New York City Spinal Cord Injury Attorney
Whether caused by an auto accident, a fall, or another type of accident, spinal cord injury is a life-changing injury for survivors and their loved ones. For many, it results in permanent disabilities and secondary conditions leading to an early death. The life-time costs of spinal cord injury can easily be in the millions of dollars, and families rarely anticipate the full cost. Constant research and medical advances give spinal cord injury victims true hope for a brighter future, but breakthrough treatments can be very expensive, and are not typically covered by health insurance. If you or someone you love has suffered a spinal cord injury in New York City or anywhere in New York, the Law Offices of Eric R. Bernstein, P.C. can help.
Consequences of Spinal Cord Injury
Currently, there is no cure for spinal cord injury, but there are treatments to improve function and quality of life. Even your doctors cannot accurately predict the outcome of your spinal cord injury, but there are factors that can point to how you are likely to be affected. The level and completeness of spinal cord injury are two of these factors.
Spinal cord injury affects your body from the point of injury down. Incomplete spinal cord injury is more likely to heal than complete spinal cord injury. Direct consequences of spinal cord injury can include:
- Loss of bowel and bladder control
- Respiratory problems which, depending on the level of injury, can require use of a ventilator part or all of the time
- Loss of muscle control
- Loss of sensation and reflexes
- Hypersensitivity
- Changes in sensation
- Poor coordination
- Weakness
- Muscle spasms
- Sexual disfunction
- Chronic pain including pain at the injury site and phantom pain elsewhere
- Paraplegia
- Tetraplegia
Secondary Conditions
Secondary conditions associated with spinal cord injury are an ongoing concern for those who survive the initial injury. Secondary conditions can include:
- Muscle atrophy
- Bed sores and other skin problems
- Weight gain and obesity
- Lung infections
- Bladder infections
- Autonomic dysreflexia
- Autonomic hyperreflexia
- Bone fractures
- Pulmonary embolism
- Sepsis
Life after Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injury is life-changing for everyone involved. Loved ones often quit their jobs to provide care at home. You may no longer be able to participate in the activities you used to enjoy together as a family. You may be attending months or years of physical therapy, which helps some spinal cord injury survivors improve greatly. If you or someone you love is living with spinal cord injury caused by someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, we can help you recover the compensation that can help pay for the care and services you need so that you and your family can enjoy a quality of life that is as close to what it was pre-injury as possible.
To learn more about your legal rights and how we can help, please call the Law Offices of Eric R. Bernstein, P.C., at (212) 683-1530 or email us today to schedule your free initial consultation.
