Spinal cord injuries don't just cause physical paralysis; they paralyze plans, dreams, and financial security. Family relationships transform as loved ones become caregivers. Career aspirations halt as mobility limitations emerge. Financial stability crumbles beneath mounting medical bills and lost income.
During this life-changing time, you need more than just a lawyer. You need a dedicated advocate who understands the unique challenges of spinal cord injury cases in New York and New Jersey.
The spinal cord injury lawyers at Hofmann & Schweitzer focus on helping victims rebuild their lives through legal advocacy. We understand the physical, emotional, and financial toll these catastrophic injuries create and fight for the full compensation you need while you focus on adapting to your new reality.
Different Types of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries occur when trauma damages the spinal cord, disrupting the communication pathway between the brain and the body. Our New York and New Jersey spinal cord injury lawyers represent victims with various types and severities of spinal damage, including:
- Complete spinal cord injuries. These injuries sever all communication below the injury site, resulting in total loss of motor function and sensation beneath the level of injury. Complete injuries often cause paraplegia or quadriplegia, depending on the location of the damage.
- Incomplete spinal cord injuries. Some nerve pathways remain intact with these injuries, allowing for varying degrees of motor function and sensation below the injury site. Recovery potential is typically higher than for complete injuries, but substantial rehabilitation is still required.
- Spinal contusions and compressions. These injuries involve bruising or pressure on the spinal cord rather than complete severing. While sometimes less severe, they can still cause significant, lasting disability requiring extensive rehabilitation.
- Spinal cord syndromes. Specific syndromes like central cord syndrome, Brown-Séquard syndrome, and anterior cord syndrome affect different areas of the spinal cord and create unique patterns of impairment requiring specialized treatment.
The level of injury along the spinal column determines which body functions are affected. Cervical (neck) injuries typically cause quadriplegia, affecting all four limbs, while thoracic or lumbar injuries often result in paraplegia, affecting the lower body only.
Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries in New York and New Jersey
Spinal cord injuries result from various accidents, especially those involving sudden, traumatic impact or compression of the spine. Our New York and New Jersey spinal cord injury lawyers regularly handle cases resulting from:
- Motor vehicle crashes. Car, truck, and motorcycle accidents account for nearly half of all spinal cord injuries nationwide. The sudden force in these collisions can fracture or dislocate vertebrae, damaging the delicate spinal cord.
- Construction accidents. Falls from heights, struck-by incidents, and crushing accidents at construction sites frequently cause catastrophic spinal injuries. Workers injured in these incidents may have claims beyond workers' compensation.
- Falls. Falls from stairs, ladders, or elevated surfaces can result in severe spinal trauma, especially among older adults. Property owners who fail to maintain safe premises may be liable for these injuries.
- Maritime and dock accidents. Workers in New York and New Jersey's bustling ports face risks from heavy equipment, falls, and other hazards that can cause spinal injuries. These cases often involve specialized maritime law.
- Recreational incidents. Diving accidents, sports injuries, and boating mishaps can lead to spinal cord damage when proper safety measures aren't followed or equipment fails.
Our experienced legal team investigates these incidents thoroughly to identify all potentially liable parties and sources of compensation for your injuries.
Life-Changing Impact of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can affect every part of your life and cause:
- Physical limitations. Depending on the injury level and severity, victims may face partial or complete paralysis, loss of sensation, chronic pain, muscle spasms, pressure sores, respiratory issues, and bowel or bladder dysfunction.
- Healthcare needs. Ongoing medical care often includes hospitalization, surgeries, rehabilitation therapy, medication, specialized equipment, home health services, and regular doctor visits for life.
- Living environment changes. Many spinal cord injury survivors require substantial home modifications, including wheelchair ramps, wider doorways, roll-in showers, ceiling lifts, and specialized kitchen features to accommodate mobility equipment.
- Psychological effects. The emotional impact of spinal cord injuries includes grief, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and adjustment disorders as individuals adapt to their changed capabilities and independence levels.
- Financial strain. The lifetime cost of care for a severe spinal cord injury can exceed $5 million, not including lost income and reduced earning capacity. Few families can absorb such catastrophic expenses without legal compensation.
Our New York and New Jersey spinal cord injury lawyers partner with medical experts, life care planners, and economists to document these impacts and secure compensation that addresses your immediate and long-term needs.
Fighting for Maximum Compensation
Spinal cord injury cases involve substantial damages due to the catastrophic nature of these injuries. Our attorneys fight for complete compensation covering:
Medical Expenses
We work to secure payment for all medical care, including emergency treatment, surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, adaptive equipment, medications, and lifelong medical services. A comprehensive claim accounts for current and future medical costs associated with your injury.
Lost Income and Earning Capacity
Many spinal cord injury victims cannot return to their previous employment. We help recover current lost wages and future income losses, accounting for career advancement opportunities that were derailed by your injury.
Personal Care Assistance
When victims require help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, eating, or transferring, we pursue compensation to cover the costs of personal care attendants or family caregivers.
Home and Vehicle Modifications
We seek funds for necessary modifications to make homes and vehicles accessible, including wheelchair ramps, elevators, widened doorways, roll-in showers, and hand controls for vehicles.
Pain and Suffering
The physical pain and emotional distress caused by a spinal cord injury deserve substantial compensation beyond just economic damages.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life
When a spinal cord injury prevents you from participating in activities you once enjoyed or fundamentally changes your relationship with family members, you deserve compensation for these profound losses.
Insurance companies often pressure spinal cord injury victims to accept quick settlements that fall dramatically short of covering lifetime needs. Our experienced attorneys interpret complicated medical evidence and calculate all future care needs to build a compelling case and recover fair compensation.
Why Choose Our New Jersey and New York Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers
For over 40 years, Hofmann & Schweitzer has stood up for injury victims across New York, New Jersey, and beyond. Unlike large, impersonal firms where you might become just another case number, we offer:
- Personalized, hands-on representation. We provide individualized attention as a smaller firm focused on severe injury cases. Our attorneys personally visit accident sites to understand exactly what happened, and we make house calls when necessary for clients unable to leave home due to their injuries.
- Responsive communication. We understand the stress and uncertainty that follow a spinal cord injury. That's why we maintain a firm-wide policy of returning every client call within 24 hours. Your questions never go unanswered, and you'll always know where your case stands.
- Trial-ready approach. Insurance companies know which law firms prepare thoroughly and which push for quick settlements. Our reputation as experienced litigators who prepare every case for trial gives us leverage in negotiations and prepares us for trial if a fair settlement can’t be reached.
- Proven results for catastrophic injuries. Our attorneys have recovered over a hundred million dollars for injury victims throughout our decades of practice. This places us among an elite group of multi-million dollar advocates who know how to document and prove the substantial damages that accompany life-altering spinal cord injuries.
When you choose Hofmann & Schweitzer to handle your spinal cord injury case, you're not just getting legal representation—you're gaining dedicated advocates who combine decades of legal experience with a commitment to treating you like family.
