Trusted New York Spinal Cord Injuries Attorneys Serving Clients in the Bronx
Sustaining a spinal cord injury can set you on a profoundly challenging journey, impacting you and your loved ones. Such injuries often lead to significant physical, emotional, and financial strain, affecting every aspect of daily life. The dedicated Bronx spinal cord injury lawyers at Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi, P.C., understand the severity and impact of these injuries.
Our mission is to provide compassionate, comprehensive legal support to those affected by spinal cord injuries in the Bronx. With a commitment to justice and our courageous clients, our team is here to guide you through every step of your spinal cord injury lawsuit. We believe in fighting alongside our clients, ensuring their voices are heard, their rights are protected, and they have everything they need to navigate their new world.
If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury, contact us online or call (212) 543-1600 today for a FREE consultation. The strength of our clients constantly inspires us. Let our Bronx spinal cord injury lawyers fight for your rights and help you on this new path.
Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can result from a wide array of incidents, many of which involve negligence or failure to adhere to safety protocols. Understanding the common causes is the first step in recognizing when legal action may be necessary.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
The leading cause of spinal cord injuries, often resulting from reckless driving, DUI, or failure to follow traffic laws. High-impact car collisions can cause severe damage to the spinal cord. The hulking nature of large trucks and the vulnerability of motorcycles can also result in catastrophic spinal injuries.
Work Accidents
In environments ranging from office buildings to construction sites, workplace incidents can lead to spinal injuries. The diverse nature of work-related hazards poses a significant risk, whether due to heavy lifting, falls, or machinery accidents.
Falls from Heights
Particularly prevalent in construction and industrial settings, falls from ladders, scaffolding, or elevated work areas are a common cause of severe spinal cord injuries. The high impact of these falls can result in permanent damage, emphasizing the need for stringent safety measures.
Slip & Fall Accidents
Often occurring in public or commercial spaces or on poorly maintained properties, slip and fall accidents can lead to serious spinal injuries. Wet floors, uneven surfaces, and unexpected obstacles are frequent culprits, highlighting the importance of property owners maintaining safe conditions.
Sports & Recreational Activities
Engaging in sports or recreational activities, especially those with high physical demands or contact, can result in spinal injuries. Diving into shallow water and skiing are both examples where a wrong move or accident can have life-altering consequences for the spine. In certain instances, inadequate training, defective equipment, or failure to supervise can lead to accidents.
Medical Malpractice
Medical procedures gone awry, particularly surgeries near the spinal cord, can have devastating consequences. Incorrect surgical techniques, anesthesia errors, or misdiagnoses can all lead to spinal cord injuries. Trust in healthcare professionals is shattered when their actions or negligence directly result in irreversible harm.
With such severe repercussions, if a spinal cord injury is due to negligence, it is vital to pursue justice. Consulting a New York spinal cord injuries attorney can provide invaluable guidance through the legal process, ensuring that victims and their families receive the support they need for a brighter future.
Types of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries vary significantly in severity and impact, categorized by the location and extent of the damage. Understanding the types of spinal cord injuries is important for grasping their potential long-term effects and the necessity for legal and medical support.
Complete Spinal Cord Injuries
These result in a total loss of function below the injury level, including loss of movement and sensation. Paralysis, either paraplegia or quadriplegia, depending on the injury site, is a common outcome.
Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries
These involve partial damage to the spinal cord. Victims may retain some function below the injury site, with varying degrees of movement and sensation remaining.
Anterior Cord Syndrome
This type of injury involves damage to the front of the spinal cord, affecting temperature, pain, and touch sensations while potentially preserving some muscle strength.
Central Cord Syndrome
This injury results from damage to the center of the spinal cord, typically resulting in loss of fine motor skills, paralysis, or weakness of the arms more so than the legs.
Posterior Cord Syndrome
Affecting the back of the spinal cord, this syndrome leads to poor coordination of movements.
Each type of spinal cord injury presents its own set of challenges, treatments, and adjustments. Seeking compensation, with the aid of a Bronx, New York spinal cord injury attorney, can be critical for covering medical expenses, rehabilitation, and adapting to life after injury.
Life After a Spinal Cord Injury
Living with a spinal cord injury marks the beginning of a new chapter, one that brings profound adjustments not just for the injured but also for their families. The journey toward adaptation and finding a new normal involves comprehensive rehabilitation to enhance independence and quality of life. This encompasses physical therapy to maintain and improve muscle function, occupational therapy to master daily living skills, and counseling to navigate the emotional challenges that arise.
Advances in medical technology, such as assistive devices, offer greater autonomy, facilitating participation in work, hobbies, and social activities. Support networks, both formal and informal, play a crucial role in this transition, providing essential resources, encouragement, and advocacy. The path forward requires courage, resilience, and the support of dedicated professionals who understand the complex needs of those with spinal cord injuries.
How Much Does It Cost To Live with a Spinal Cord Injury?
Living with a spinal cord injury involves navigating a complex web of expenses, many of which persist over a lifetime. These expenses can have an immense impact on a person’s financial stability and quality of life. Expenses may include:
- Initial Medical Care: Costs can skyrocket due to necessary surgeries, intensive trauma care, and the immediate aftermath of the injury.
- Rehabilitation Services: Comprehensive rehabilitation, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and possibly speech therapy, plays a key role in recovery.
- Mental Health Support: Counseling and therapy are often required to address the psychological impact of such a life-altering event.
- In-Home Care Needs: For many, ongoing support from in-home care services becomes indispensable for daily activities.
- Adaptive Equipment: Specialized medical equipment, such as custom wheelchairs, is often a significant expense.
- Medication: Ongoing prescription costs for pain management, infection prevention, and other related health issues can accumulate over time.
- Lost Income: The injury may lead to an extended absence from work or even an inability to return to previous employment, affecting earning potential profoundly.
- Long-Term Health Concerns: Increased susceptibility to secondary conditions like respiratory infections can lead to further medical expenses.
- Home Adaptations: Modifications such as ramps, adapted bathrooms, and accessible kitchens are frequently necessary to facilitate independence.
- Transportation: The need for wheelchair-accessible vehicles introduces an additional financial burden.
These varied and extensive costs highlight the importance of securing comprehensive compensation to manage the financial implications of living with a spinal cord injury.
Verdicts and Settlements
$3,350,000 - Medical Negligence
To an automobile accident victim whose brain injury was undiagnosed by the emergency room physician. Subsequent emergency surgery failed to prevent significant brain damage which required prolonged rehabilitation and cognitive therapy, and requires the assistance of a walker.
$1,170,000 - Motor Vehicle Crash
For an elderly couple suffering multiple injuries in an auto accident and aggravated by injuries suffered a few months later in a subsequent auto accident.
$500,000 - Inadequate Building Security
To a married couple, tenants of high rise condominium against a parking garage maintenance company for 1994 sexual assault upon the wife by a trespassing assailant while the plaintiff was walking to her car to go to work.
Compensation for a Spinal Cord Injury
Handling the aftermath of a spinal cord injury involves not only addressing the physical and emotional toll but also managing the significant financial implications. Compensation for such injuries is typically categorized into two main types: economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are tangible losses that have a specific dollar amount attached. These are costs that the injured party has incurred or will incur as a direct result of their injury. Economic damages are relatively straightforward to calculate as they are based on actual expenses and losses.
Non-economic damages address the intangible losses that don’t have a specific monetary value but significantly impact the victim’s life. These damages compensate for pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and other psychological or emotional distress caused by the injury.
Victims of spinal cord injuries may be entitled to pursue compensation for:
- Medical bills (past and future)
- Rehabilitation costs
- In-home care expenses
- Lost wages & loss of earning capacity
- Pain & suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
- Home modification costs
- Adaptive technologies and equipment
- Long-term disability costs
Each case is unique, and the specific types of compensation available will depend on the circumstances surrounding the injury and its impact on the victim’s life. Bronx spinal cord injury lawyers can help identify all potential sources of compensation to ensure the victim’s financial and emotional recovery is as thorough as possible.
How Much Should I Settle for a Spinal Cord Injury?
Determining an appropriate settlement for a spinal cord injury involves assessing the severity of the injury, the impact on quality of life, and long-term financial needs. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, as settlements can range significantly based on medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and ongoing care needs.
A spinal cord injury attorney can help evaluate your case—considering current and future expenses—to ensure a settlement reflects the full extent of your damages and supports your long-term well-being. Consulting with a lawyer is crucial to pursuing fair compensation that covers all aspects of your recovery.
How Long Does It Take for a Back Injury To Settle?
The timeline for settling a back injury claim can vary widely, often taking several months to years. Factors that may extend the process include:
- Severity and complexity of the injury
- Disagreement on liability
- Negotiation over compensation amounts
- Medical treatment duration
Consulting with a Bronx spinal cord injury attorney can help navigate these factors efficiently, aiming for a timely resolution while ensuring you receive fair compensation.
How Can a Bronx Spinal Cord Injury Attorney Help?
Bronx spinal cord injury lawyers provide invaluable assistance in navigating the legal process. They can help hold the responsible parties accountable and advocate for the maximum compensation. They can help by:
- Gathering and analyzing evidence to support your claim
- Consulting medical experts to substantiate the extent of your injuries and future implications
- Negotiating with insurance companies to secure a fair settlement
- Litigating your case in court if a satisfactory settlement cannot be reached
Choosing Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi means partnering with a firm that embodies courage, dedication to justice, and a deep commitment to our clients. With our extensive experience with spinal cord injury lawsuits, we understand the profound impact such injuries have on victims and families.
Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi’s proven track record of securing significant settlements and our client-focused approach make us the ideal advocate to be by your side during this challenging time. We will ensure you are pursuing every avenue to the compensation necessary to rebuild and move forward.
I am delighted to provide this testimonial for Mr. DiGirolamo. His representation of me during my case was unflagging over its four-year duration. He kept me informed, and prepared for every eventuality as the case progressed.
He understood my fears and pain, and saw to it that Workmans Comp provided support for me until my civil case was settled. He prepared me substantially whenever necessary. I was very grateful for his understanding of the disastrous effect my accident had on every aspect of my life.
He was always supportive and kind personally, and totally professional. He reminded me to be realistic about the eventual outcome, and advised me as to the importance of my demeanor and attitude.
Everyone I came in contact with at the office was polite and helpful, in particular Marisol Suarez, Mr. DiGirolamo’s paralegal assistant. I will always be grateful for the way my case was handled.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you and your staff for a very satisfying outcome to my recently settled case. I thank you for taking the case and the work you did on it. I really felt like I was in “good hands” with your firm. Everyone was professional and very capable.
I was very pleased to work with Mike Maggiano. He was personable, always on top of things, and made me feel this case was important to him, too. He represented me well, especially at the mediation. I appreciated everything you have done for me and my family during this difficult process. Again, thank you for everything.
Stefanie/Mike: can’t express in words my gratitude. Thank you both for all the hard work and Mike, you’re simply the best!
Contact the Dedicated Attorneys at Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi!
Facing a spinal cord injury is a life-altering experience, both for the victim and their loved ones. The journey ahead can seem daunting, filled with physical, emotional, and financial challenges.
At Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi, we understand the depth of impact these injuries can have on every aspect of your life. Our dedicated team of Bronx spinal cord injury lawyers is committed to supporting you through this difficult time, providing guidance and relentless advocacy to secure the justice and compensation you deserve.
With a track record of success, we’re here to help you navigate the technicalities, allowing you to focus on healing and recovery. Contact us online or call (212) 543-1600 today to schedule a FREE consultation. Your fight for justice is our fight, too. We proudly take clients in the Bronx and throughout New York and New Jersey.
