Keller & Keller's spinal cord injury attorneys represent clients throughout Michigan whose accident left them with conditions that include temporary or permanent paralysis, radiating pain, loss of sensation, and weakness of the arms, legs or hands. The side-effects caused by a spinal cord injury can leave our clients with the inability to properly care for themselves, continue working a job, and ultimately force them to change everyday routines. Our job is to make sure our clients receive proper compensation for the on-going care that their injury will require.

It's estimated that more than 11,000 people suffer a spinal cord injury each year in the United States, and over 40% of these injuries will be the result of a vehicular accident. The severity of a spinal cord injury is wide-ranging with some victims making a full recovery while others experience complete paralysis. (The less severe back injuries caused by car accidents will often include herniated discs and whiplash injury.) 

What is a spinal cord injury?

Your spinal cord consists of a complex collection of nerves that send nerve impulses between your brain and the rest of your body. Any injury, no matter how small, can compromise mobility in a person.

Most often, it's a sudden, forceful blow from a collision-styled accident that causes fractures or dislocated vertebrae in the spine. The collision will cause the vertebrae to fracture or compress, which will lead to damaging of the nerve cells responsible for carrying signals from the spinal cord to the brain. The resulting injury and its effects on the body are dependent on several factors, but the location on the spine that was affected, and severity of the injury are the two key components. 

The difference between "complete" and "incomplete" spinal cord injuries

A spinal cord injury falls into two categories: "complete" or "incomplete". Fortunately, our attorneys have experience with helping clients that have suffered both injury types.

When a person suffers a spinal cord injury that is determined by doctors to be complete, this means that the person will have no movement or sensation below the area of the spine that suffered the injury. By comparison, victims of incomplete injuries will have a measurable level of movement and sensation below the affected area of the spine. 

Modern medicine and technology continually make great advances in the area of spinal cord treatment and recovery, yet many people who have suffered an injury to their spinal cord still experience effects that are irreversible at this time. 

There will always be a physical and emotional toll this injury type causes for the person and their family, and while the majority of victims go on to live very productive lives with the help of therapy and support, there will always be financial concerns regarding treatment and ongoing care related to spinal cord injury complications, some of which include: 

  • respiratory and heart problems;
  • compromised bladder and bowel functionality;
  • pressure sores (often referred to as "bed sores.");
  • spasticity and scoliosis.

The difference between "quadriplegia" and "paraplegia"

Both injury types refer to a severe spinal cord injury, however, there are vast differences between quadriplegia and paraplegia.

Quadriplegia occurs when a person's movement and sensation in both legs and both arms are affected by a spinal cord injury, while paraplegia only affects movement and sensation in the legs. In paraplegia cases, the area of the person's spinal that suffered damage front he accident is either the thoracic, lumbar, or sacral regions.

Spinal cord accident cases will almost always require the help of a law firm that can front cases expenses and answer questions about arrangements for financing on-going care. For that reason, if you or someone in your family has been in an accident that resulted in injury to the spinal cord, or has caused paralysis, please make a FREE call to our Michigan offices and ask to speak with our attorney that specializes in spinal cord injury claims.

We never charge for advice, there will never be any pressure to hire us, and you'll be speaking with one of the oldest, most experienced personal injury law firms in the state of Michigan.