Our Orange County Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Will Fight for Your Full Recovery
Suffering a spinal cord injury that affects the brain can change everything about your life. Your health care expenses may be high, you may be unable to work, your personal relationships may suffer, and you may be unable to take care of yourself.
The experienced Orange County spinal cord injury lawyers at Case Barnett Law are committed to helping you navigate the legal process and fight for fair compensation if you suffer a spinal cord brain injury.
How a Spinal Cord Injury Can Affect the Brain
Understanding how a spinal cord injury may impact the brain is crucial for patients and their families. For example, a spinal cord injury victim could suffer:
Neurotransmitter Disruption
Spinal cord injuries can interfere with the normal flow of neurotransmitters between the brain and body. This disruption can lead to mood, cognition, and overall brain function changes. Patients may experience difficulty with concentration, memory, or emotional regulation.
Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction
The spinal cord plays a vital role in regulating the autonomic nervous system. When injured, it can lead to issues with blood pressure control, temperature regulation, and other involuntary bodily functions known as autonomic dysreflexia. These changes can indirectly affect brain function and overall well-being.
Chronic Pain and Cognitive Load
Persistent pain from a spinal cord injury can place a significant cognitive burden on the brain. This constant processing of pain signals may lead to decreased cognitive function, impacting attention span, decision-making abilities, and overall mental clarity.
Psychological Impact
The psychological toll of a spinal cord injury can be substantial. Depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder are common, potentially altering brain chemistry and function over time. These mental health challenges can further complicate recovery and rehabilitation efforts.
What to Do If You Suffer a Spinal Cord Injury in a Personal Injury Accident
What you do after a spinal cord injury may impact your health and potential legal case. As soon as possible after your accident, it’s essential to:
- Seek medical attention. Even if you feel fine, some spinal cord injuries may not be immediately apparent. Prompt medical evaluation can prevent further damage and provide crucial documentation for your case.
- Preserve evidence. If possible, gather information about the accident scene. Take photos, collect witness contact information, and keep any relevant documents. This evidence can be invaluable in building a strong personal injury case.
- Report the accident. Ensure the accident is properly reported to relevant authorities, such as the police for a car accident or management for a workplace injury. Official reports can serve as important evidence in your case.
- Avoid discussing the accident. Refrain from making statements about who was at fault, especially to insurance representatives or on social media sites. Such statements could potentially be used against you in legal proceedings.
- Contact a spinal cord injury lawyer. Reach out to a lawyer experienced in spinal cord injury cases as soon as possible. Case Barnett can guide you through the legal process, protect your rights, and help you avoid common mistakes that could harm your case.
Potential Compensation in Spinal Cord Brain Injury Cases
Understanding the potential compensation in a spinal cord injury case can help you negotiate a fair settlement or pursue a fair recovery in court. Some of the types of damage you may recover could include:
- Medical expenses. This includes current and future medical costs related to your injury, such as hospital stays, surgeries, medications, and ongoing rehabilitation therapies. The long-term nature of spinal cord injuries often results in significant health care costs.
- Lost income and earning capacity. Compensation may cover the income you've already lost due to your injury and the potential future earnings you may miss out on if your injury affects your ability to work in the same capacity as before your accident.
- Pain and suffering. This non-economic damage addresses the physical pain and emotional distress caused by your injury. Spinal cord injuries often result in significant, long-lasting pain and lifestyle changes that can be compensated.
- Loss of enjoyment of life. If your injury prevents you from engaging in activities you once enjoyed, you may be entitled to compensation for this loss of quality of life.
- Life care costs. Spinal cord injuries frequently require long-term care and lifestyle modifications. Damages may include home modifications, assistive devices, and personal care assistance costs.
Your recovery will depend on the unique injuries you suffer and how fault is determined in your case.
Why to Contact an Orange County Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
As you begin to live the rest of your life with a spinal cord brain injury, your experienced spinal cord injury lawyer can:
- Investigate the accident and gather evidence. We begin by thoroughly investigating your accident and gathering crucial evidence to build a strong case. This includes collecting police reports, medical records, eyewitness reports, expert testimonies, and other relevant evidence to establish the full extent of your injuries and their impact on your life.
- Communicate with insurers on your behalf. We will handle all communications with insurance companies and opposing counsel, protecting your interests and ensuring you don't accidentally harm your case. We'll work hard to negotiate a fair settlement that covers all your current and future needs related to your spinal cord injury.
- Take your case to court. If a fair settlement cannot be reached, we'll take your case to trial and present a compelling case to the jury.
Throughout the process, we'll provide clear, compassionate communication, keeping you informed and involved in all important decisions regarding your case. Our goal is to win your case, support you through this challenging time, and help you move forward with your life.
We encourage you to review the case results and client testimonials to get a better understanding of the outcomes we've achieved for clients with similar injuries. While every case is unique and we cannot guarantee specific results, these examples illustrate what it’s like to work with Case Barnett Law.
$4 Million for Young Mom-to-Be Who Suffered Spinal Cord Injury in an ATV Accident
Our client rented an ATV with her boyfriend. As they were headed down a hill, her shoe became entrapped in the ATV’s wheel due to a design defect. Our client suffered incomplete quadriplegia, and we held the negligence ATV manufacturer accountable.
$8 Million for Young Woman Injured at an Amusement Park
An amusement park employee forgot to strap our client’s safety harness at the rock wall. Our client climbed 30 feet to the top, hit the buzzer, and leaned back to return to the bottom. Instead of controlled descent, however, she fell. She broke two vertebrae in her back and suffered other injuries.