Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys Mercer and Middlesex County NJ

Personal Injury Lawyers helping clients with spinal chord injuries and paralysis in Trenton, Princeton, East Brunswick, Jackson, and across Central NJ

It is never easy trying to deal with a traumatic injury. This is especially true when suffering from a spinal cord injury because it poses unique health problems that typically require a lengthy recovery process. Needless to say, filing a personal injury claim won’t solve all of your problems; however, it will go a long way toward reducing your financial hardship and ensuring that you receive the medical care and treatment you need. You deserve the opportunity to recover from your spinal cord injury. If you have suffered a spinal cord injury due to someone else’s negligence, you may be feeling a bit overwhelmed by the complicated legal process, as well as mounting medical bills. That’s why it is imperative that you speak with an experienced attorney who understands both the legal issues and the medical issues involved in these kinds of cases.

A spinal injury occurs when a direct or indirect impact, or trauma, misplaces the delicate spinal cord in some mild or severe way, shifting it out of alignment. Spinal cord injuries are often irreversible and require a long-term plan of treatment and care, including extensive surgeries. If you have undergone a spinal cord injury, seek immediate medical care, and then contact a member of our personal injury defense team. If your injury was the result of someone else’s negligence, you are entitled to recover damages for your medical expenses and necessary long-term care. Having a qualified personal injury lawyer is essential for your fullest recovery.

Cohen & Riechelson is a well-respected law firm with a track record of success in New Jersey. Our attorneys have successfully represented personal injury victims in Robbinsville, Howell Township, and everywhere else in Mercer County, NJ since 1972. Additionally, our legal team includes a New Jersey Certified Civil Trial Attorney so you know that we’ve earned the respect of our peers within the legal community. Call CR now to discuss your spinal cord injury and explore your legal options for securing compensation.

What is a spinal cord injury?

The Mayo Clinic defines a spinal cord injury as damage to the spinal cord or nerves at the end of the spinal canal, the spinal cord covers. It disrupts the communication between your brain and the rest of your body.

The spinal cord is the central carrier of signals to the human body. Moreover, the spinal cord, along with the brain, controls neural function throughout the human body. When a person suffers a spinal cord injury, they may lose control of their body. In extreme cases, a spinal cord injury may suffer paralysis.

Generally speaking, it is easy for an accident victim to realize that they have suffered a spinal cord injury because the pain is often extreme or even unbearable. However, sometimes, the symptoms of a spinal cord injury are not immediately apparent. That’s because the injury doesn’t manifest until later on when bleeding or swelling occurs in or around the spinal cord. Some of the symptoms to be on the lookout for include:

• Significant back pain
• Extreme neck pain
• Severe headaches
• Weakness in arms and legs
• Numbness in the extremities, including hands, fingers, feet, and toes
• Breathing difficulties
• Loss of bowel control
• Bladder dysfunction
• Muscle spasms

Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries in Princeton NJ

Any kind of significant external impact to the spine can result in a spinal cord injury. The most common causes of spinal cord injuries in New Jersey are:

• Motor Vehicle Accidents: This is the most frequent cause of spinal cord injuries. According to a report issued by the Mayo Clinic, nearly half of all spinal cord injuries are the result of auto accidents.
• Slip & Fall Accidents: Trip and fall accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries among individuals aged 65 or higher.
• Sports Injuries: Contact sports such as football, even when played recreationally, can result in significant injuries, including spinal cord injuries.
• Acts of Violence: A property owner who fails to provide adequate security to protect visitors against violent attacks may be subject to a premises liability lawsuit if a visitor suffers a spinal cord injury.
• Medical Malpractice: One of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries in a medical context is surgical errors.
• Disease: When a doctor fails to properly diagnose a disease or illness such as cancer, arthritis, or osteoporosis, the patient can suffer irreparable damages to their spine and may lose the ability to effectively treat a spinal cord injury.
• Defective Products: If you were involved in a motor vehicle accident, a defective seatbelt may have contributed to your spinal cord injury.

What are the effects of a spinal cord injury?

A spinal cord injury can cause permanent, lessening of strength, sensation, and functioning of areas of the body below the site of the trauma. Your level of mobility following a spinal cord trauma depends on the placement of the injury and its severity. The lowest placement of your injury is called the neurological level of your injury. The severity is called the injury’s completeness, and severity ranges from complete to incomplete.

A complete injury to a spinal cord removes all feelings and the ability to control movement. In an incomplete spinal cord injury, some sensation and motor function are maintained. Incomplete injury varies in degree.

Additionally, this loss of motor functioning and sensation, called paralysis, is separated into two types: tetraplegia and paraplegia. Tetraplegia, also called quadriplegia, is the state in which your arms, hands, trunk, legs, and pelvic organs are affected by your injury. A less extreme paralysis is paraplegia, in which all or part of your trunk, legs, and pelvic organs are paralyzed by spinal cord injury.

What research is being done into reversing the effects of spinal cord injury?

If you have been affected by a spinal cord injury, you may feel that every aspect of your life has been permanently compromised. Despite the drastic and debilitating effects a spinal cord injury can have on the body, mind, and spirit; however, it is important to stay positive and up-to-date with the latest research in the field, as scientists are hopeful that soon they will be able to reverse many effects of spinal cord injuries and restore greater to full functioning of the body in many cases.

The New Jersey Department of Health’s Commission on Spinal Cord Research is committed to providing the latest in spinal cord research and treatment. Staying up-to-date on the latest efforts to reverse spinal cord injury is a good way to feel empowered during your recovery process.

Compensation for Spinal Cord Injuries in Trenton NJ

The effects of a spinal cord injury are potentially catastrophic. You are likely to incur significant medical bills for your immediate treatment, as well as require costly physical therapy and rehabilitation. Beyond that, you could find that your quality of life has significantly declined due to severe pain and suffering. That’s why it is crucial for you to get compensation that accounts for not just your past medical treatment but also any future treatment you may need.

Seek medical attention immediately.

If you have been in an accident and express any of the above symptoms, it is essential that you seek immediate medical attention. While spinal cord injury symptoms are generally immediate, there are cases in which a mild or incomplete trauma is further injured by pressure caused by continued movement. While there is no immediate ‘cure’ for a spinal cord injury, doctors will focus on providing immediate instabilization so that further injury does not occur, and as little nerve damage as possible is incurred.

Then contact our experienced team of personal injury lawyers to set up a confidential consultation and ensure that you recover damages and medical expenses to the full extent of your legal rights.

Contact West Windsor NJ Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation

The experienced personal injury lawyers at Cohen & Riechelson will conduct independent tests, consult with expert witnesses, and fight the insurance company to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve.

The road to recovery may be a long one for those with a spinal cord injury, but there is support from many communities during the process. We are one. Because a spinal cord injury can result in a lifetime of costly treatments, therapies, and other physical and emotional expenses, having the support of a personal injury lawyer is essential. Expenses covered by a personal injury lawsuit include medical expenses such as surgeries and physical therapy, lost job wages, and necessary renovations to your home and automobile to address physical restrictions.

At Cohen & Riechelson, our attorneys are experienced in facilitating personal injury claims for our clients across Trenton office, Princeton, Lawrence, Hamilton, New Brunswick and across Mercer County. when they have been in an accident that causes damage to their spinal cords.

Our direct approach is focused on taking the lead on all communication with insurance and medical providers regarding expenses so our clients can focus on their recovery.

To connect with an experienced member of our firm today regarding your injury, please call us at (609) 528-2596 or go online to schedule a free, no-risk consultation with a personal injury lawyer.

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