A spinal cord injury can be caused in a myriad of ways but no matter how it is created, it can change your life in an instant. Lifelong medical bills, loss of work, and auxiliary health problems can have truly devastating consequences on both the injured as well as their family. Learn more about spinal cord injuries and how you can seek damages in a medical malpractice lawsuit in this week’s blog.

What is a spinal cord injury?

Spinal cord injury refers to an injury that occurs to the nerves that are found inside the spinal column which transports messages between the brain and the body. Damage to the spinal cord can lead to partial or total paralysis as your brain is no longer able to control body movements. Paralysis to the lower parts of the body is referred to as paraplegia while paralysis of all four limbs is known as quadriplegia. Because the spinal cord is integral in a range of bodily functions including breathing, bladder control, and body temperature, a vast range of health problems can result from a spinal cord injury that require lifelong attention.

What causes spinal cord injury?

There are many ways in which one can cause damage to their spinal cord but the most common causes of injury are vehicular accidents, falls, gun shot wounds and other acts of violence, and sports activities. It is also possible to damage the spinal cord during high-risk surgeries of the back or neck. If the injury was caused by medical negligence then it may be grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. Your Baltimore medical malpractice lawyer can explain whether your injury may qualify as negligence.

How can I be awarded damages for my spinal cord injury?

In order to receive damages, the injury must not have been caused by the fault of the injured. There are two main causes of spinal cord injury that allow for a medical malpractice lawsuit: injuries caused by negligence and spinal cord injury caused by defective products.

In cases of negligence, you must prove that your injury was caused by a responsible party who can be found to be at fault. For example, if a car hits you while you are lawfully riding your motorcycle and spinal cord injury occurs, the driver of the car may be considered negligent and therefor at fault.

Defective products can also be grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. An airbag that faultily deploys, for example, or seat belts that make a car accident injury even worse could be considered defective products. You would then have grounds to pursue damages from the company that manufactures those products. If you believe your spinal cord injury was caused by negligence or a defective product, consult with your Baltimore medical malpractice lawyer to learn more about how you can win the compensation you deserve.