KANSAS CITY SPINAL CORD INJURY LAWYER
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Terry Crouppen who has more than 40 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney. Our last modified date shows when this page was last reviewed.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Terry Crouppen who has more than 40 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney. Our last modified date shows when this page was last reviewed.
- Last Modified:
- March 14, 2024
Spinal cord injuries are common consequences of motor vehicle accidents, falls, intentional violence, and other traumatic accidents. The fallout of a spine injury can touch every corner of your life and change it forever. Our Kansas City spinal cord injury lawyers can help you pursue financial justice and seek compensation for your mounting medical costs, loss of income, and suffering.
- How Our Kansas City Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help If You’ve Sustained A Spinal Cord Injury
- Overview Of Spinal Cord Injuries
- What Should I Do If I Have A Spinal Cord Injury?
- What Are The Most Common Causes Of Spinal Cord Injuries?
- What Are The Symptoms Of A Spinal Cord Injury?
- How Much Money Is My Kansas City Spinal Cord Injury Case Worth?
- What Compensation Can I Recover If I’ve Suffered A Spinal Cord Injury In Kansas City, MO?
- How Long Do I Have To Seek Damages In A Missouri Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit?
- Trusted Kansas City Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Are Ready To Help You Seek Maximum Compensation
You could be entitled to compensation for your medical treatment, lost wages, and suffering if you’ve recently sustained a spinal cord injury in an accident in Kansas City, Missouri. To put yourself in the best position to get the money you deserve, don’t hesitate to contact the Kansas City spinal cord injury lawyers at Brown & Crouppen.
Since 1979, we’ve dedicated our practice to helping catastrophically injured clients seek financial justice after their lives have been turned upside down. Working hard to make a difference for every client we represent, our award-winning Missouri trial attorneys have won over $1 billion in compensation.
Don’t leave anything up to chance as you fight for compensation for your spinal cord injury. Call our Kansas City, MO, law office to get our top-rated attorneys on your side. We offer a free consultation, so contact us for help today.
HOW OUR KANSAS CITY PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS CAN HELP IF YOU’VE SUSTAINED A SPINAL CORD INJURY
A spinal cord injury can affect your life in so many different ways. It can cause excruciating pain, prevent you from working, and even limit your mobility. While you might be entitled to compensation, now’s the time for you to focus on getting better — not fighting an insurance company, hospital, or negligent party for the money you deserve.
That’s where our Kansas City personal injury lawyers can help. We’ll be there to take on the entirety of your spinal cord injury claim while you focus on the road to recovery.
As we navigate your case, our spinal cord injury attorneys will:
- Investigate the accident or incident that caused you to get hurt
- Determine causation, fault, and liability for your spine injury
- Identify all potential options for financial recovery, which might include an insurance claim, workers’ compensation benefits, or a civil lawsuit for damages
- Defend against accusations that you caused or share responsibility for your spine injury
- Handle settlement negotiations and work to achieve a meaningful offer on your behalf
- Prepare and file a lawsuit in Jackson County, MO, if you’re not offered a fair deal
While we’re tough negotiators and will do everything in our power to get you a meaningful offer right away, we’ll never compromise the quality of your representation. If we think you can do better, we’ll be ready to reject lowball offers and bring your case to a jury, which is where our team really thrives.
OVERVIEW OF SPINAL CORD INJURIES
The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves, fibers, and tissue that runs from the base of your skull all the way down to your tailbone. It’s housed by 24 small bones called vertebrae, which are separated and cushioned by small gel-like discs.
Unfortunately, the spine doesn’t always protect the spinal cord, and the nerves can become damaged when the body is subjected to extreme force or trauma.
This can be incredibly problematic because the spinal cord is part of your nervous system and is instrumental in conveying signals from your brain to other parts of the body.
When the spinal cord is injured, the brain and certain parts of the body can’t communicate (or communicate properly). This can have serious and potentially life-threatening consequences.
Spinal cord injuries are classified as either “complete” or “incomplete.” A complete spinal cord injury involves total and permanent loss of bodily function. If you sustain an incomplete spinal cord injury, there is some level of communication, and some bodily function is preserved.
LEVELS OF INJURY
The seriousness of a spinal cord injury is often dictated by the “level of injury,” which simply refers to the location of the injury.
There are five parts of the spinal cord:
- Cervical spinal cord (upper neck)
- Thoracic spinal cord (upper-to-mid back)
- Lumbar spinal cord (mid-to-lower back)
- Sacral spinal cord (lower back)
- Coccygeal (tailbone)
The higher the level of injury – the higher up on the back – the more catastrophic the consequences. That’s because spinal cord function stops at the point of trauma. Everything below the level of injury is affected.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I HAVE A SPINAL CORD INJURY?
If you’ve sustained blunt force trauma to the back or know that you’ve injured your spine, it’s important to take the following steps:
- Call 911 and request emergency medical treatment.
- Remain still and do your best not to twist, turn, or move, as these could exacerbate the injury.
- Don’t remove any clothing, helmets, shoes, or safety gear.
- Get to the hospital nearest to you in Kansas City so that you can be evaluated by a medical professional.
Once your condition is stable, take a moment to reach out to our experienced spinal cord injury attorneys in Kansas City. We can evaluate your legal options, help you figure out how to cover the costs of your medical care, and formulate a strategy to recover compensation on your behalf.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF SPINAL CORD INJURIES? A SPINAL CORD INJURY?
While any unexpected trauma to the neck or back can potentially cause a spinal cord injury, the top causes of spinal cord injury are motor vehicle accidents, including car accidents and truck accidents. According to recent data from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, 38.6 of spinal cord injuries from 2015 to 2020 were caused by vehicle crashes.
Other Leading Causes of Spinal Cord Injury
- Falls (32.2 percent)
- Violence, including gunshot wounds (14 percent)
- Sports (7.8 percent)
- Medical/Surgical (4.8 percent)
Data from previous years cited motorcycle accidents and medical malpractice incidents as prevalent causes of spinal cord injuries.
At Brown & Crouppen, we represent clients in all types of spinal cord injury cases, including those involving:
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Bus accidents
- Uber & Lyft accidents
- Slip-and-fall accidents
- Construction accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Nursing home abuse and neglect
- Dog bites
- Premises liability
- Product liability
Don’t hesitate to call our Kansas City, Missouri, law office to discuss your situation with a member of our legal team today.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF A SPINAL CORD INJURY?
The symptoms of a spinal cord injury can depend on (a) the level of the injury and (b) whether the trauma is complete or incomplete.
Signs and symptoms to be on the lookout for include:
- Limited mobility
- Loss of mobility
- Tingling or numbness in the extremities
- Loss of sensation
- Loss of the ability to control your bladder or bowels
- Headache
- Stiff neck or back
- Tilted head
- Loss of consciousness
Symptoms will generally manifest in the part of the body that’s associated with the part of the spinal cord that’s been injured. For instance, you’ll typically experience limited mobility in the legs or feet if you’ve sustained trauma to the lumbar spine. Tingling or loss of movement in the hands could indicate trauma higher up the spine.
HOW MUCH MONEY IS MY KANSAS CITY SPINAL CORD INJURY CASE WORTH?
According to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, the costs of a spinal cord injury can be extraordinary — exceeding hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for the most serious types of trauma.
For example, the average annual cost of a spinal cord injury for a paraplegia injury (paralysis in the trunk and lower legs) is $567,011 in the first year and $75,112 every year after that.
For someone who’s sustained a low tetraplegia injury (paralysis of all limbs and trunk), the average cost is $840,676 for the first year and $123,938 for each subsequent year.
A high tetraplegia injury can cost $1.16 million in the first year of the injury and $202,032 every year after that.
The lifetime cost for a 25-year-old victim of a high tetraplegia injury can be as much as $5.1 million.
Many factors will affect the value of your spinal cord injury case, including:
- The type of spinal cord injury you’ve sustained (incomplete tetraplegia, incomplete paraplegia, complete paraplegia, complete tetraplegia)
- The level of the injury
- Your specific medical costs and course of treatment
- The difference between your earning capacity before and after you suffered a spinal cord injury
- Your age
- Whether you contributed to the accident that caused your spinal cord injury
The more your life changes because of the trauma you’ve experienced, the more you can expect your case to be worth. Of course, don’t underestimate the impact of hiring the right personal injury lawyer in Kansas City on your financial recovery. Brown & Crouppen has won over $1 billion for injured clients like you, including many million-dollar and six-figure awards.
Contact our legal team to find out how you can benefit from our award-winning litigation strategies, too.
WHAT COMPENSATION CAN I RECOVER IF I’VE SUFFERED A SPINAL CORD INJURY IN KANSAS CITY, MO?
If you pursue compensation for your spinal cord injury, you’ll generally be able to secure economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are awarded to make up for the financial burden of your spine injury and can include money for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Disability
- Rehabilitation
- Ongoing medical care
- Nursing assistance
- Medical devices and equipment
- Home and vehicle modifications
- Property damage
Non-economic damages are paid to compensate for the trauma and suffering you experience because you’ve sustained a spinal cord injury.
Common examples include:
- Pain and suffering
- Reduced quality of life
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Depression and anxiety
- Embarrassment
If you were hurt because someone else acted intentionally or with a deliberate and flagrant disregard for your safety, punitive damages might also be appropriate.
Get started with a free consultation with one of our skilled Personal Injury Lawyers today.
HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO SEEK DAMAGES IN A MISSOURI SPINAL CORD INJURY LAWSUIT?
Missouri provides a five-year window in which spinal cord injury victims can seek compensation after an accident. This gives you until the fifth anniversary that you sustained your spine injury (or learned about it) to file a personal injury lawsuit.
If you’ve lost a family member to a spinal cord injury caused by someone else’s negligence, you’ll have three years to file a wrongful death lawsuit and seek compensation.
Do not let the statute of limitations expire without acting. Once the deadline passes, you give up the opportunity to assert your legal rights. That means you could leave well-deserved compensation behind and have to bear the costs and burdens on your own.
TRUSTED KANSAS CITY SPINAL CORD INJURY LAWYERS ARE READY TO HELP YOU SEEK MAXIMUM COMPENSATION
For more than 43 years, Brown & Crouppen has helped victims of catastrophic spine injuries stand up and assert their legal rights to compensation. Now it’s your turn to benefit from our decades of experience and legal strategies that have allowed us to win over $1 billion in settlements and jury awards.
We offer a free consultation and work on contingency, so there’s no cost to you unless we win your case. Call our Kansas City spinal cord injury lawyers to learn more.
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Brown & Crouppen Law Firm
2345 Grand Boulevard #675 Kansas City, MO 64108 (816) 670-4701
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- Last Modified:
- March 14, 2024
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