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Spinal Cord Injuries

According to data collected by the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, there are over 250,000 people in the United States who are suffering from spinal cord injuries. Each year, approximately 11,000 people sustain a new spinal cord injury, which amounts to thirty new injuries every day.

The majority of spinal cord injuries occur as a result of trauma, with automobile accidents as the leading cause of such traumatic injuries. In some people, the cause may be medical malpractice – for example, surgical errors causing direct damage to the spinal cord or undiagnosed internal bleeding or an abscess that compresses the spinal cord or causes loss of blood flow to the cord.

Regardless of the cause, the impact from spinal cord injuries is both suddden and severe. There is the personal loss from the loss of bodily function, from the pain associated with the injury and from the loss of independence. There is the financial loss from an inability to perform one’s job or perform duties at home. There is the cost of medical care, rehabilitation, and other costs associated with long-term care.  A spinal cord injury leads to many questions and issues to face. 

One of the challenges that you face may be whether to pursue a lawsuit against the person who was responsible for your injury.  If you do, you will need an experienced lawyer on your side.  A lawyer who understands spinal cord injuries, and the long and arduous path back to a life as near-normal as is possible under the circumstances.   If your case arose in Northern Virginia or in Washington D.C., you will find such experienced lawyers at Shevlin Smith in Fairfax, Virginia.  We have experience handling spinal cord injury cases, helping clients receive compensation for their injuries, and most importantly helping clients receive money to pay for the large range of medical and rehabilitative care they need to survive and get better.  We have worked with multi-disciplinary teams of medical and rehabilitative specialists. These specialists will not only educate you as to your injury and your needs for rehabilitation and care; they will also testify in court, if necessary, to explain your situation for a jury.

We are committed to fighting for our clients’ rights and helping them get the justice and the compensation they deserve.  Call us for a free consultation.

Library for Spinal Cord Injuries:

• Can a Spinal Cord Injury be Cured?   
  Description: Spinal cord injuries affect about 12,000 people and their families each year in the United States, and they are currently incurable. Promising research is being undertaken to develop a cure for spinal cord injuries. The Washington D.C. and Virginia spinal-cord injury lawyers of Shevlin Smith help victims of spinal cord injuries get the treatment and the financial damages that they deserve for their injuries.

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Case Results for Spinal Cord Injuries:

• $1,475,000 Medical Malpractice Case Settlement

Awarded: $1,475,000

Web Resources for Spinal Cord Injuries:

• Spinal Research

  Description: Spinal Research is the United Kingdom’s leading charity funding medical research around the world to develop reliable treatments for paralysis caused by a broken back or neck. Its website provides valuable information concerning the nature of spinal cord injuries, treatment for such injuries and new areas of research that will hopefully lead to even better treatment protocols.

• Medical Article: "Repairing the Damaged Spinal Cord"

  Description: Dr. John W. MacDonald and the Research Consortium of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation write about the significant advances in the understanding of spinal cord injuries and new approaches for the treatment of spinal cord injuries.

• National Spinal Cord Injury Association

  Description: Founded in 1948, the NSCIA is the nation's oldest and largest civilian organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of Americans living with the results of spinal cord injury and disease (SCI/D) and their families. Its website is an invaluable resource for health, legal and research issues relating to spinal cord injury and disease.

• The Miami Project To Cure Paralysis

  Description: The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis is the world's largest comprehensive spinal cord injury (SCI) research center. It is dedicated to finding more effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure for paralysis.

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Do I Have A Case? A Patient's Guide to Virginia Medical Neglingence La

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