Spinal cord injuries not only have a profound effect on victims but on their family members and friends as well. If you suffered a Nassau County spinal cord injury as a result of someone else’s negligence, recklessness, or malice, you know just how life-altering such an injury can be. At a time like this, you need strong spinal cord injury attorneys to fight for you.
At Kohan Law Group in Manhasset, New York, we are deeply committed to fighting to provide survivors of spinal cord injuries with the resources they need to help reshape their lives. If you live in Nassau County, Suffolk County, or within the five boroughs of New York City, contact us soon so we can begin working on your case.
How Spinal Cord Injuries Happen in Nassau County
Spinal cord injuries can happen from a myriad of causes, but typically result from one of the following:
- Traffic accidents (car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian)
- Slip and falls accidents (premises liability)
- Workplace accidents, most commonly at construction sites
- Sports injuries, particularly in contact sports like football, cheerleading, and hockey
- Swimming pool injuries, especially diving into water that is too shallow
- Violent crimes (gunshot wounds, knife wounds)
Spinal cord injuries are usually emergencies requiring urgent attention, hospitalization, long-term care, and careful monitoring.
Types of Spinal Cord Injuries
The spinal cord extends from the neck to the pelvis, controlling both sensory and motor responses. The spinal cord generally does not have the means to heal itself, though research using stem cells and robotic equipment is well underway, offering a promising future.
For the moment, those with spinal cord injuries are usually left with a permanent disability, often requiring long-term care. Spinal cord injuries can cause two different kinds of paralysis: quadriplegia which affects both the upper and lower body, and paraplegia which affects only the lower body (trunk, legs, and pelvic organs).
What are the symptoms of spinal cord injuries?
While victims of incomplete spinal cord injuries maintain some degree of sensation and mobility, those who suffer complete spinal cord injury may lose all feeling and ability to control movement anywhere below the injury.
Depending on where on the spinal cord the injury took place, injured parties may:
- Lose the ability to move fingers, toes, arms, hands, and upper body or become paralyzed
- Lose sensation in the upper body only or throughout the body
- Experience pain or intense stinging sensations, extreme back pain or pressure in the neck, head, or back
- Have difficulty breathing
- Lose control of bladder or bowel function
- Lose partial or total sexual function
- Experience weakness and lack of coordination
- Become unable to walk or have trouble walking and/or maintaining balance
What Our Nassau County Lawyers Will Do to Help
Our spinal cord injury attorneys are thoroughly invested in fighting for the damages you deserve so you will have access to all the types of help you need now and in the future. Our attorneys will do the following, as necessary:
- Investigate the site of your accident
- Obtain and pore over police reports, accident reports, and medical records
- Identify and interview witnesses and responsible parties
- Arrange for medical and vocational experts to testify on your behalf
- Negotiate a fair and just settlement or file a personal injury lawsuit
- Fight to win every dollar you deserve
In other words, we will always be on your side, providing you with excellent legal representation and caring emotional support.
Long-Term Consequences of Spinal Cord Injuries
As if the immediate effects of spinal cord injuries were not enough to bear, victims often develop secondary conditions precipitated by inactivity that make life even more difficult, such as:
- Bed sores
- Obesity
- Depression and/or anxiety
- Circulatory problems like high blood pressure and blood clots (DVTs)
- Loss of muscle tone, sometimes accompanied by spasticity (uncontrolled tightening) or flaccidity (limp muscles)
- Respiratory problems due to atrophied abdominal and chest muscles
Victims of spinal cord injuries may require assistive devices, such as wheelchairs or walkers, and become considerably more dependent on others for mobility and well-being. This results in alterations to self-image and often affects self-esteem. Because of the enormous burden that someone’s negligence has placed on you and your family, you need one of our powerful spinal cord injury attorneys in Hempstead. We will fight hard to bring you justice in the form of monetary damages.
Damages Our Attorneys Will Fight For
You may be entitled to compensation for:
- Medical expenses (past and future)
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional anguish
- Permanent disability
- Long-term nursing care
- Rehabilitation services
- Assistive devices (e.g. braces, crutches, wheelchairs)
- Required modifications to your residence
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Contact Our Experienced North Hempstead Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys Today
Our compassionate, capable spinal cord lawyers, located in Hempstead, are waiting for your call. Once you contact us you will feel the relief that comes from knowing you have the strength of Kohan Law Group behind you.
Kohan Law Group represents spinal cord injury victims throughout Nassau County as well as in New York City, including Queens and Brooklyn, from their Manhasset office in North Hempstead.