Georgia Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

What are the types of spinal cord injuries?

The Scott Pryor Law Group represents people in Georgia with spinal cord injuries that range from bulging and herniated discs to a partially or fully severed spinal cord. Doctors call a spinal cord injury complete when all feeling and movement below it are lost, and incomplete when some remain.

The spine protects the spinal cord, the nerves that carry messages between the brain and the rest of the body. So an injury to the bones, discs or ligaments of the spine can injure the cord as well: a fracture, a dislocation, misaligned vertebrae or loosened ligaments.

Where the injury sits on the spinal cord decides how much of the body is affected:

What are the symptoms of a spinal cord injury?

Common symptoms of a spinal cord injury include loss of feeling or movement, numbness in the hands, fingers or toes, trouble sensing heat or cold, muscle spasms, loss of bladder or bowel control, and difficulty breathing or coughing. The Scott Pryor Law Group asks anyone with these signs after a Georgia accident to get medical care first.

Spinal injuries do not always show symptoms at once. Some take hours or even days to appear, so see a doctor after a crash or fall even if you feel fine, and tell them about the accident.

Even an incomplete spinal fracture can cause permanent problems with movement, coordination and muscle strength. A change in sexual function is among the common symptoms too. It is part of the injury, so tell your doctor about it.

Keep a copy of every record. Medical records carry a lot of weight in a claim. If the same accident caused a head injury, see our brain injury page.

How do spinal cord injuries happen in accidents?

Spinal cord injuries in Georgia generally come from car and motorcycle crashes, and also from truck, pedestrian and bicycle crashes, falls and defective products. The Scott Pryor Law Group investigates how the injury happened, because the cause decides who is responsible and which insurance can pay for a lifetime of care.

A sudden blow or cut to the spine causes the damage. In a strong collision, the force can fracture vertebrae or compress the spinal cord. The rapid acceleration and deceleration of the neck in a crash can cause bulging discs. A person on foot or on a bicycle takes the full force of the vehicle.

The police or incident report, photos, video, vehicle data and witness statements show how it happened. They can be lost if no one asks for them to be kept, so call early, or ask a family member to call for you.

Depending on the cause, a claim may be against a driver and the driver's employer, a trucking company, a property owner who allowed a hazard, or the maker of a defective vehicle part or product. Our catastrophic injury page explains who can be held responsible.

What compensation can I get for a spinal cord injury in Georgia?

Compensation for a Georgia spinal cord injury can cover medical care, rehabilitation and therapy, changes to your home and vehicle, lost wages and lost earning capacity, plus pain and suffering, emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life. The Scott Pryor Law Group counts what the injury will cost over your lifetime as well as the bills so far.

A spinal cord injury claim can include two kinds of damages. Economic damages are losses you can measure in money, such as bills and lost pay. Non-economic damages cover what the injury takes from your life, such as pain, emotional distress and lost independence.

Punitive damages are different. They are meant to punish or deter the person responsible, and they apply only in some cases. Punitive damages are reserved for situations where the defendant's actions demonstrate willful misconduct, fraud, malice, or gross negligence. O.C.G.A. § 51-12-5.1

How do you prove the lifetime cost of a spinal cord injury?

The Scott Pryor Law Group proves the lifetime cost of a Georgia spinal cord injury with your medical records, your treatment plan and experts who project your future care: surgery, rehabilitation, equipment, care at home, changes to your home and the earnings you will lose. Insurers often resist paying for that future, so the proof has to hold up.

A spinal cord injury claim has to account for decades. Life care planners and medical experts work from your records to estimate what your care will cost, and economists put a figure on the income you can no longer earn.

An insurer's early offer tends to reflect the bills so far. Accepting it usually means signing a release that ends every claim you have, including claims against parties no one has found yet. Let us read any offer and release before you sign.

If the insurers will not pay what the evidence shows, our trial lawyers file suit. We prepare every case for trial, and you decide whether to accept any offer.