Did you or a family member sustain a spinal cord injury in Tampa, Florida? An experienced Tampa spinal cord injury lawyer at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers can fight to protect your legal rights. You may deserve significant compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Since 1996, we’ve been putting our skills to work for accident victims in the Tampa Bay area. We’ve helped our clients recover over $100 million in compensation–and counting. We cover all personal injury claims, including Tampa boating accidents, motorcycle accidents, sexual assault, bad faith insurance, negligent security, and more.
We offer a free consultation to all potential clients. Call our law offices in Tampa, Florida at (813) 686-7588 anytime, day or night, to schedule yours.
How Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help With a Spinal Cord Injury Claim in Tampa
Spinal cord injuries can cause the most extreme complications imaginable. You may have to undergo painful medical treatment and rehabilitation to regain even basic functions. Some victims never return to their “normal” lives.
If someone else was responsible for these dramatic changes, you deserve to hold them accountable. Spinal cord damage often leads to high-dollar settlements. You can expect insurance companies to fight hard to avoid paying fair compensation. Our Tampa personal injury lawyers are here to fight for you.
Our lawyers at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers are Board Certified in personal injury law and have over 75 years of combined experience. That means we understand the legal process in-depth and know what it takes to negotiate the highest possible settlement with the insurance company.
Hiring Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers means your lawyer will:
- Investigate and gather evidence to support your claim
- Consult with experts to help us determine causation and liability
- Assess the true value of your injury claim
- Challenge any allegations that you caused your own injuries
- Negotiate with the insurance companies and defense lawyers to maximize your compensation award
Recovering fair compensation can make an important difference in your recovery. Our personal injury lawyers in Tampa, FL know the stakes are high. We’ll do everything possible to make sure you walk away with the money you deserve.
Ready to learn more? Call for a free consultation today.
Overview of Spinal Cord Injuries
The spinal cord is a column of nerves, cells, tissue, and bone that extends from the base of the brain to the tailbone. The nerves and cells are protected by three layers of tissue, called “meninges.” The rings of bone surrounding the nerves and meninges are called vertebrae.
The spinal cord is responsible for sending signals from the brain throughout the rest of the body. Because of this, when the spinal column is damaged, the injury typically manifests in another area of the body.
Complete vs. Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries
Initially, all spinal cord injuries are classified as complete or incomplete. With a complete injury, the victim suffers a complete loss of function below the level of injury.
If the injury is incomplete, you may retain some level of sensation or function below the injury. The level of function depends on the severity of the damage. Some victims retain some motor function. Others may retain sensation in some body parts but be unable to move them.
Types of Spinal Cord Injury
The spine is divided into four primary regions. Each region is made up of several different vertebrae, including:
- Cervical spine, beginning at the base of the skull (C1-C7)
- Thoracic spine, which sits below the cervical spine in the upper and middle back (T1-T12)
- Lumbar spine, located in the lower back (L1-L5)
- Sacral spine, which is a triangular-shaped bone located at the base of the spinal cord (S1-S5)
The type and severity of the injury will depend upon the area that is damaged.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Spinal Cord Injuries?
The signs and symptoms of spinal cord damage can vary dramatically. If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to seek medical attention–especially if you’ve recently been involved in an accident:
- Muscle weakness
- Loss of muscle movement or feeling in the chest, arms, or legs
- Difficulty breathing
- Loss of sensation or tingling in the hands or feet
- Acute pain in the neck or back
- Problems with balance or difficulty walking
If you suffered a spinal cord injury in an accident, our lawyers are here to fight for you. Call our personal injury law firm to schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced attorney today.
What are the Long-Term Consequences of Spinal Cord Injuries?
The long-term consequences of a spinal cord injury depend largely upon the location of the injury.
Damage to the cervical spine tends to cause the most severe long-term consequences. Victims can suffer:
- Quadriplegia (paralysis from the neck down)
- Tetraplegia (paralysis in three limbs)
- Respiratory problems
- Inability to regulate bodily functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and metabolism
- Digestive problems
Damage to the thoracic spine can cause paraplegia, or paralysis from the waist down. Additional long-term consequences may include:
- Loss of bladder and bowel function
- Changes in sexual function
- Loss of fertility
- Diminished sensation and loss of muscle strength in the limbs
- Chronic pain caused by nerve damage
- Extreme spasms
Even when victims of spinal cord injuries retain their ability to move, the consequences can change a life forever. If someone else was responsible, you deserve to be compensated.
Our Tampa spinal cord injury attorneys at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers are prepared to handle even the most complex injury claim. Give us a call today to learn more about how we can help you pursue the fair compensation you deserve.
What Causes Most Spinal Cord Injuries?
Spinal cord injuries can happen in many different ways. Often, someone else’s careless acts or negligence are the root cause of a spinal injury.
Some of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries include:
- Slip and fall accidents
- Motor vehicle accidents, including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, and pedestrian accidents
- Trucking accidents
- Sports and recreation accidents
- Violence
- Construction accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Dog bites
- Birth injuries
- Defective products
- Medical malpractice
Any type of traumatic blow can cause a spine injury. In many cases, the damage may continue to worsen in the days following the accident due to bleeding, swelling, or inflammation.
What is My Tampa Spinal Cord Injury Case Worth?
Every case is different. Arriving at a fair estimate can take time. Your lawyer will carefully review the facts and circumstances of your case and may hire experts and specialists to offer guidance. It can also take your doctors some time to assess the overall damage and future impact of your spinal cord injury.
Factors that influence how much your personal injury case is worth include:
- The long-term impact of your injury on your quality of life
- The nature and cost of your ongoing medical treatment and rehabilitation
- The trauma you’ve suffered, including emotional suffering
- How the injury will impact your career and earning potential
Insurance companies will go to great lengths to diminish the value of your claim. Our lawyers are experienced in countering their tricks. With our help, you can greatly increase the odds of maximizing your settlement or verdict.
What Compensation Can I Recover for My Spinal Cord Injuries in Tampa, Florida?
Our lawyers at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers will fight to recover damages to compensate for your economic and non-economic losses.
Your economic damages should compensate for all past and future costs, including:
- Past and future medical expenses, including hospitalization, doctor’s visits, medication, and more
- Lost wages
- Lost future earning capacity
- Physical therapy
- Rehabilitation
- Long-term care
- Medical devices
- Home modifications and in-home assistance
- Added transportation costs and vehicle modifications
- Property damage
We’ll also work to put a dollar value on your non-economic losses.
We’ll fight to recover compensation for your:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Depression and anxiety
- PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of your independence
- Loss of consortium
Serious spinal cord injuries can be catastrophic or fatal. If you’ve lost a loved one in an accident, our lawyers can help you file a wrongful death lawsuit to recover additional damages.
How Long Do I Have to File a Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit in Florida?
The Florida statute of limitations in personal injury cases is generally two years. If you don’t file a personal injury lawsuit within two years of your accident, you’ll forfeit your right to seek compensation.
Florida personal injury cases used to have a four-year statutory deadline, but the law changed on March 24, 2023. Thus, you’re subject to the two-year deadline if your spinal cord injury in Tampa happened after that date. If your injury happened before 3/24/23, you’ll likely have four years to pursue your claim.
The statute of limitations in medical malpractice and wrongful death cases is two years.
Before we go to court, we’ll always work to negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance companies. We can get started right away, even if you’re still receiving treatment. To learn more, call our law firm today.
Contact a Tampa Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you’ve suffered an injury to your spinal cord, call Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation today. An experienced personal injury lawyer in Town ‘n’ Country, FL is standing by to help you fight for the maximum compensation you deserve.
Our personal injury law firm in Tampa also provides:
- Bicycle Accident Lawyers in Tampa, FL
- Car Accident Attorney in Tampa, FL
- Construction Accident Lawyers in Tampa, FL
- Cruise Ship Accident Lawyers in Tampa, FL
- E-Scooter Accident Lawyers in Tampa, FL
- Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
- Slip And Fall Lawyers in Tampa, FL
- Taxi Accident Lawyers in Tampa, FL
- Train Accident Lawyer in Tampa, FL
- Truck Accident Lawyers in Tampa, FL
- Uber Accident Lawyer in Tampa, FL
- Wrongful Death Lawyers in Tampa, FL
Chiropractors Near Our Law Office in Tampa, FL
- Kingdom Chiropractic-Tampa – 6105 Memorial Hwy Bldg F, Suite M, Tampa, FL 33615, United States
- Essence of Life Spinal Care – 5811 Memorial Hwy #106, Tampa, FL 33615, United States
- Lichter William Dr – 8730 Fountain Ave, Tampa, FL 33615, United States
- Sheldon Road Chiropractic & Massage Therapy – 10930 Sheldon Rd, Tampa, FL 33626, United States
*Disclaimer – we do not endorse these companies or profit from having them listed on our website.
Our personal injury law firm in Tampa also provides:
- Assault Injury Lawyers in Tampa, FL
- Aviation/Airplane Accident Lawyer in Tampa, FL
- Bad Faith Insurance Attorneys in Tampa, FL
- Bicycle Accident Lawyers in Tampa, FL
- Birth Injury Attorney in Tampa, FL
- Boating Accident Attorneys in Tampa, FL
- Brain Injury Lawyers in Tampa, FL
- Bus Accident Attorney in Tampa, FL
- Car Accident Lawyers in Tampa, FL
- Catastrophic Injury Lawyers in Tampa, FL
- Child Injury Attorneys in Tampa, FL
- Construction Accident Lawyers in Tampa, FL
- Cruise Ship Accident Lawyers in Tampa, FL
- E-Scooter Accident Lawyers in Tampa, FL
- Lyft Accident Attorneys in Tampa, FL
- Maritime Accident Attorney in Tampa, FL
- Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Tampa, FL
- Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in Tampa, FL
- Negligent Security Attorney in Tampa, FL
- Pedestrian Accident Attorneys in Tampa, FL
- Premises Liability Lawyer in Tampa, FL
- Sexual Assault Lawyer in Tampa, FL
- Slip and Fall Lawyers in Tampa, FL
- Taxi Accident Lawyers in Tampa, FL
- Train Accident Lawyer in Tampa, FL
- Truck Accident Lawyers in Tampa, FL
- Uber Accident Lawyer in Tampa, FL
- Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Tampa, FL
- Workplace Accidents Lawyer in Tampa, FL
- Wrongful Death Attorney in Tampa, FL