Spinal Injury Attorney in Virginia Beach

Doctor holding x-ray of patient's spine

Spinal cord accidents often alter victims’ lives and leave them with severe injuries that make it impossible to work, raise a family, or even perform routine tasks and care for themselves on a daily basis. If you or a loved one are suffering from a spinal injury after an accident in the Hampton Roads area that was someone else’s fault, the negligent person or company that caused the accident should be held accountable.

Ruloff, Swain, Haddad, Morecock, Talbert & Woodward, P.C. is dedicated to helping victims of life-altering injuries like spinal cord damage seek the justice and compensation they deserve. For over 30 years, our knowledgeable and compassionate attorneys have been helping people throughout Virginia Beach and the surrounding areas get on the road to recovery after tragic accidents.

Don’t just take it from us. Take a look at the testimonials from some of our past clients and results from some of our past cases. You’ll find that we have a proven track record of providing injured people with the legal guidance they need to win while also giving them the respect and compassion they deserve. We’re committed to truly getting to know our clients, serving them with personalized attention, and supporting them throughout their case and beyond.

At Ruloff, Swain, Haddad, Morecock, Talbert & Woodward, P.C. we’ve helped clients recover millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts. We get results that count. You can trust that our Virginia Beach spinal injury lawyers will do everything we can to help you pursue the best outcome for your case. 

To schedule your free consultation and get started on the road to recovery, contact us today by phone or online.

What Is a Spinal Cord Injury?

A spinal cord injury can be any type of wound to the nerves along or at the end of the spinal canal or an injury where one or several of the 33 vertebrae are crushed, dislocated, compressed, or fractured. 

These are typically serious injuries that can significantly impair a victim’s way of life and impact their physical abilities, as well as cognition, emotions, and social interactions. They frequently result in partial or complete paralysis.

Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries 

Pain and other issues related to back injuries are some of the leading reasons that people visit their physician, according to the Mayo Clinic. While not all of these back issues are serious, chronic pain and other conditions related to spinal injuries are often life-altering. Causes of these types of injuries include: 

  • Motor vehicle accidents, such as truck wrecks, motorcycle crashes, and car collisions, are one of the leading causes – accounting for nearly half of the spinal cord injuries.
  • Medical malpractice, such as physician or facility errors during birth or surgery can cause spinal cord injuries.
  • Slip and fall accidents fall from tall heights, or getting hit by a falling object can happen to anyone, but spinal cord injuries from these types of accidents most commonly affect people over the age of 65.
  • Violent attacks, such as military combat, gunshots, and knifings can damage the spinal cord.
  • High-impact athletic sports and recreational activities like diving, hockey, football, and rugby that involve forceful blows directly between players or objects put the spinal cord at risk.
  • Neglect or abuse at nursing homes or daycare facilities can result in spinal cord injuries.
  • Medical conditions and diseases, including arthritis, infections, tuberculosis, osteoporosis, meningitis, and cancer can damage the spinal cord.

Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

The severity of a spinal cord injury is rated on its type – whether the injury is complete and the victim loses all sensory and motor functions below the injury, or it’s incomplete, where the injury partially impacts parts of the body to varying degrees. 

Some of the complications associated with complete and incomplete spinal cord injuries include:

  • Quadriplegia impacting all limbs and pelvic organs 
  • Paraplegia, causing affecting part or all of the legs, trunk, and pelvic organs
  • Chronic pain
  • Breathing problems
  • Spinal contusions
  • Whiplash
  • Weakness or loss of coordination
  • Anterior cord syndrome
  • Changes in fertility and sexual function
  • Loss of mobility 
  • Injuries to soft tissue
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Swelling and inflammation
  • Central cord syndrome
  • Balance issues
  • Kidney stones
  • Blood clots
  • Lost ability to feel cold, hot, pressure, or touch
  • Brown-Sequard Syndrome
  • Digestive difficulties
  • Depression
  • High blood pressure
  • Loss of control of bodily functions, such as the bladder and bowels
  • Coma
  • Individual nerve cell injuries
  • Internal bleeding
  • Urinary tract infections

Expenses Related to Spinal Cord Injuries

Victims of spinal cord injuries have to deal not only with immediate expenses but also a variety of lifelong costs. These types of accidents often have devastating impacts on victims that significantly disrupt their lives and the lives of their friends, families, and loved ones. 

Some of the costly conditions, traumatic experiences, and long-term expenses that spinal cord accident victims face include:

  • Ongoing diagnostic exams, such as x-rays, blood tests, functional evaluations, or CT and MRI scans
  • Loss of the victim’s ability to care for themselves, work to provide for their family, go to school, live independently, and control many aspects of their life
  • Invasive, stressful, and disruptive treatments, such as continual surgeries, multiple medications, and a range of experimental remedies, including clinical trials to promote nerve regeneration and control inflammation
  • Emotional trauma, such as anger, depression, grief, frustration, and loneliness, as well as significant changes in romantic, social, family, and work relationships
  • Never-ending rehabilitation and other therapies to try to help the victim regain the functions they had before the accident or even just to help them learn adaptive techniques to survive from day to day, prevent complications, and improve and prolong their quality of life 
  • Medical devices and equipment, including wheelchairs, electronic aids, computer adaptations, and electrical stimulation devices
  • In-home care, nursing homes, or other services 
  • Increased risk of additional conditions, such as diabetes, pneumonia, obesity, and skin infections

With the consequences of spinal cord injuries costing so much, it’s critical for victims to seek full compensation for their accident to cover both current and future expenses. Victims who accept a low initial settlement offer from an insurance company or decide against fighting for their rights altogether often end up having to pay out of their own pockets for expenses down the road. These expenses can bankrupt victims and tear their families apart.

The best way to pursue maximum compensation in a spinal cord claim is to work with a skilled attorney who has a depth of experience helping victims get the money they deserve. Your lawyer can help determine all the parties who might be liable for your accident and build a strong case. 

An experienced spinal injury attorney can also help protect you from insurers that might try to take advantage of your shock in the aftermath of the accident. Insurance companies often try to talk victims into giving them full access to their medical records or agreeing to a written or recorded statement about the accident. 

They also often trick victims into saying things they can use to argue that the victim did something to cause their accident or that something besides the accident caused their injuries. This is particularly devastating for victims in Virginia Beach due to the state’s contributory negligence laws.

Under this rule, insurers or negligent parties in Virginia often don’t have to pay victims any money if they can prove that the victim somehow contributed to the accident. This means that if the defendant can convince the court that you were even slightly to blame for the accident, then you might lose out completely on any compensation.

Types of Compensation for Spine Injuries 

Some of the types of damages that spinal cord compensation typically helps cover include:

  • Outstanding medical bills and future medical expenses
  • Lost income during recovery and lost the ability to earn future income
  • Specialized devices and equipment, as well as disability modifications to the person’s home and car
  • Rehabilitation and other therapies
  • Pain and suffering
  • Loss of consortium or enjoyment of life

The amount of money that victims or their loved ones are able to get in spinal cord injury claims usually depends on the severity of their injuries and other details of their case. Additionally, a number of Virginia laws might limit a victim’s right to compensation. 

For example, Virginia law usually requires victims to file a personal injury claim within two years of their accident. If they fail to follow this statute of limitations, then victims often cannot recover any compensation for their injuries.

Contact a Spinal Injury Lawyer Today for Help

If you are suffering from a spinal injury that wasn’t your fault, contact Ruloff, Swain, Haddad, Morecock, Talbert & Woodward, P.C. right away. We’re ready to protect your rights and fight for the justice and full compensation you deserve. 

Call us today to set up your free consultation or reach us online.