Spinal Injury Attorney in San Francisco

Seek Compensation for Serious Neck & Back Injuries

Spinal cord injuries most often result from trauma to the spine that bruises, severs, fractures, or damages vertebrae and spinal cord tissue. When this sensitive tissue is damaged, nerve cells that communicate with the brain and body can also be damaged, and may cease to perform their natural function partially, if not completely.

Because spinal cord injuries make victims more likely to face lengthy recoveries, significant limitations, and permanent disability, securing full compensation from those at fault is critical.

If you or someone you love has suffered a spinal cord injury due to another’s negligence, Bostwick & Peterson, LLP can help review your options for legal action.

Millions Recovered for the Seriously Injured

Bostwick & Peterson, LLP is led by two of the nation’s most respected Civil Trial Attorneys, James S. Bostwick and Erik L. Peterson, and is known for representing victims in high-stakes cases involving life-changing catastrophic injuries and wrongful death.

As one of California’s leading injury and malpractice firms, we have been trusted by clients and colleagues across the country in the most serious matters because we have the tools to win. Over the years, our team has:

• Recovered over $1 billion in compensation for clients.
• Won record-setting verdicts and settlements in multiple states.
• Been named among The Best Lawyers in America and U.S. News’ “Best Law Firms”.
• Earned some of the legal industry’s most prestigious accolades.

Our San Francisco spinal cord injury lawyers are available to discuss your case and rights during a FREE consultation. Call (888) 831-8448 to get started.

Spinal Cord Injury Litigation: Pursuing a Personal Injury Claim

Injuries to the neck and back pose risks of damage to the spinal cord and substantial physical impairment. If your injury or disability was caused by the negligence or someone else, you may have the right to seek financial compensation by filing a personal injury lawsuit against them.

As civil claims, personal injury suits allege that another’s negligence more likely than not caused a victim’s injuries, and that the at-fault party(s) should be held liable for resulting damages. Plaintiffs who bring these claims must be able to prove them with supporting evidence.

Though there are many ways these serious injuries can result from negligence, grounds for legal action may arise in cases involving:

• Car accidents caused by a negligent motorist.
• Truck accidents resulting from regulatory violations.
• Construction accidents involving a negligent third-party.
• Slip and fall accidents on another’s premises.
• Accidents involving defective products.
• Medical malpractice during a surgical procedure.

Determining whether some person or entity is liable for your damages will depend on the facts of your case. At Bostwick & Peterson, we leverage extensive resources to help victims conduct investigations to identify an underlying cause and whether defendants have sufficient insurance to cover your injuries and related losses. We can help you better understand how liability works during an initial consultation.

Types of Spine Injuries

Generally, there are two types of spinal cord injuries:

• An incomplete spinal cord injury, which partially damages the spinal cord; and
• A complete spinal cord injury, which causes permanent damage to the injured area of the spine. Paraplegia or tetraplegia can both result from a complete spinal cord injury.

How a spinal cord injury affects a person’s function and movement depends on many factors, including the severity of the injury and where on the spinal cord the injury occurred. For example:

• Injuries to the cervical spine, or the neck and head region above the shoulder, are the most severe spinal cord injuries. When the cervical spine is damaged, it can result in tetraplegia / quadriplegia and a significant loss of function below the neck.
• Injuries to the thoracic spine, or the upper chest / mid-back region, can result in loss of sensory and motor function below the point of injury, such as paraplegia.
• Injuries to the lumbar spine, the lowest major portion of the spinal cord, can result in lost function in the hips and legs, but do not typically affect the upper body.
• Injuries to the sacral spine, or sacrum, may not result in total paraplegia, but they can cause damage to organs in the sacral region, such as the bladder, bowel, and sex organs.

Recovering Damages for Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries are generally classified as catastrophic injuries because they are much more likely to result in substantial and life-altering repercussions than other physical injuries. From physical impairment and disability to immense emotional suffering and financial loss, these injuries can devastate victims and families, and inundate them with a multitude of costly and ongoing expenses.

By pursuing a personal injury claim against one or multiple defendants who bear responsibility for your accident, you can position yourself to recover financial compensation for your economic and non-economic losses. This can include compensation for:

• ER and hospital expenses
• Surgery, rehabilitation, medication, and medical devices.
• Future medical expenses you are likely to incur due to your injuries
• Lost income and lost future wages
• Physical and emotional pain and suffering
• Lost financial and emotional support

Seeking a Full Financial Recovery

Insurance companies are keen to vigorously defend against spinal cord injury claims because they pose significant threats to their bottom line.

With the potential for permanent disability and lasting impairment, claims involving injuries to the neck, back, and spine can amount to large sums – in many cases up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in the first year alone. That’s due to factors such as:

• Significant surgeries and medical treatment
• Extensive / long-term rehabilitation and therapy
• Long-term or lifelong medical needs
• Lost income caused by victims not being able to work the same job or any job
• Lost quality and enjoyment of life
• Loss of spousal consortium

Though spinal cord injuries vary, calculating past and future losses is essential to ensuring victims and obtain compensation to fully address their losses. At Bostwick & Peterson, our attorneys seek full financial recoveries by working with medical and financial experts who help us assess our clients’ prognoses, the impact of their injuries, and what medical care they will require in the future.

We also work to accurately calculate the financial losses and expenses associated with these injuries, such as lost income and future wages, while accounting for inflation. Though no amount of money can make up for a lifelong disability, we also factor in the emotional and non-economic losses incurred by our clients and their loved ones – which can be considerable in the case of major injuries.

Request a FREE Review of Your Case

Bostwick & Peterson, LLP draws from decades of experience to fight for the seriously injured and their families in civil personal injury claims. Led by decorated and respected trial lawyers, we know how to help clients fight powerful insurance companies and corporate defendants, and strive to secure the maximum compensation possible.

To speak with a San Francisco attorney about your spinal cord injury claim, call or contact us online.