Spinal Cord Injury Causes
There are few injuries that can affect a person’s quality of life as negatively or as profoundly as a spinal cord injury. Indeed, virtually everyone in that person’s life will be affected, as a spinal cord injury will create untold physical, emotional, psychological, and financial hardships. The effects of any spinal cord injury are devastating; however, they are particularly so when the spinal cord injury results from an accident caused by someone else’s negligent or deliberately wrongful actions. In such cases, spinal cord injury victims and their families at least have the opportunity to seek compensation from the party responsible for their suffering through the civil courts. The personal injury attorneys of Flickinger Sutterfield & Boulton have extensive experience and success in handling cases arising from all types of spinal cord injury cases on behalf of victims throughout the Provo, UT region. If you or a member of your family has suffered a spinal cord injury in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, they would be pleased to review your case and advise you of your legal rights and options. They have the resources, experience, skills, and knowledge to handle even the most complex spinal cord injury cases successfully, whatever the cause of the injuries. We invite you to read the following article about common spinal cord injuries and then contact our personal injury law firm to arrange for an evaluation of your case. What Are the Most Typical Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries? There are two basic types of spinal cord injuries: Incomplete spinal cord injuries: Most spinal cord injuries are classified as incomplete, meaning that the victims maintain some ability to move and feel at and below the point of injury to the spinal cord after the accident. While less severe than complete spinal cord injuries, incomplete spinal cord injuries can still be permanent, painful, and expensive. Complete spinal cord injuries: Complete spinal cord injuries are relatively rare compared to incomplete spinal cord injuries, and considerably more severe. Victims of complete spinal cord injuries permanently lose all sensation and ability to move at and below the site of injury to the spinal cord. Paraplegics lose the use of their lower bodies except for their arms and hands, while tetraplegics lose the use of their entire bodies from the neck down. Spinal cord injuries can result from virtually any type of catastrophic accident. Our personal injury attorneys have handled cases involving spinal cord injuries, both incomplete and complete, arising from: Auto accidents, including car, truck, motorcycle, bus, and SUV accidents Bicycle and pedestrian accidents Sports accidents Violent acts, such as assaults Workplace accidents, including construction accidents Premises liability accidents, including slip-and-fall accidents and accidents involving falling debris Medical malpractice, including surgical errors Arrange for an Evaluation of Your Incomplete or Complete Spinal Cord Injury Case Today If you would like to arrange for an evaluation of your spinal cord injury case, whatever the cause of the spinal cord injury, please contact the law firm of Flickinger Sutterfield & Boulton today.
Serious Auto Accidents Can Lead to Partial or Total Paralysis
The lawyers of Flickinger Sutterfield & Boulton are here to help the people of Provo in their time of legal need. We know just how serious severe injuries can be, and we always consider the long-term effects of these injuries on the lives of victims as well as their loved ones. Serious auto accidents can lead to lifelong struggles, which is why having skilled attorneys on your side is important for collecting damages. As you’re about to read, dealing with paralysis, even just partial paralysis in a limb, can have a major impact on how you go about your daily routine. Severe Auto Accidents Can Have Lasting Repercussions When you are involved in a serious auto accident, the effects of your injuries can last for years. Head trauma, brain injuries, and a whole host of other issues can lead to lifelong struggles with regard to day-to-day life. Among the most serious of these injuries are those that result in paralysis. There are different kinds of injuries that can lead to partial or total paralysis, each presenting its own unique and tragic challenges. Nerve Damage from Auto Accidents Nerves send electrical impulses throughout the body to help control movement and detect various kinds of sensations. They are essential for most normal activities and for registering stimuli. In serious auto accidents, nerves can be seriously damaged. Major trauma such as lacerations or severe contusions can have a major impact on the nervous system or specific groups of nerves. In some cases, nerve damage can result in partial or total paralysis of the limbs or extremities. Living with the Effects of Nerve Damage If you suffer serious nerve damage, your range of motion might be limited for the rest of your life. For instance, serious nerve damage in the shoulder area can potentially lead to problems holding objects in your hand or even moving your arm in general. This can impact your career path in significant ways. Paraplegia After an Auto Accident Paraplegia is a type of severe spinal cord injury. If the spinal cord is seriously damaged in the lower back to mid back, a person loses sensation below the point of injury. In addition, the person injured will not be able to move their lower extremities at all. They will be wheelchair bound for the rest of their life. Living with Paraplegia Paraplegia is among the most serious kinds of injuries a person can experience. The effects are irreversible. This will change your entire life and livelihood. Since paraplegics are wheelchair bound, their living spaces need to be adjusted to take this into account. Driving can only be done using a vehicle specially outfitted to account for the lack of the use of the pedals. Challenges in a person’s professional life and personal life can be quite significant. Quadriplegia After an Auto Accident Quadriplegia is the most severe type of spinal cord injury that one can experience. This happens when the spinal cord is damaged in the neck area. When this occurs, a person loses the ability to feel anything below the point of injury. The accident victim will lose the ability to control their arms and legs. In some cases of quadriplegia, the injury victim will not be able to breathe on their own without the assistance of a machine. Living with Quadriplegia Quadriplegics require constant assistance and medical monitoring since they are unable to move their own limbs. In terms of one’s professional life, options are severely limited, and in many cases people will be unable to pursue the career path they once had. In terms of one’s personal life, the constant dependence on loved ones and medical staff for the rest of one’s life can be an extremely difficult reality to live with. The cost of this kind of medical care can be extremely steep. Learn More About Your Legal Options For more information about your legal rights following a serious auto accident, be sure to contact our team of personal injury lawyers today. Our team will fight diligently for you in your time of legal need.
Signs That You Have a Personal Injury Case
The lawyers of Flickinger Sutterfield & Boulton are here for the people of Provo. Upholding their legal rights and helping them through the legal process is always our primary goal. By working with an experienced personal injury attorney, clients get the legal insight they need to succeed. Of course, it’s important to know if you even have a personal injury case. Let’s cover three common signs that you have a personal injury case and some additional considerations. You Were Injured in Some Way First and foremost (and most obviously), you will have experienced some sort of injury. This means you have endured a physical trauma of some kind, such as a blow to the head or body, or perhaps some sort of trauma that affects the limbs. This injury can range in severity, and in some cases the injury or injuries can result in long-term physical disability. The Injury Was Not Pre-Existing Another important factor to consider is that the injury experienced was not pre-existing. By that we mean that the incident directly led to an injury, and that the injury was not present prior to the incident. Keep in mind that this doesn’t mean an accident can’t aggravate an old injury. If you had a previous back injury, for instance, getting struck by a vehicle can aggravate that old injury and cause additional damage to your spine in the process. Another Person Was Responsible for the Incident The most important aspect to consider with regard to these matters is that the injury and/or accident was directly caused by another person or entity. A single-car collision caused by the driver’s own error is not grounds for a personal injury case. If that collision was the result of a drunk driver running a red light and striking another vehicle, that is a different story. There needs to be a liable party in the accident, someone or something that can be proven to have exhibited negligence. Damages to Be Sought During personal injury cases, damages are sought as a monetary reward following an injury. These damages can cover various expenses incurred as a result of the accident. There are two kinds of damages commonly sought: Compensatory Damages – Compensatory damages are intended to recover material losses related to an accident and injury, such as medical bills, lost wages, property damages, and so forth. Punitive Damages – Punitive damages are intended to punish the negligent party for their actions and are not related to any kind of actual losses per se. It’s meant to prevent similar incidents form occurring in the future. Consider the Statute of Limitations Personal injury lawsuits must be filed within 4 years of the incident according to Utah law. There are exceptions and different statutes of limitations in place depending on the incident, so sooner is always better. How a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help By working with a skilled personal injury lawyer, you can find out if you have a legitimate legal claim and if it is worth pursuing. In these cases, your lawyer can provide expert guidance through the legal process, allowing you to have confidence during all steps of your case. Speak with Skilled Personal Injury Attorneys To learn more about your legal options following a serious injury or accident, be sure to contact our team of personal injury attorneys today. The lawyers of Flickinger Sutterfield & Boulton are here to help clients in their time of need.
Legal Options in Commercial Truck Accident Cases
Big trucks are everywhere on our highways and city streets, shipping items to stores and delivering goods between cities and states. Given just how many commercial trucks there are, it should come as no surprise that they can pose a number of dangers to motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The lawyers of Flickinger Sutterfield & Boulton have helped many people in the Provo area who have been victims of serious truck accidents, offering legal help and guidance through the litigation process. Let’s take a moment to consider why these kinds of auto collisions can be among the most serious. The Dangers Posed by Commercial Trucks While large trucks are an essential part of life, they are also the cause of many motor vehicle accidents. Looking at data from the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were roughly 95,000 injuries and 3,964 fatalities from large truck accidents in 2013. The majority of people injured or killed were the occupants of the other vehicle rather than the truck driver or any other occupants in the large truck. Blind Spots and Maneuverability Issues One of the biggest dangers posed by large trucks involves the size of the vehicle and, hence, the size of the vehicle’s blind spots. People who drive alongside a large truck or near a large truck may not be seen by the driver. This increases the chance of side-end injuries. Trucks also have to deal with maneuverability issues and stopping issues given their size and mass. A large truck will take more time to stop, and may need more space to make left turns or right turns. This means a greater risk of injury and greater danger to all drivers near a large truck. Issues with Driver Fatigue Driver fatigue is also a major problem to consider with regard to large trucks. Truck drivers have to work long hours to make schedule, which means some of them may be sleep deprived or tired while they are on the road. If you’ve ever driven while drowsy, you know just how dangerous that can be even with a normal commuter vehicle. Some studies actually say that driving while tired or drowsy is the equivalent of drunk driving, which means impaired alertness, decision-making, and reaction times. Problems with Vehicles Large trucks are on the road a lot, traversing hundreds and often thousands of miles every week. This is bound to take its toll on the vehicles themselves, which have to be regularly serviced to ensure safety on the road. However, vehicles may not always be in the best conditions for driving. If a truck company does not take vehicle maintenance seriously, a truck with major brake or handling issues may be on the road, making accidents more likely. Large Truck Accidents Can Prove Fatal Simply given all of the dangers above, it should come as no surprise that large truck accidents can cause fatal accidents. The size of a truck and the force generated by a collision can be tremendous. If not deadly, these kinds of accidents can lead to lifelong disabilities with repercussions that will affect one’s personal life and professional life. That’s why having skilled attorneys on your side is crucial. Speak with Our Attorneys About Your Case To learn more about your legal rights and options following a serious collision with a large truck, be sure to contact our personal injury attorneys today. The legal team at Flickinger Sutterfield & Boulton is here to help you receive just compensation for serious injuries.