Representing Clients
Throughout Central Alabama
Salter Ferguson: A Spinal Cord Injury Law Firm That Gets Results
The spinal cord injury attorneys of Salter Ferguson, LLC, in Birmingham are experienced in representing people who have suffered catastrophic injuries, including spinal cord injuries. Over the years, our personal injury law firm has obtained millions of dollars in financial compensation for our clients. If you or a member of your family suffered a spinal cord injury, please contact our law firm to arrange a free consultation.
If You Are Unable To Come To Our Office, We Will Come To Your Home, The Hospital, Rehab Facility Or Another Location That Is Convenient For You.
Attorney Karen Salter is an RN as well as an accomplished lawyer. Attorney Carmen Ferguson worked as an insurance adjuster before starting her law practice. Their real-world knowledge of the health care and insurance industries contributes to the success they have achieved for their injured clients.
Information On Filing A Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit In Birmingham:
Our Goal: Protecting Your Future & Helping You Get Compensated For A Spinal Cord Injury
Our goal is to help you obtain the financial compensation you will need today and in the years ahead. We will work with a certified life care planner to understand your long-term needs. According to the National Spinal Cord Statistical Center, approximately 17,000 people suffer a spinal cord injury each year in the U.S. About 282,000 people in the U.S. are currently living with a spinal cord injury. Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of spinal cord injury, followed by falls, acts of violence (mostly gunshot wounds) and sports or recreational activities.
Statistics alone cannot describe the physical, emotional, social and financial damages suffered by people with spinal cord injuries. No amount of money can adequately compensate them for their significant losses. If you sustained a spinal cord injury because someone else or a company was negligent, your future depends upon the law firm you choose to represent you in a spinal cord injury case.
Your plan will estimate your need for:
- Doctor visits
- Hospital stays
- Physical and occupational therapy
- Psychological therapy
- Personal care attendants
- Prescription medications
- Medical equipment and devices
- Motorized wheel chair
- Specially equipped transport vehicle
- Modifications to your home to make it accessible for you
We will work with an economist who will provide a projected lifetime cost of the goods and services you will need because of your injury. In addition, we will pursue financial compensation for your pain, suffering, emotional distress, lost wages and loss of future earning ability.
The estimated lifetime costs of a spinal cord injury can run into millions of dollars. When the stakes are that high, it is important to select a law firm with a record of success in the most complex and challenging cases. Salter Ferguson has a long history of winning large verdicts and settlements on behalf of injured people.
What Are The 4 Elements In A Spinal Cord Injury Claim?
A plaintiff needs four main elements to have grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit for a spinal cord injury in Alabama. The first is duty of care. The plaintiff, or his or her attorney, must prove that the defendant owed the plaintiff a duty of care at the time of the accident. The second element is breach of duty. The plaintiff’s attorney needs evidence that the defendant was negligent, or breached a duty of care to the plaintiff.
The third element is causation. The plaintiff’s attorney must establish a direct causal link between the defendant’s breach of duty and the incident that caused the spinal cord injury. The fourth and final element is damages. The courts must see proof of the plaintiff’s physical injury, medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, lost opportunities, and other damages as a result of the defendant’s negligence. A personal injury attorney from Salter Ferguson, LLC, can help victims prove spinal cord injury claims in Birmingham.
What Are The Types Of Spinal Injuries?
The spinal cord is a delicate combination of bone, fluid-filled discs and nerves. It can sustain damage in many ways, including fractures, burst or compressed discs, or hyperextension. The most common category is a traumatic spinal cord injury, in which a violent event inflicts harm upon the spinal cord. When trauma affects the spine, the victim can suffer a range of different injury types.
- Paralysis of the lower body and legs. Typically stems from trauma to the lower section of the spine: the thoracic, lumbar or sacral spinal cord. Paraplegia may also come with a loss of bowel and bladder control, as well as sexual dysfunction.
- Paralysis of all four limbs. Quadriplegia, also called tetraplegia, can occur when the upper section of the spinal cord (the cervical spine) sustains an injury. The head and neck may also experience loss of sensation and function.
- Anterior cord syndrome. Victims will struggle with movement, but may retain some degree of sensation. This injury comes from damage to the front of the spinal cord.
- Central cord syndrome. Damage to the center of the spinal cord. Victim may lose fine motor skills, suffer partial impairment in the legs, and full paralysis of the arms. Some may lose bowel and bladder control as well.
- Brown-Sequard syndrome. Rare condition where the victim experiences weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, with a loss of sensation on the other side. Can occur from damage to only one side of the spine.
Spinal cord injuries can be complete or incomplete. A complete injury means something has severed the spinal cord, resulting in complete loss of function. An incomplete injury refers to partial spinal cord severance, and the retention of some degree of function depending on the severity of injury. The type of spinal cord injury can determine the patient’s prognosis, treatments, medical expenses and quality of life.
What Causes Spinal Cord Injuries?
Traumatic spinal injuries can occur when any type of external force impacts the spine, either through blunt force trauma and bruising or lacerations that sever the spine. The most common accidents that lead to victims with spine injuries are motor vehicle wrecks, slip-and-fall accidents (premises liability incidents), workplace accidents, sports incidents, and acts of violence. Despite protection from cartilage and muscle, the spinal cord is vulnerable in most types of accidents.
Violent movements, extreme gravitational forces, and blunt forces can put too much pressure on the spinal cord and the surrounding nerves. This can lead to complete severing of the spinal cord and quadriplegia, or some form of incomplete spine injury. Either way, the victim could suffer a lifetime of impairment and medical costs. The entity that caused the victim’s accident may be liable for these damages.
Contact Our Birmingham Spinal Cord Injury Law Firm Today!
Our clients appreciate the results we achieve and the personalized service we provide at every step of the process. To arrange a free initial consultation with a member of our legal team, contact our personal injury law firm online to speak with a dedicated member of our firm. You can call us at 877-298-4878. We offer a flexible appointment schedule to accommodate your medical appointments and your employment commitments. We will also schedule home or hospital visits when you are unable to travel to our office. From our office in Birmingham, we represent people with spinal cord injuries throughout Central Alabama.