Michigan Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers

What are Back and Spinal Cord Injuries?

Damage to the back and spinal cord are some of the most severe injuries a person can suffer from in an accident or other event that led to the injury. Each one can cause symptoms from minor discomfort to severe pain. For others, the damage can be life-changing and have permanent effects, such as paraplegia or quadriplegia.

Common Back Injuries

Back injuries are any damage to the muscles or bones in your back as a result of an accident. Common back injuries include:

• Strains,
• Sprains,
• Slipped or bulging discs, and
• Fractured vertebrae.

Back injuries can range in severity from temporary pain or discomfort to permanent disability.

Spinal Cord Injuries

The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that runs down the center of your spine, extending from the base of your brain through your back. Its function is to deliver signals between the brain and the body. A spinal cord or brain injury can disrupt this system. Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) occur when the spinal cord or the musculoskeletal structure around the spinal cord suffers damage. These injuries can be temporary or permanent, depending on the extent and severity of the injury. Either way, spinal cord injuries are extremely serious and can have far-reaching effects on the victim’s life.

Experts classify spinal cord injuries in two categories: complete and incomplete.

• Incomplete spinal cord injuries mean the victim still has signals transmitting past the injury, meaning they still experience some sensory awareness or movement below the injury.
• A complete spinal cord injury means the victim has suffered a complete loss of nerve function past the area of injury. In this case, the individual experiences both a loss of sensation and loss of movement below the injured part of the spinal cord.

Common Signs and Symptoms of a Back or Spinal Cord Injury

Individuals who sustain back injuries typically experience similar symptoms, which may include:

• Hearing a pop or snap at the moment of injury
• Numbness or tingling sensations in the hands or feet
• Impaired ability to walk
• Difficulty standing up straight, trouble bending over
• Muscle weakness and pain, which can be acute (short-lived) or chronic (long-term) pain

Victims of accidents or events that lead to a spinal cord injury may experience the following:

• Numbness or tingling in their hands or feet
• Feelings of pain or pressure in the head, neck, or back
• Loss of bowel or bladder control
• Weakness or inability to control any body part
• Changes in sexual function
• Trouble walking
• Difficulty breathing
• Paralysis

Why Hire Matz Injury Law For Your Back Injury or Accident Claim?

Receiving compensation following an auto accident can help you out not only financially, but provide peace of mind so that you can now start putting your life back together. Many times, accident victims worry that any won compensation will be eaten up in legal fees. However, by working with Matz Injury Law, you get to keep more of that compensation because our fees are less, and this can greatly impact what you take home.

Take this scenario as an example. Following a serious car crash, you win $750,000 compensation in a personal injury lawsuit. How much of that you keep will depend on legal fees.

• Standard 33 1/3% Fee: You receive $500,000 ($750,000 – ($750,000 x 0.3)).
• Matz Injury Law 22% Fee: You receive $585,000 ($750,000 = ($750,000 x 0.22)).

In this scenario, by choosing Matz Injury Law with our lower fee of 22%, you significantly increase your take-home compensation compared to what you would receive under the standard legal fee of 33.3%.

For this reason, we use the slogan “22 not 33,” which speaks directly to our lower fee structure and the impact it can have on a client’s take-home compensation.

Common Causes of Back and Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries and back injuries can occur in several ways. Unfortunately, many could have been prevented if another person or entity had acted responsibly and carefully.

Back injuries can happen suddenly, as anyone who has tweaked their back knows very well. Common causes of back injuries include:

• Workplace incidents
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Medical malpractice
• Slip-and-fall accidents

Spinal cord injuries often result from trauma, such as a blow or cut to the spine.

The most prevalent causes of spinal cord injuries in the United States include:

• Car accidents
• Workplace injuries
• Medical malpractice
• Slip-and-fall accidents
• Intentional violence

Workplace Back Injuries

Unfortunately, workplace-related back injuries are common, especially in specific professions, such as construction or other physical laborers. The causes may be the result of negligence, repetitive movements, unsafe work practices, or workplace accidents, such as falls.

Back Injuries as a Result of a Car Accident

Car accidents often lead to traumatic effects on the body. If you suffered an auto accident, you may have sustained a back or spinal cord injury on impact. A car crash does not have to be serious to cause injury. Even relatively minor accidents can cause a spinal cord injury due to whiplash or airbag deployment.

Michigan’s no-fault insurance system means you do not need to prove fault to receive compensation for your injuries from the insurance company. However, that may not be enough to compensate you fully for your losses. In that case, you can still pursue a liability claim against the at-fault driver for the non-economic damages you have suffered.

Back Injuries as a Result of Medical Malpractice

Back and spinal cord injuries from medical malpractice are rarer, but sadly, they occur. Doctors may make incorrect diagnoses or provide medical treatment that causes life-impairing back pain. If a doctor’s office, hospital, outpatient facility, or chiropractor’s office caused your back injury, you may be eligible to pursue a claim for medical negligence.

Back Injuries as a Result of Slip-and-Fall

If a property owner fails to keep a public space or their property clear from obstructions and you are injured in a fall, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit. According to the CDC, older adults are most vulnerable to slip-and-falls. If your elderly loved one sustained a spinal cord injury from a slip-and-fall accident due to someone else’s negligence (such as a nursing home facility), you may be eligible to sue.

Back Injuries as a Result of Intentional Violence

Intentional violent acts can permanently impact the victim. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, many spinal cord injuries result from violence, primarily from gunshot wounds. If you or a family member suffered an injury due to violence, you may be eligible for civil litigation against the violent party and any other party whose negligence contributed to your injury. For example, if you were shot at a nightclub, you may be able to file a suit against the business owners for negligent security.

Can I Sue the Person Who Caused My Back or Spine Injury?

If your bodily injury or spinal injury is due to another person’s negligence, you can sue the at-fault party for compensation for your economic and non-economic damages.

Injury claims for economic damages include:

• Payment for medical treatment and healthcare providers
• Lost wages
• Home or vehicle accommodations costs

Non-economic damages are compensation for any non-financial losses you’ve suffered, including, but not limited to:

• Pain and suffering
• Loss of relationships
• Loss of quality of life
• Inability to participate in work, home, or leisure activities

The State of Michigan does not have punitive damages available for victims to pursue. Your injury claim must be for actual compensation, not to punish the wrongdoer. However, you are permitted to seek exemplary damages, which empowers you to collect compensation because of the outrageous behavior or conduct of the offender. This is almost exclusively available to victims of drunk or impaired drivers who have a history of driving under the influence.

The compensation you can be awarded will depend upon the severity of your injuries and how they directly affect your life.

Proving Liability for a Back or Spinal Cord Injury

To prove liability in Michigan for a back or spinal cord injury, the victim must be able to prove the negligent party was at least 50 percent at fault. Next, they must prove they sustained an injury that led to medical bills, loss of quality of life, or lost wages.

To confirm the extent of your injuries, you will be required to undergo medical examinations and likely need to provide expert testimony from your healthcare providers to describe the severity of your injury. Victims who work with Michigan spinal cord injury lawyers usually find they can establish a solid case to prove liability and be entitled to compensation to help cover their losses and suffering. Your attorney will examine circumstances, gather evidence, and assemble your case to negotiate a settlement or present in court.

Related Resources

To help you through your case and to gain a better understanding of how the legal process surrounding accident injuries works, we provide the following related resources.

1. Signs an Auto Accident Injured Your Spine: Learn how Michigan defines spine injuries, the different types that commonly occur in car accidents and their symptoms, and what life after a spine injury will likely entail.
2. What to Know About Michigan Case Costs and Attorney Fees: Find out what types of fees lawyers charge to handle a case and how these fees are paid.
3. 2024 Guide to Michigan Car Accident Lawsuits: Discover how to navigate Michigan’s statute of limitations and understand what a no-fault insurance policy is and what it will cover. You will also learn about how fault is determined in a car accident and who pays if the at-fault driver does not have car insurance.
4. Can you Sue For Aggravated Injuries Due to an Accident?: Gain insight into what aggravated injuries are, if you can sue for them, and how to prove they exist following an accident.

Statute of Limitations on Back Injury and Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuits

The State of Michigan places a three-year statute of limitations for filing a negligence lawsuit for a back or spinal cord injury. It is essential to distinguish that the three-year timeframe begins on the date of the accident, not the date the spinal cord injury claim was filed.

How Can a Michigan Spinal Cord Injury Attorney Help Me?

After a back or spinal cord injury, there may be a need for significant long-term care and rehabilitative services, all of which can be very costly. A successful personal injury case can help pay for these medical expenses.

Michigan attorneys experienced in back and spinal cord injury lawsuits can assist with examining circumstances, collecting essential evidence, and deciding a course of action to help you receive the compensation you deserve.

Insurance adjusters are usually out of touch with the reality of what a spinal cord injury victim faces each day. As a result, they are prone to offering low settlements to close the case as quickly as possible. A skilled Michigan personal injury law firm can provide you with essential help dealing with these adjusters and negotiating a fair settlement, thus keeping the case from going to trial and prolonging your receipt of compensation.

We’ll Help Make Your Finances Less Painful

Whether it involves a herniated disc, paralysis, a separate disability, or another type of injury, you can depend on Matz Injury Law for skillful, results-oriented representation. Call 866-226-6833 or reach us online through our contact form to get started. We proudly serve all Michigan residents from Southfield to Grand Rapids.