The implications of spinal cord injury can have both an immediate and far-reaching effect on your quality of life, as well as your ability to work or function without daily assistance. In some cases, the symptoms of a spinal injury are temporary. In many cases, however, there are permanent consequences, such as partial or whole-body paralysis.
Following a spinal cord injury, it is not uncommon to have to change your daily routine. Even basic tasks that you may have performed without much thought prior to your injury might now be impossible to do on your own. Such tasks include things like brushing your teeth, combing your hair or feeding yourself.
Depending on your condition, there may be some tasks you can still do on your own. It might simply be a matter of learning to do those things in new ways. However, a severe spinal cord injury might require daily assistance around the clock, which can be difficult to adjust to and emotionally upsetting.
If you still have use of your upper body following a spinal cord injury, you might be able to move around using a wheelchair. There are many types of wheelchairs, and the first step to adapting to a new lifestyle as a spinal patient is to determine which apparatus best fits your needs and enables you to maximize the abilities you still possess even if with paralysis.
If you’re unable to work a wheelchair on your own, it can take time to become accustomed to having someone push your chair when you want to move from place to place.
During recovery, you will undoubtedly have some good days and bad days. Most spinal cord injury patients experience setbacks, which can be frustrating, frightening and distressing. It is not uncommon for spinal patients to become depressed or suffer other mental health problems associated with a reduced quality of life. Resources are available to provide support to those in need.
When driver negligence was a causal factor in a Michigan motor vehicle accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury, a recovering victim can seek restitution for damages. Many patients use court-awarded compensation to cover medical bills and replace lost wages, potential earnings and other expenses associated with their injuries.
]]>The number one cause of brain trauma in older people is slips and falls. Car accidents are the second most common issue that often results in traumatic brain injuries in the 65-and-older generation. In fact, medical teams in emergency rooms have reported more than 80,000 admissions per year of TBI patients who are 65 or older.
While women in the older population are in the hospital with injuries more often than men, the latter group reportedly suffers more traumatic brain injuries than the former. One study also showed that nearly 10% of participants (who were all members of the older population) had been taking a specific medication prior to suffering TBI. Injuries were more severe in this group, and the mortality rate was higher than it was for older people who had brain injuries but did not take the same medication as the others.
Data shows that older people who have neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, take longer to recover from TBI than elders who do not have cognition-associated diseases. Approximately 30% to 80% of patients ages 55 and beyond do not survive TBI. These percentages are much lower in younger patients.
If a careless or reckless driver or negligent property owner cause an accident that results in traumatic brain injuries to a member of the older population, Michigan law allows the recovering patient, or an immediate family member of a fatally injured patient, to seek restitution in civil court. If evidence shows that the defendant failed to fulfill a duty of care due to negligence, and that negligence resulted in the plaintiff’s (or family member of the plaintiff’s) injuries, the court can order the defendant to pay compensation for damages.
]]>The problem is that the settlement you agree to might not be enough to cover all your expenses associated with the collision that resulted in injuries. This may be especially true if you suffered a spinal cord or traumatic brain injury in a crash. Such injuries may require extensive medical care for months, which is expensive, even if you have a solid healthcare plan.
What if you’re left “holding the bag” for expenses after a collision because the insurance payout you receive falls short of the total amount you have calculated as necessary to meet your medical and household needs? For instance, you might have to take time off work during recovery. If the wreck totaled your car, you might have to purchase a new vehicle, as well.
If your injuries are severe, you might need a visiting nurse to help with daily care. An injury to your brain or spine might require surgery. You might also have to spend time in an assisted living facility for rehabilitation, in between surgery and going home from the hospital. Thinking that you will be able to rely on an insurance settlement alone to help cover such costs could be a big mistake.
Perhaps you have evidence to prove that the other driver involved in the collision that caused your injuries was dealing with a distraction at the wheel, intoxication or otherwise disregarded traffic laws or safety regulations moments before the crash. You can present this information to a civil court judge, who is then able to hold the other person fully accountable for his or her actions.
Litigation associated with a motor vehicle collision is often complex and stressful. You will have to discuss the accident in detail, perhaps multiple times. Many recovering victims ask a legal advocate to speak and act on their behalf in court. This is less stressful and often increases a plaintiff’s chances of obtaining a favorable outcome.
]]>Not long after 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 31, a man was riding his bike along Opdyke Road when he was struck by a Jeep. The man was identified as 47 years old, and the Jeep’s driver was a 25-year-old female. No other vehicles or victims were involved.
At the scene, police and emergency personnel found the man unresponsive. He was taken to a hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries and passed away. Authorities do not know the reason for the crash, but they do not suspect drug or alcohol impairment on either party involved. They are asking for any witnesses to provide information regarding the crash.
As they reel from their loss, the man’s surviving family is likely concerned with how they will pay final expenses and other costs associated with the crash. Although the report said the Jeep driver remained at the scene and cooperated with authorities, that does not mean she is not liable for the accident and the man’s death. To gain a full understanding of their options for pursuing claims for monetary damages, the man’s family will want to consult with a personal injury attorney in Michigan.
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