Spinal Cord & Brain Injury

Spinal Cord and Brain Injury

Spinal Cord Injuries and Brain Injuries in the U.S.

More than 250,000 Americans live with a spinal cord injury, and each year there are another 12,000 new cases of spinal cord injury resulting from trauma. Over 5.3 million Americans who have experienced a traumatic brain injury require long-term or lifelong assistance for daily living. These statistics are alarming; when you or your loved one become one of those numbers, it can feel utterly devastating. Just as specialist doctors, therapists, and other medical professionals are necessary to mitigate the injuries, an expert spinal cord injury attorney or brain injury lawyer is vital to ameliorate the financial implications of that injury.

Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries and Brain Injuries

The most common causes of spinal cord trauma are motor vehicle accidents, falls, acts of violence, sports injuries, and recreational activities injuries. Similarly, brain injuries are most likely to happen because of falls, car accidents, being struck by or against an object, or violent assault. Almost all of these can be traced to the negligence or malice of another. The spinal cord injury lawyers and brain injury attorneys at Clifford & Raihala have learned that the keys to reclaiming your life are to seek appropriate support, modify your home, access the latest technology and/or devices, and engage in the latest therapies and/or treatments. Most importantly, you and your family need to be able to focus on these things without financial worries. A brain or spinal cord injury attorney at Clifford & Raihala can help.

Implications of Spinal Cord Injuries and Brain Injuries

Spinal cord injuries have varying implications, depending upon where the spine is injured and how severe the injury is. Loss of movement and sensation is most commonly associated with spinal cord injuries. There can also be loss of bladder or bowel control, intense stinging, spasms, and/or pain, changes in sexual function, and difficulty breathing. Brain injuries can affect your body, your thinking, your emotions, and your sleep. The symptoms can vary from headaches to seizures; from difficulty concentrating to confusion about recent events; from sadness to temper outbursts; from sleeping too little to sleeping too much. In all cases, the victim and the family need to make physical, mental, emotional, and financial adjustments. Your spinal cord injury lawyer or traumatic brain injury attorney can help you assess current and future needs in order to secure your financial future.

Clifford & Raihala: Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers and Brain Injury Attorneys

When you or a loved one suffers a traumatic injury to the spinal cord or the brain, it is imperative that you work with expert personal injury attorneys. At Clifford & Raihala, our brain injury lawyers keep up with the latest medical research, and know the crucial questions to ask. For instance, the severity of a brain injury has traditionally been determined by degree of and length of loss of consciousness; the most recent research, however, suggests that the more accurate predictor is the duration of post traumatic amnesia. It is important that we investigate not only the cause of the incident, but its future repercussions. That means keeping current with the costs of the latest treatments and technologies and anticipating rising costs and increasing support needs.

One Trauma is More Than Enough

A spinal cord injury or brain injury is certainly a traumatic life event. It ought not turn into an ongoing trauma where you and your family need to fight for treatment or support and suffer from financial stresses. Unfortunately, that is often the case. About 40% of those hospitalized with a traumatic brain injury had one or more unmet needs for services a year or more after the incident. A spinal cord injury attorney or traumatic brain injury lawyer will be able to help you adequately document your symptoms, anticipate your ongoing needs, and make sure you and your family have the financial means to pursue as normal a life as possible.