At the Jacksonville, Florida, law office of Howard G. Butler Esq. PA, we represent injured people throughout north and central Florida, including people in Atlantic Beach, Orange Park, Yulee, Callahan, Starke, Palatka, Orlando, Daytona Beach, Gainesville, Melbourne, Tampa, Tallahassee, Lake City, St. Augustine, Miami, Ponte Vedra Beach, Panama City, Duval County, Clay County, Baker County, St. Johns County, Nassau County, Volusia County, Flagler County, Alachua County, Orange County, Columbia County, Bay County, and people injured on I-95, I-10, I-75, I-4 Us-1, Phillips Highway, A1A, Butler Blvd., Beach Blvd. and Atlantic Ave. 2011 by The Butler Law Group, all rights reserved. |
- SCI INFORMATION
Spinal Cord Injury Information
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is an injury to the spinal cord that results in a degree of loss of
function and/or paralysis, depending on which part of the spine was injured and the
extent to which the spine was damaged. These injures can occur from traumatic events,
such as a motor vehicle or slip and fall accidents, or from an illness or a disease. Over
250,000 people in the U. S., currently live with some form of spinal cord injury.
If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury due to the negligence or
intentional act of another, there are legal options available. Attorney Howard Butler can
speak with you about your rights and options for pursuing a case against those
responsible for your injury.
Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
In the United States, there are between 10,000 and 12,000 new spinal cord injuries
every year. Young men between 16-30 years old account for 80% of these injuries. The
most common causes of spinal cord damage are:
•· Motor vehicle accidents
•· Deliberate acts of violence
•· Falls
•· Sports accidents (contact sports, diving, skiing, cycling)
The severity of the injury depends on where along the spine the injury occurred. There
are five separate parts of the spine, each part controls different bodily functions:
•· Coccygeal vertebrae (tailbone) - controls sensation from the skin on the lower back
•· Sacral vertebrae (hips) - controls thighs, lower parts of legs, feet, most of the
external genital organs
•· Lumbar vertebrae (middle back) - controls lower abdomen, lower back, buttocks,
some parts of the legs, some parts of the external genital organs
•· Thoracic vertebrae (upper back) - controls chest muscles, some back muscles, parts
of the abdomen
•· Cervical vertebrae (neck) - controls back of the head, neck, shoulders, arms, hands,
diaphragm
Spinal cord injuries can be complete or incomplete. A complete spinal cord injury often
means that the spinal cord is so damaged or has been severed and it is unable to
receive and send messages to the brain past the level of injury on the spine. An
incomplete injury means that the spine still is able to receive and send some messages
from the brain past the level of injury.
Treatment Options
At this time, the treatment options for spinal cord injuries are very limited. If the injury
resulted in a fracture to the vertebrae protecting the cord, surgery may be performed to
correct the fracture and relieve the compression on the spine. After surgery, some
function may be recovered. There is not a current surgical option that will recover all
function lost due to SCI.
Rehabilitation is the main cornerstone of treatment designed to help the injured person
retain as much function as possible. Rehab treatments may include working with a
number of specialists, including physical therapists, occupational therapists, social
workers, nutritionists, neurologists, psychologists and others. Rehab focuses on a range
of issues, from preventing muscle atrophy to providing job training.
Pursuing a Lawsuit
Spinal cord injuries are some of the worst types of injuries a person can suffer. Not only
do victims suffer paralysis, but there are numerous other health problems resulting
from a SCI, including blood pressure and heart dysfunction, bowel and bladder
problems, breathing difficulty, muscle spasms, loss of reproductive and sexual function
and increased risk of blood clots, bed sores and pneumonia. People with SCI generally
have a shorter life expectancy.
If a spinal cord injury resulted because of another person's negligent acts, the injured
person needs to speak with an experienced attorney about taking legal action against
the responsible party to recover damages. Depending on the type of accident that
caused the injury, there are different types of lawsuits that may be filed:
•· Personal injury lawsuit: if the injury resulted from an individual's negligence, like a
car, truck or bus accident
•· Premises liability: if the injury occurred on another person or entity's property
•· Products liability: if the injury resulted from a defective product, like a seatbelt,
vehicle rollover or defective industrial machinery
An experienced attorney like Howard Butler can help you determine which type of case
is best to pursue depending on the circumstances of your particular situation.
Damages
Unfortunately, people who suffer an SCI will likely never return to the life the life they
had before the accident. They will require significant compensation to assist them and
their families with the rest of their lives including:
•· Medical expenses
•· Loss of wages
•· Loss of future earning capacity
•· Future anticipated medical expenses
•· Pain and suffering
We know that these cases can be expensive to litigate successfully. Let us put our
resources, experience and skills to work for you following serious spinal cord injuries.
To learn more about your accident claim, contact us for a free initial consultation. Learn
more at the brain and spinal cord injury information center.
- In cases of paralysis, we work closely with forensic and medical experts in order to
ensure that all of your current and future treatment, adaptive technology, and
rehabilitation needs are documented. Contact Howard G. Butler in Jacksonville to learn
how we can protect your interests in a spinal cord injury case.
- Jacksonville Office
Butler Law Group
1506 Prudential Drive
Jacksonville FL 32207
Ph: 888-651-5544
Fax: 904-398-3000
Email | Jacksonville Office
Orlando Office
The Plaza (North Tower)
121 South Orange Avenue
Suite 1150
Orlando, Florida 32801
Ph: 888-651-5544
Email | Map and Directions
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