Of all the injuries you could suffer in an accident, back and spinal cord injuries are among the most devastating. A Fresno back injury lawyer can help you recover damages for your medical expenses, mental anguish, and physical pain. 

Spinal cord injuries are not as rare as you might think. There are approximately 17,500 new spinal cord injury cases each year in the United States alone. Many of these injuries are the result of completely avoidable accidents, such as car collisions. If your injury is the result of an accident, a personal injury lawyer can help hold negligent individuals accountable. 

At Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accidents Lawyers, we understand how overwhelming spinal cord injuries can be. Your quality of life can be seriously affected, especially for victims left with paraplegia or quadriplegia. We’ll set you up with the best brain and spine injury lawyer in Fresno to fight for you to get the maximum compensation for your suffering. 

Fresno Back Injury Lawyer

Determining Fault After Suffering a Back Injury

Establishing fault on a person and/or entity is essential if you hope to recover damages after an accident. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, the at-fault party could be a motorist, building manager, product manufacturer, or the owner of the public or private property on which you were injured. 

A spine injury lawyer can investigate your case to determine who’s at fault. They can also deal with the defendant’s insurance company, which is par for the course for personal injury cases. These companies can be ruthless and have honed strategies for minimizing victims’ suffering, blaming them for their own injuries, and manipulating victims into accepting much less in damages than they deserve. If you want to receive as much compensation as realistically possible, you’ll want a spinal cord injury attorney representing you.  

Investigating the Back Injury Accident

The faster your accident is investigated, the stronger your case will likely be. The sooner you contact a back injury lawyer, the sooner they can begin looking into your accident and establishing fault. A good lawyer will interview witnesses and conduct a thorough investigation of the scene of the accident and any items involved (faulty products, poorly maintained machines, etc.). 

This investigation is valuable for establishing fault on the defendant and a lack of fault on you, the plaintiff. Another major benefit to an early investigation is that your lawyer may be able to identify and build evidence against more than one guilty party. This is especially important for cases involving spinal cord injuries, which can result in millions of dollars in medical expenses long-term. Being able to recover damages from more than one insurance policy will help you get the compensation you need to recover without debts. 

Why You Need a Back Injury Lawyer in Fresno

Personal injury lawsuits involving back and spinal cord injuries can be complicated. These injuries can be difficult to diagnose and often come with years of rehabilitation. Proving that your injury is the result of an accident can also be difficult. That’s why you need lawyers with the resources and expertise necessary to ensure you get the compensation you deserve. 

The back injury lawyers at Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accidents Lawyers are here to support you. Our team of professionals will gather depositions from relevant experts, collect important medical records, acquire evidence of fault, and much more to support your case. Since our founding in 1971, we’ve gotten successful verdicts and settlements for over 100,000 cases. We know how to negotiate with aggressive insurance companies that may attempt to minimize your injuries. Though we’re experts in resolving cases in mediation, we’ve taken countless personal injury lawsuits to trial and won. We’re confident we’ll do the same for you if it comes to that. 

Common Causes of Back and Spinal Cord Injuries

All kinds of accidents can result in life-changing back and spinal cord injuries. The most common in the US include:

  • Car accidents
  • Slips and falls
  • Motorcycle accidents
  • Gunshots and knife wounds
  • Impact sports
  • Work accidents

The leading cause of back and spinal cord injuries is car accidents, which account for almost half of new spinal cord injuries annually. Spinal cord injuries caused by car accidents can be especially catastrophic given the force of the impact, whether your vehicle is being struck or striking another vehicle. These accidents are often caused by driver negligence in the form of speeding, distracted driving, or drunk driving. 

Slip and fall accidents are another leading cause of spinal cord injuries. Simply tripping on a loose rug or slipping on a wet floor can result in life-altering injuries. If your accident occurred on someone else’s property, whether it be public or private, they may be at fault for your injury. If so, you’ll need the help of an attorney to establish liability and pursue compensation. 

At Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accidents Lawyers, we have experts who specialize in accidents that can cause back and spinal cord injuries, including a slip and fall attorney and a car accident lawyer. Your case is in safe hands with us, even if it’s complex or you’re partly at fault.

Types of Back and Spinal Cord Injuries

To understand spinal cord injuries, you need to understand the spinal cord. It’s a bundle of nerves and tissues that serves as the support beam for your entire body. The cord, which is protected by the vertebrae bones, is what links the brain to your body. 

The spine is made up of four regions: the cervical spine, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, and sacral spine. If any of these regions is damaged, it can affect your sensory and motor function. Generally speaking, the higher the injury to the spinal cord, the more severe the injury. If the cervical spine by the neck is damaged, for example, you may lose all feeling and motion from the neck down. 

As you can see, spinal cord injuries can vary immensely in terms of severity. These injuries can generally be split into two categories: incomplete and complete. Victims of incomplete injuries retain some sensory and/or motor function below the injury site. Victims of complete injuries lose all feeling and their ability to control their body below the injury site. Examples of incomplete injuries include:

  • Back sprains and strains
  • Fractured vertebrae
  • Herniated discs
  • Central cord syndrome
  • Incomplete tetraplegia

A complete injury would be paraplegia, a form of paralysis that leaves victims unable to move the lower parts of their body. Whether you’re suffering from paraplegia, a herniated disc, or a painful strain, you deserve to be compensated for your pain and financial losses.

Symptoms of Back and Spinal Cord Injuries

Some accidents cause minor back injuries that can be treated with ice and rest. However, what seems like a minor injury can escalate into something more severe. Here are some symptoms of back and spinal cord injuries that you should look out for:

  • Trouble walking
  • Muscle weakness in legs
  • Numbness in the buttocks and/or genitals
  • Difficulty urinating and not feeling your urinary stream
  • Pain that wakes you at night and is worse when lying down
  • Pain and numbness in legs that worsens when sneezing, coughing, or sitting

If you experience any of these symptoms, see a doctor as soon as possible. Once you’ve gotten medical attention, you should contact a Fresno back injury lawyer so you can begin the legal process.

Treatment and Recovery Costs for Back Injuries

The treatment and recovery costs for back injuries can be staggering. For serious injuries, they can range between hundreds of thousands and millions. The recovery process can take anywhere from months to years, so the costs can really add up. Here are a few of the treatment options for people who have suffered spinal cord and back injuries:

  • Physical therapy 
  • Occupational therapy
  • Cortisone injections
  • Radiofrequency ablation
  • Neural prosthetics 
  • Wheelchairs, walkers, and leg braces

Still, even with significant treatment, some victims will never have the same abilities that they had pre-accident. The staggering costs associated with these treatments should not be your responsibility. If someone else caused your accident, a spinal injury lawyer can recover damages from them. The Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accidents Lawyers team has recovered millions for our clients to compensate them for their high medical expenses, physical pain, and mental suffering. 

Reach Out to Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accidents Lawyers for a Free Consultation

Have you suffered a back or spinal cord injury in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence? If so, you need spinal cord injury attorneys you can rely on. The team at Kuzyk Law has experience in every type of back injury case. No matter how complex your case may seem, we’re confident we have the expertise and resources necessary to advocate for you. 

If you’re interested in filing a claim or have any questions, please contact us by filling out our online form. We’ll get back in touch with you soon to schedule a no-cost consultation with one of our lawyers. You can also call (661) 465-6241 at any time. 

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have questions about spinal cord injuries, back injury law, and filing lawsuits, please view our helpful FAQs below. Don’t see your question answered? Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’ll arrange a call for you with one of our spinal cord injury lawyers.

Can you fully recover from a spinal cord injury?

Victims may be able to recover somewhat with treatment and therapy, but full recovery after a spinal cord injury is unfortunately quite rare.

What if I’m also at fault for the accident that caused my injury?

Califonia is a comparative fault state, meaning one person can sue another even if they’re partly at fault for the accident. That said, the amount of compensation you can recover will be partly reduced relative to your fault. For example, if you’re found to be 50% at fault for the accident, your compensation will be reduced by half. 

How long will it take to settle my lawsuit?

Personal injury lawsuits can take a few months after filing, while others can take one or two years. This largely depends on the severity of your injuries and whether or not the case has to go to trial. 

Can I settle my spinal cord injury case out of court?

Yes, in fact, the vast majority of spinal cord injury cases settle out of court. The same is true for most personal injury cases, though cases involving catastrophic injuries are much more likely to go to trial. At Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accidents Lawyers, we always do our best to reach a fair agreement through negotiation and mediation. If this isn’t possible, we’ll advise you about going to trial. 

How long after the accident do I have to file a lawsuit?

In California, you must file a lawsuit within two years of the accident. This time period may be extended if you didn’t discover your injury or the cause of that injury long after the accident. If your case is filed against a government entity, however, you must bring the case within six months of the accident.

Resources for People With Back and Spinal Cord Injuries

If you’ve suffered a back or spinal cord injury and are having trouble adjusting, there are lots of resources out there to help you. Please consult the resources below to learn more about local support groups and treatment options in your area. 

These resources can help you adjust to your new life and find support in your community. If you have any other questions about spinal injuries or are interested in filing a claim to receive compensation for your injury, we’ll arrange a consultation for you with one of our spine injury attorneys. 

Hire a Fresno Back Injury Attorney That Will Fight for You

You shouldn’t have to suffer overwhelming medical bills because of someone else’s negligence. No matter the circumstances of your accident, we’ll set you up with a reputable Fresno back injury lawyer who can help you. Tell us about your back injury case and we’ll determine the route that will maximize your compensation so you can move on with your life and focus on your recovery.