Spinal Cord Injuries

Representing Spine Injury Victims in Tennessee, Georgia & Alabama

Spinal cord injuries present immense challenges for victims and their families, especially when the injury results in partial or complete paralysis. Spinal cord injury victims deserve justice when they are harmed by another party’s negligence or recklessness.

At The Hamilton Firm, we offer experienced representation to individuals who have suffered spinal cord injuries in Tennessee, Georgia, or Alabama. Our Chattanooga spinal cord injury lawyers are prepared to put our many decades of combined legal experience to work for you. 

With over $100 million recovered in judgments and settlements, our case results speak for themselves. We make it our mission to maximize what you recover. 

You will also benefit from our personal level of attention and service: You will work closely and directly with one of our attorneys, not a paralegal, and we will come to you if your injuries prevent you from coming to our office.

We don’t charge any fees unless we win your case. Get started today with a free consultation. Contact us online or call (423) 634-0871.

On This Page:

• Spinal Cord Injuries from Motor Vehicle Accidents
• Legal Support for Spinal Cord Injury Victims in Chattanooga
• Identifying Liable Parties in Spinal Cord Injury Cases
• Understanding the Range of Spine Injuries from Auto Accidents
• Long-Term Effects of Spinal Cord Injuries
• Securing Your Right to Compensation After a Spinal Injury
• Statute of Limitations for Spinal Cord Injury Claims
• FAQs About Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuits
• Resources for Spinal Cord Injury Victims in Chattanooga

Spinal Cord Injuries from Motor Vehicle Accidents

A traumatic spinal cord injury occurs when a dramatic blow to the spine damages one or more of your vertebrae. These injuries can also result from a foreign object penetrating and making contact with the spinal cord. 

Traumatic spinal cord injuries frequently occur during motor vehicle accidents. The extreme force of vehicular impact can crush, dislocate, or fracture your vertebrae, or a dislodged vehicle component can fly through the air and cut your spinal cord. 

According to data from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, nearly 40% of all spine injuries in the U.S. are caused by car accidents. In fact, vehicle crashes have become the leading cause of spinal cord injuries in the last decade.

Legal Support for Spinal Cord Injury Victims in Chattanooga

At The Hamilton Firm, we often help spinal cord injury victims who were injured in:

• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Bus accidents
• Rideshare accidents
• Drunk driving accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• And more

Many of the motor vehicle accidents that cause spinal cord injuries are the result of negligence. In these instances, victims have the right to sue negligent parties and seek damages. Our spinal cord injury attorneys in Chattanooga can investigate the wreck and determine who is at fault.

Identifying Liable Parties in Spinal Cord Injury Cases

One or more of the following parties may be liable:

• The driver
• The driver’s employer or broker
• The owner of the vehicle
• The shipper or warehouse involved in the vehicle’s cargo loading
• The vehicle or vehicle component manufacturer 
• Parties responsible for vehicle maintenance, repairs, and inspections
• A state, city, or local municipality
• Insurance companies for various parties

Understanding the Range of Spine Injuries from Auto Accidents

Auto accident victims can suffer a wide range of injuries to the spine, including:

• Spinal cord injuries
• Whiplash injuries
• Ruptured or herniated discs
• Broken vertebrae
• Facet joint injuries
• Spinal stenosis

Long-Term Effects of Spinal Cord Injuries

Traumatic spinal cord injuries tend to have lifelong effects that require ongoing, intensive medical treatment and dramatic lifestyle changes. In many cases, symptoms will worsen over time. Many people living with spinal cord injuries are likely to be financially burdened with exorbitant medical bills and an inability to work. The precise kinds and severity of symptoms will depend on the type of spinal cord injury sustained.

Long-term impacts of traumatic spinal cord injuries may include:

• Bladder stones
• Changes in sexual function
• Difficulty breathing
• Extensive head, neck, or back pain
• Kidney infections
• Muscle spasticity
• Numbness and weakness in the extremities
• Osteoporosis
• Total or partial paralysis

Securing Your Right to Compensation After a Spinal Injury

When you suffer a spinal cord injury because of the negligence or recklessness of another party, you can seek economic and non-economic damages through a personal injury claim. 

The goal is to restore you to the position you were in before the injury-causing accident by awarding you monetary compensation for expenses incurred due to the accident (economic damages) and other intangible consequences linked to your injuries (non-economic damages). Punitive damages are rarely awarded but can in some cases be sought if a defendant acted maliciously, fraudulently, intentionally, or especially recklessly. 

Our Chattanooga spinal cord injury attorneys will do everything possible to secure maximum compensation for all losses, including:

• Ongoing or permanent disability
• Lost income
• Lost earning capacity
• Property damage
• Loss of consortium
• Mental anguish
• Physical pain and suffering
• Past, current, and future medical bills

Statute of Limitations for Spinal Cord Injury Claims

How long you have to take legal action against an at-fault party will depend on where the accident took place and whether a government employee was involved. Each state enforces deadlines that limit the amount of time spinal cord injury victims get to bring a claim.

• Tennessee: You have one year from the date of your injury to file a lawsuit
• Georgia: You have two years from the date of your injury to file a lawsuit
• Alabama: You have two years from the date of your injury to file a lawsuit

You will have considerably less time if your case involves a government employee, such as a public transit bus driver, as you must typically file a “notice of claim” with the applicable government agency much sooner than what the standard statute of limitations requires. To avoid unintentionally missing a deadline and losing your right to seek compensation, reach out to The Hamilton Firm as soon as possible.

FAQs About Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuits

What constitutes a spinal cord injury claim? 

A spinal cord injury claim typically arises when someone suffers harm to their spinal cord due to the negligence or misconduct of another party. This can result from car accidents, slip and falls, medical malpractice, or workplace accidents. These injuries can lead to severe consequences such as paralysis, loss of sensation, or chronic pain. The claim aims to seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, rehabilitation costs, and pain and suffering resulting from the injury.

How can I determine if I have a valid spinal cord injury claim?

Determining the validity of a spinal cord injury claim depends on establishing several key factors: first, that the injury resulted from someone else’s negligence or intentional action (liability); second, that the injury caused measurable damages such as medical bills, lost income, or emotional distress; and third, that these damages can be attributed directly to the incident in question. Consulting with a personal injury attorney who specializes in spinal cord injuries can help evaluate the specifics of your case and determine its validity.

 What role does negligence play in a spinal cord injury claim? 

Negligence is central to many spinal cord injury claims as it establishes fault on the part of the responsible party. To prove negligence, it must be shown that the defendant owed a duty of care to the injured person, breached that duty through action or inaction, and that this breach directly caused the spinal cord injury. Evidence such as witness statements, expert testimony, medical records, and accident reconstructions are often used to establish negligence in these cases.