Personal Injury Caused by Spinal Cord Injury
Choosing a Massachusetts Spinal Cord Injury Attorney

A spinal cord injury can seriously affect one’s quality of life. Damage to the nerves found in the spinal column can cause pain or numbness in certain parts of the body and even paralysis. If the injury is severe, it can lead to temporary or permanent loss of work, and in extreme cases the inability to care for oneself independently. Generally, a spinal cord injury is caused by a severe trauma—such as a collision or a fall—or from medical malpractice.

The spinal cord injury attorneys at Breakstone, White & Gluck, P.C. have handled many cases in the state of Massachusetts, including spinal injuries resulting from medical malpractice and from motor vehicle accidents.

Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

Some common causes of spinal cord injuries include

• Severe Trauma
• Collision
• Fall
• Lifting
• Incorrect Positioning during an Operation
• Herniated Discs
• Surgery Complications
• Failed Spine Fusion Surgery

 Compensation in a Spinal Cord Injury

The party found liable may be responsible for compensating the following: lost wages—past and future, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and medical expenses. If paralysis plays a role in the injury, long-term life care plans must be made and budgeted. Calculating these medical and life care expenses requires the expertise of health care experts, the attorney, and the family.

In a spinal cord injury case, there are a variety of possible liable parties, which vary significantly depending on events surrounding the injury. This list can include drivers in collision accidents, medical professionals in medical malpractice cases, property owners, employers or equipment manufacturers.

Spinal Cord Injury Case Reports

Here are some examples of cases we have handled involving spinal cord injuries. 

Botched Spinal Fusion Resulting in Severe Nerve Damage and Permanent Disability. To correct a herniated disc and lower back pain, the plaintiff underwent two surgeries by the defendant—a discectomy followed by a lumbar spinal fusion. Both were unsuccessful. After the surgery, the plaintiff developed severe pain in both legs. Additionally, she experienced severe right hip pain as a result of removal of bone to be fused into the lumbar spine. Four years later, the plaintiff underwent corrective surgery that alleviated the pain in her legs; however, she was left with permanent, severe low back pain and moderate hip pain. Result: Plaintiff received $1,100,000

Failed Spinal Fusion with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. The plaintiff, a woman with a history of scoliosis, underwent spinal fusion surgery to alleviate pain in her low back and left leg. After surgery, she had a severe left foot drop with numbness and reduced sensation. Even after the plaintiff underwent a lumbar CT scan, which demonstrated misplaced screws, the defendant failed to bring the plaintiff in for corrective surgery. Two years later, when the plaintiff changed surgeons and underwent corrective surgery, she experienced significant relief. However, she was left with some permanent nerve damage from the previous surgery resulting in a mild foot drop.
Result: Plaintiff received $800,000

Choosing a Massachusetts Spinal Injury Attorney

Spinal cord injury cases are complex and difficult, and often take a long time to resolve due to the intricacy of the litigation involved. It is important to choose a spinal injury lawyer carefully to get the best results on your case. Our Choosing an Attorney page answers many other questions you may have about choosing an experienced Massachusetts spinal cord injury attorney.

If you feel you have a spinal cord injury case, it is vital that you act immediately to protect your rights. Please call us at 617-723-7676, or toll free at 1-800-379-1244.  We look forward to helping you.