A rollover accident can have far-reaching consequences, both physically and emotionally. These types of car accidents often lead to severe spinal cord injuries that alter the victims’ lives in ways they could never anticipate.

In this post, we take a look at spinal cord injuries resulting from rollover accidents, the long-term implications they carry, and how working with an Oklahoma City car accident lawyer from Parrish DeVaughn Injury Lawyers can help pave your path to recovery and justice.

Why You Need an Attorney After Suffering a Spinal Cord Injury in a Rollover Accident

The aftermath of a rollover accident resulting in a spinal cord injury can be daunting and overwhelming. In these challenging times, having the guidance and expertise of an experienced lawyer is not just recommended—it’s crucial. Here is how the right lawyer can make a significant difference:

1. Investigation: In the wake of a devastating rollover accident, time is of the essence. An experienced personal injury lawyer will initiate a meticulous investigation and gather crucial evidence to determine liability. This evidence may include the accident report, witness statements, and expert analysis that will help ensure a comprehensive understanding of the accident, how it happened, and who is to blame.
2. Settlement Negotiations: Navigating the complexities of insurance negotiations requires skill and experience. With the help of a skilled attorney, car accident victims can better negotiate with insurance companies and ensure that they receive fair compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages, and the emotional toll the accident has taken.
3. Litigation: In cases where negotiations fall short, litigation may become necessary. An experienced attorney with a strong litigation background can build a robust case, and present evidence, expert testimonies, and legal arguments in court to fight for the compensation you deserve.

Why Choose an Oklahoma City Car Accident Lawyer from Parrish DeVaughn Injury Lawyers?

At Parrish DeVaughn Injury Lawyers, we understand that personal care and transparency are paramount in a client-attorney relationship. We believe that clients have the right to be informed every step of the way. Our team is not only well-versed in the legal intricacies involved in car accident cases, but also committed to providing you with the support and guidance you need during this challenging time.

How a Rollover Accident Can Cause a Spinal Cord Injury

Regardless of how a rollover accident happens, it subjects the human body to violent forces that can result in catastrophic spinal cord injuries. The abrupt and forceful movement of the vehicle can lead to immense strain on the spine, causing fractures, dislocations, or damage to the delicate spinal cord.

Furthermore, the impact of a rollover accident can cause a vehicle’s occupants to collide with the roof of the vehicle. Such violent contact can result in traumatic injuries to the head and neck, including the spinal cord, leading to life-altering consequences.

The Long-Term Consequences of Spinal Cord Injuries

A spinal cord injury occurs when there is damage to the spinal cord or the nerves at the end of the spinal canal. The long-term implications of such injuries can be profound, including:

• Paralysis: Certain spinal cord injuries can lead to partial or complete paralysis, drastically affecting the victim’s mobility and independence.
• Osteoporosis: Spinal cord injuries can accelerate bone loss, leading to the development of osteoporosis and an increased risk of fractures.
• Muscle Spasticity: Muscle spasms and spasticity can emerge, causing discomfort and impairing physical function.
• Syringomyelia: Fluid-filled cysts known as syrinxes can form within the spinal cord, leading to pain and neurological symptoms.
• Infections: Spinal cord injuries can increase susceptibility to infections, necessitating vigilant medical management.
• Depression: The emotional toll of a spinal cord injury can lead to depression, affecting the victim’s mental well-being.
• Loss of Enjoyment or Quality of Life: Engaging in once-enjoyed activities may become challenging, impacting the victim’s overall enjoyment and quality of life.
• Long-Term Treatment: The treatment journey for spinal cord injuries is extensive and ongoing. Beyond initial medical care, individuals often require continued therapies, medications, and specialized treatments. Astonishingly, the lifetime treatment costs for a spinal cord injury victim injured at age 25 can reach up to a staggering $5 million.

Compensation for a Spinal Cord Injury

If you have suffered a spinal cord injury in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence or recklessness, you may be entitled to a wide range of damages, including but not limited to:

• Medical Expenses: Compensation to address medical costs, including surgeries, rehabilitation, medications, and assistive devices.
• Costs of Long-Term Care for Permanent Disabilities: Your lifelong care needs must be taken into account to ensure you receive the necessary support for daily activities and medical management.
• Loss of Wages or Income: Compensation for the financial impact of past and future lost wages and income due to the injury’s effect on your ability to be employed or your earning capacity.
• Compensation for Pain and Suffering and Emotional Trauma: The emotional distress resulting from a spinal cord injury must be acknowledged, and compensation must be provided to alleviate this burden.
• Loss of Enjoyment or Quality of Life: The reduced ability to partake in activities enjoyed prior to your injury must be factored into the compensation you receive.

Frequently Asked Questions About Spinal Cord Injuries in Rollover Accidents

Who Can Be Held Liable for My Spinal Cord Injury?

Determining liability is pivotal in recovering the compensation you deserve. As is the case with most car accidents, several parties can be held liable for the accident and your injury, including:

• Another Driver: If another driver’s negligence caused the accident, they may be held financially accountable.
• The Vehicle’s Manufacturer: A defect in the way the vehicle was designed or manufactured can lead to the manufacturer being liable for your spinal cord injury.
• A Government Agency or Municipality: Poorly maintained roads or inadequate signage can contribute to car accidents, leading to the government agency or municipality that is responsible for the road being liable for accidents resulting from their negligence.

What Happens If I Was Partially at Fault for the Accident?

Oklahoma follows the concept of comparative negligence in car accident cases, which means your compensation may be reduced if you were partially at fault for the accident. However, you can still seek compensation proportionate to the other party’s liability. A knowledgeable car accident lawyer in Oklahoma City can help you understand how comparative negligence applies to your case and ensure that liability is apportioned appropriately.

Contact Parrish DeVaughn Injury Lawyers

After suffering a spinal cord injury in a rollover accident, your journey toward recovery and justice starts with reaching out to Parrish DeVaughn Injury Lawyers. Our compassionate team is ready to provide the support, guidance, and legal expertise you need to secure the compensation you deserve. Let us be your allies in this challenging time—contact us today for a free case evaluation.

Many spinal cord injuries (SCIs) result in some degree of paralysis—but not all.

Spinal cord injuries are classified either “complete” or “incomplete” (non-paralyzing), but that does not mean non-paralyzing injuries are harmless or have no long-term consequences.

People who suffer complete spinal cord injuries lose all control and feeling from the sites of their injuries and below, while people who suffer incomplete “non-paralyzing” spinal cord injuries often still lose some, but not all, control and feeling from the sites of their injuries and below.

Furthermore, the distinction between the two isn’t always so clear-cut. Some people with complete injuries that occur in the lowest levels of the spine—the lumbar and sacral regions—can sometimes walk with assistance. People with non-paralyzing and certain complete SCIs often suffer from profound disabilities and complications that can result in big medical bills, lost wages, and decades of pain and suffering.

As Oklahoma spinal cord injury lawyers, we help complete and incomplete SCI victims get compensation for the following complications.

Impaired Mobility

People who suffer non-paralyzing SCIs still have movement and feeling in their legs, but their legs may be too weak for them to walk without assistance. It’s common for people with non-paralyzing SCIs to rely on canes, walkers, and even wheelchairs for mobility. Some non-paralyzing SCI victims can maintain or even build muscle tone and strength after their accidents, but many can’t and are never able to regain their previous level of mobility.

Chronic Pain

Nerve damage often results in chronic pain. When nerves can’t communicate with the brain or other parts of the body effectively, pain is often the result. In addition, people with non-paralyzing SCIs may experience pain due to overuse of certain muscles to compensate for weakened muscles. They may also suffer from pressure sores caused by forced inactivity and lack of movement.

Numbness

The same miscommunication between nerves, the brain, and the body that causes pain can also cause numbness and abnormal sensations. Numbness can put non-paralyzing SCI victims at risk of suffering severe burns, cuts, and other skin damage because they may not realize their skin is being damaged by hot stoves/water, knives, harsh chemicals, and more.

Breathing Problems

People with non-paralyzing SCIs that occur above their lungs may have trouble breathing. That’s because the nerves that control their diaphragms, abdominal muscles, and chest muscles may become damaged, leading to scrambled communication between those areas of their bodies and their brains.

In addition to experiencing problems breathing both during day-to-day life and during physical activity, non-paralyzing SCI victims also may be at a higher risk of developing respiratory infections such as pneumonia due to the weakened state of their respiratory systems.

Poor Circulation

Non-paralyzing SCIs can interfere with every part of the body at or below the injury site, including circulation. Non-paralyzing SCI victims may have trouble maintaining healthy and consistent blood pressure, have a higher risk of developing blood clots, and may develop swelling in their legs and feet due to blood pooling in those areas.

Incontinence

Bladder and bowel incontinence is a complication that complete and non-paralyzing SCI victims often share. Because the muscles and nerves that control bladder and bowel control are in the sacral region of the spinal cord, which is its lowest region, virtually all SCI victims experience some degree of lost control over these functions.

Sexual Dysfunction

Despite often having some degree of sensation and mobility, people with non-paralyzing SCIs often experience sexual problems and dysfunction. Both men and women also may experience impairments in fertility and their ability to conceive children after non-paralyzing SCIs.

Depression and Anxiety

Non-paralyzing SCI victims often become depressed and anxious after their injuries. That’s because they may lose the ability to engage in their favorite hobbies, exercise, walk without assistance, play with their children, and more. In addition, other people may not take SCI victims’ injuries—or the impact their injuries have on their lives—seriously, especially if they’re able to walk without assistance.

What Are the Common Causes of Non-Paralyzing SCIs?

People often suffer non-paralyzing SCIs in the same way others suffer paralyzing SCIs. They can be caused by:

• Car accidents
• Bicycle and motorcycle accidents
• Slips, trips, and falls
• Work-related accidents
• Sports injuries
• Acts of violence
• Surgical mistakes
• and more

Complete or Incomplete SCI? Our Oklahoma Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Want to Help.

Some people who have suffered SCIs may be able to walk under their own power, while others may be paralyzed from the neck down and be unable to breathe without mechanical assistance.

Although there are often big differences in impairment levels after SCIs, we believe that all SCI victims who were injured because of others’ negligence deserve compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

If you or a loved one suffered a complete or incomplete SCI because of someone else’s negligence, we want to help. The legal team at Parrish DeVaughn Injury Lawyers will fight for your rights to get the money you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation.

There are few injuries that can have a bigger impact on victims’ lives than spinal cord injuries. The spinal cord is protected by the vertebrae, but it can be easily damaged in many types of accidents, including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, slips and falls, and more. Depending on where along their spinal cords the injury is, victims can become partially or totally paralyzed below the location of their injuries.

In an instant, spinal cord injuries can make it difficult or impossible for victims to work, drive, and even live independently, depending on the severity of their injuries. Not only are their lives forever changed, but the lives of their families are also forever changed. When spinal cord injuries are caused by others’ negligence, it’s important for victims to get the compensation they’re owed.

Here are some of the major costs of spinal cord injuries that we help victims and their loved ones recover.

Medical Bills

The medical bills associated with a spinal cord injury that causes paralysis are often far too much for the average family to bear. Victims often require immediate and specialized transportation to a hospital, emergency surgery to stabilize their condition, and weeks or months of recovery and rehabilitation in the hospital.

Those are just the upfront costs of a spinal cord injury. Many victims need ongoing care for the rest of their lives, including the help of home nurses and health aides. The younger the victim, the greater their lifetime costs will be. In fact, some studies indicate that paralyzed victims who are aged 50 at the time of their injuries will face nearly $2 million in medical expenses for the rest of their lives.

Medical Devices and Home Renovations

Paralysis makes it difficult for victims to get around in their own homes. They may have trouble entering and exiting their homes, and ramps may need to be constructed to help them. They also may need lift mechanisms to help them get up and down stairs or even to get in and out of bed.

Victims who have lost the use of their legs may require wheelchairs, which can be extremely expensive and difficult to maneuver in their homes. To make getting around easier, their homes may need to be renovated to create more space by widening doorways, knocking down walls, and converting first floor rooms into bedrooms and bathrooms.

Modified Vehicles

Whether they’re able to continue driving themselves or must rely on others to drive them, paralyzed spinal cord injury victims often need heavily modified vehicles. Modifications often include wheelchair ramps and lifts, hand-operated gas and brake pedals, specialized steering wheels, and more.

The cost of these modifications to an existing vehicle are significant, and many victims and their families opt to buy new vehicles with these features already built-in. Consumer Affairs says the cost of a wheelchair-accessible van can range from $40,000 to $100,000.

Lost Wages

It’s common for paralyzed spinal cord injury victims to be unable to do the work they did before their accidents, and some are unable to work at all ever again. When these victims contributed to their families’ income or were the primary income-earners, losing the ability to work or being forced to take a lower-paying job can be devastating financially, as well as emotionally.

In many cases, victims’ income-earning capacity is significantly reduced not just while they recover and adjust to their paralysis, but for the rest of their lives. They may have to change careers or retire early with reduced pay and no benefits. To make matters worse, their spouses and other family members may have to quit their own jobs to stay home and take care of them.

Pain and Suffering

The pain and suffering associated with a paralyzing spinal cord injury are profound. Victims are often unable to participate in hobbies they enjoyed before their accidents, such as running, swimming, gardening, and playing with their children. They also may be dependent on others to do routine tasks and chores for them, and many paralyzed victims have no independence at all in their daily lives.

And while paralysis causes a lack of feeling in affected body parts, it can result in serious pain elsewhere in the body. Spinal cord injury victims often experience a type of chronic pain called neurogenic or neuropathic pain in areas that are otherwise devoid of feeling. This type of pain is caused by disrupted signals in the nerves connecting to the paralyzed parts of the body.

Let Us Help You Get the Money You Deserve after a Spinal Cord Injury

At Parrish DeVaughn Injury Lawyers, we never settle for less money than what our clients deserve. We know how much money spinal cord injuries cost, and we’ve helped many paralyzed victims and their families get full compensation after accidents. When you contact our firm, you’ll know you have a dedicated legal advocate on your side.

Contact us today for a free consultation. Our Oklahoma City spinal cord injury lawyers will build your claim with the aggressiveness, sensitivity, and attention to detail it deserves.

Spinal cord injuries are life-changing and devastating for both victims and their families. Depending on the location of the injuries and their severity, people who suffer from spinal cord injuries may experience permanent paralysis affecting their feet, legs, hands, and arms. Extensive spinal cord injuries may even cause victims to need intubation and ventilation to survive.

The medical costs associated with spinal cord injuries are enormous. That’s because victims often need lifelong medical care and even assistance with their day-to-day activities. Many families find it difficult to afford those expenses, especially when the victim was the primary income earner for their households.

What Expenses Do Spinal Cord Injury Victims Face?

The costs associated with spinal cord injuries can be financially overwhelming. They often include:

• Medical treatments—Spinal cord injuries often require immediate life-saving treatments, including surgeries that can leave victims in the hospital for weeks or even months.
• Physical rehabilitation—Victims often undergo long periods of rehabilitation to regain function or feeling in affected parts of their bodies.
• Living assistance—Paralysis can make it difficult or impossible for some spinal cord injury victims to live independently. That means many victims need frequent or even around-the-clock care.
• Lost wages—Spinal cord injuries are often disabling and may even put victims out of work for the rest of their lives, making them unable to earn the paychecks they and their loved ones depend on.

At Parrish DeVaughn Injury Lawyers, our Oklahoma spinal cord injury attorneys know what you’re going through if you or a loved one is dealing with the aftermath of such a life-altering injury. It’s our goal to help you get maximum compensation for what you’ve gone through and for what’s still to come. Let us fight for your rights while you focus on your recovery. Call today for a free consultation.

Spinal cord injuries have devastating effects on the injury victim, often leading to recurring pain, limited mobility and, frequently, paralysis. The survivor and their loved ones are left with tremendous medical costs, not to mention psychological burdens as they adapt to the new normal.

For this reason, survivors and their families have a strong motivation to engage in a spinal cord injury lawsuit when the incident that led to the injury may have been someone else’s fault. Whether an individual, a business, or a mixture of both, those who are liable for spinal cord injuries are obligated to compensate victims for their expenses and for their related suffering.

Spinal cord injury survivors should, therefore consult with an experienced personal injury lawyer to establish a claim and pursue a case for the complete amount of compensation to which they are owed. They can read on to learn the groundwork for such a case along with its typical process.

What Causes Most Spinal Cord Injuries?

A number of commonly occurring incidents typically cause spinal cord injuries. The most common of these are motor vehicle accidents, which account for 42 percent of all spinal cord injuries according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center.

Falls are another common source of injury, leading to 27 percent of spinal cord injuries. Violent attacks are much less common, but more frequently result in severe injuries. These acts, which include stabbings and gunshot wounds, cause 15 percent of all spinal cord injuries.

Finally, recreational sports activities cause 8 percent of spinal cord injuries, meaning an additional eight percent can be attributed to various other sources.

How Do You File a Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit?

The type of lawsuit you file corresponds to the direct and indirect causes of your spinal cord injury.

For instance, in a motor vehicle accident, the injury victim would attempt to prove that the other party behaved negligently, leading to the accident. If the defending party blatantly broke the law or engaged in dangerous behavior while driving, such as speeding excessively, then proving such a case can be relatively simple. However, if neither party can clearly determine fault in the accident, the defending party may allege contributory or comparative negligence.

For instance, if both parties were intoxicated while driving, but the defending party was the one who drifted into the victim’s lane, then the defending party may still try to claim they are only 50 percent to 60 percent responsible for the accident. The victim’s personal injury team will have to push this ratio up higher through the use of evidence in order to obtain the maximum possible compensation for their client.

Medical malpractice may be another type of negligence-based lawsuit for spinal cord injuries. If a surgeon, for example, was operating on the victim’s back and ruptured their vertebrae disc, then the victim may have a possible medical malpractice claim.

Defective products, such as a vehicle chair design that caused unnecessary stress on the victim’s back during an accident, may also be a viable cause-of-action for a lawsuit.

Asserting Your Right to Spinal Cord Injury Compensation with a Personal Injury Lawyer

If you or a close family member have incurred a serious spinal cord injury and think another party may be liable, then do not hesitate to contact an experienced Oklahoma City spinal cord injury lawyer to represent your case. You can use the corresponding number above or our convenient contact form to the side to receive a free consultation and possibly start your claim today.