted Mississippi spinal cord injury attorneys. Our lawyers take a holistic approach to client service by helping you seek not only compensation, but the medical and community resources you need to live your best life. With our fight-like-a-mother attitude, we’ll stand up to the insurance company and work tirelessly to protect your rights.
Help is just around the corner. Call or contact us today for a free consultation.