What This Page Covers

• Definitions of Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI): Explains the difference between complete SCI (total loss of function) and incomplete SCI (partial sensation or movement).
• Common Symptoms and Effects: Details catastrophic outcomes such as paraplegia, quadriplegia, loss of sensation, and respiratory impairment.
• Liability and Fault: Identifies potential responsible parties, including negligent drivers, manufacturers of defective vehicle parts, and property owners.
• Indiana Legal Framework: Outlines the “modified comparative fault” system, where victims can recover damages if they are 50% or less at fault.
• Statute of Limitations: Explicitly mentions the two-year deadline for filing a personal injury claim in Indiana.

Why This Matters

• Catastrophic Impact: Spinal injuries often result in permanent disability, chronic pain, and a heavily diminished quality of life.
• Financial Burden: Victims face staggering costs, including overwhelming medical bills, lifelong care needs, and the total loss of earning capacity.
• Hidden Dangers: Many spinal injuries are not immediately apparent and can rapidly progress into life-threatening emergencies if left untreated.
• Insurance Tactics: Insurance companies often attempt to downplay back pain or shift blame to avoid paying the full value of a claim.
• Legal Deadlines: Missing the strict two-year filing window in Indiana means losing the right to recover any compensation regardless of the injury’s severity.

Key Actions You Can Take

• Prioritize Medical Care: Seek emergency medical attention immediately, even if the injury seems minor, to protect your health and create a medical record.
• Report the Incident: File an official police report to ensure there is a neutral third-party record of the accident.
• Preserve Evidence: Document the scene with photos or videos and collect contact information from any eyewitnesses.
• Limit Communication: Avoid discussing the accident details or the extent of your injuries with insurance adjusters until you have spoken with a lawyer.
• Consult Legal Counsel: Contact an Indianapolis spinal injury attorney to help navigate the complex claims process and fight for fair compensation.

Indianapolis Spinal Cord Injuries Lawyer

Spinal cord injuries are among the most devastating and life-altering injuries a person can suffer. The spine is one of the most vital parts of the human body, containing the spinal cord that sends signals between the brain and body to control motor function, sensation, and other critical bodily processes. When the spinal cord is damaged, it can lead to partial or complete paralysis along with a host of other catastrophic effects.

If you or a loved one has suffered a severe spinal cord injury due to someone else’s negligence, you need an experienced Indianapolis spinal cord injuries lawyer to recover maximum compensation you deserve.

Why You Need a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

When a spinal cord injury strikes, the physical, emotional, and financial consequences can be staggering. Spinal injury victims often face overwhelming medical bills, inability to work and earn an income, loss of independence, chronic pain, sexual dysfunction impacting intimacy, and a heavily diminished quality of life.

A spine injury lawyer at Crossen Law Firm understands the grave impacts of these severe injuries. That’s why our legal team dedicates itself to aggressively pursuing financial compensation for injured victims who have suffered catastrophic spinal trauma through no fault of their own.

Cases Our Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Have Represented

• Complete spinal cord injuries resulting in paraplegia or quadriplegia/tetraplegia
• Incomplete spinal cord injuries with some neurological function remaining
• Spinal cord compression
• Herniated, bulging or ruptured discs
• Vertebral fractures
• Back and spinal cord injuries from high-impact accidents and trauma

Whether your spinal injury was caused by a car accident, truck accident, pedestrian accident, workplace incident, or any other event stemming from negligence, our Indianapolis spine injury attorneys conduct a meticulous investigation to uncover every possible source of liability.

We thoroughly prepare each spinal cord injury case to maximize the financial recovery for victims and families, taking cases to trial when necessary to recover rightful compensation.

What Is a Spinal Cord Injury?

A spinal cord injury (SCI) refers to any damage to the spinal cord or the nerves within the spinal column. This bundle of nerves carries signals between the brain and the rest of the body, so any trauma or condition affecting the spinal cord can have severe consequences.

Spinal cord injuries are classified based on their severity. Complete spinal cord injury results in a total loss of sensory and motor function below the point of injury. With a complete SCI, the victim has no ability to control movement or feel sensation in parts of the body served by the damaged portion of the spinal cord.

Incomplete spinal cord injury means there is still residual sensory and/or motor function below the level of injury. The amount of function that remains varies based on the extent of spinal cord damage in an incomplete spinal cord injury.

Symptoms and Effects of a Spinal Cord Injury

• Paralysis (paraplegia affecting the legs/lower body or quadriplegia/tetraplegia affecting all four limbs)
• Loss of sensation and motor control
• Loss of bladder/bowel control
• Breathing impairment
• Sexual dysfunction
• Chronic pain
• Muscle spasms/spasticity
• Pressure sores from lack of mobility
• Depression and other mental health issues

The leading causes of spinal injury accidents in Indianapolis and nationwide include motor vehicle accidents, falls, acts of violence, sports/recreation accidents, and certain diseases. No matter how a spinal injury occurred, victims and families need qualified legal representation to recover fair compensation for their immense losses.

Liability In Spinal Cord Injury Claims

Establishing liability—determining who is legally responsible for your spinal cord injury—is a critical first step in any personal injury case. Spinal cord injury attorneys investigate to identify all potentially responsible parties that caused or contributed to your serious injuries.

Examples of Liable Parties in Spinal Cord Injury Cases

• Negligent drivers
• Manufacturers of defective vehicles, safety equipment, etc.
• Trucking companies
• Property owners
• Doctors/medical staff (in cases of medical malpractice)
• Employers

Indiana operates under a “modified comparative fault” system for personal injury claims. This means you can recover spinal cord injury damages as long as you are 50% or less at fault for the accident or incident that caused your injuries. However, your total compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault.

An experienced lawyer works to demonstrate that another party was primarily responsible for your back and spinal injuries, while also advocating to minimize any percentage of fault potentially assigned to you as the injury victim.

Steps to Take After Suffering a Spinal Cord Injury in Indiana

The actions taken immediately after a spine injury are vital for protecting your health as well as safeguarding your rights to pursue a personal injury claim if another party was at fault.

A personal injury lawyer will encourage taking the following steps if you or a loved one have suffered spinal trauma in pedestrian accidents, car accidents, or other incidents:

1. Seek emergency medical attention from a medical professional. Many spinal cord injuries are not immediately apparent but can rapidly progress in severity.
2. Report the incident to authorities if applicable, such as filing a police report for auto accidents. Official reports create crucial evidence.
3. Document everything. Photos, videos, witness statements, and other records of the accident scene and circumstances are invaluable.
4. Avoid giving recorded statements or accepting any settlement offers from insurance companies before speaking with an Indianapolis spinal cord injury lawyer.
5. Schedule a free consultation with an experienced spinal injury attorney. Having legal representation from the start helps ensure no critical mistakes are made in your case.

Compensation You Can Recover from Spinal Cord Injuries

When the spine suffers trauma, the financial burden is extreme and ongoing. The damages available in traumatic injury cases reflect the severe impact and life-long repercussions these catastrophic injuries have on victims and families.

An Indianapolis spinal injury lawyer will pursue compensation for all economic and non-economic losses, which may include:

• Past and future medical care (doctor visits, hospitalizations, surgery, medications, medical equipment, long-term care, etc.)
• Home modifications for accessibility
• Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
• Pain and suffering during neurological recovery
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of consortium for spouses
• Punitive damages

Our spinal cord injury lawyers fight to recover a complete financial recovery for every hardship, ensuring you have sufficient compensation to cover future medical bills, make your living space accessible, replace lost income and earnings potential, afford quality in-home care, and more.

While no amount of money can undo the immense physical and emotional toll of damage to pelvic organs, loss of sexual function, chronic pain, or paralysis, securing maximum compensation provides the best foundation for moving forward.

No two cases are alike—your spinal cord injury lawyer carefully reviews the specific details and effects of your spinal cord injuries to calculate all damages you have suffered and will likely incur in the future. This “lifelong cost” is essential. You deserve compensation to live as comfortably as possible given your condition.

Limitation On Spinal Injury Damages In Indiana

While most damages are allowed with no limits in Indiana spinal injury cases, there are a few exceptions to be aware of:

• The state caps many claims against government agencies/employees at $700,000.
• Punitive damages are prohibited in most spinal injuries cases.
• In wrongful death cases where the deceased has no dependents, damages are capped at $300,000 (including attorney fees).

These limitations underscore how crucial it is to work with legal counsel familiar with Indiana’s personal injury laws. An Indianapolis spinal cord injury attorney evaluates how these rules may impact your case.

Indiana Statute of Limitations for Spinal Injuries

Indiana has a two-year statute of limitations for pursuing personal injury claims, including spinal cord injury lawsuits. This means you must file your spinal injuries claim within two years from the date of the accident or injury.

There are few exceptions to this deadline, so do not delay in consulting an Indianapolis spinal cord injuries lawyer after suffering a spine injury due to negligence. Missing this two-year window could mean forfeiting your right to recover compensation entirely.

What to Do if You Think You Have a Spinal Cord Injury Case

If you or a loved one has suffered any type of back, spine, or neck injury in an accident caused by negligence, it’s imperative to seek medical attention—even if the injury seems minor initially. Many spinal cord injuries do not show symptoms right away, but can quickly become emergencies requiring extensive treatment and lifelong care.

Seeking prompt medical care protects your health while also creating records that can prove the origins and extent of your spinal injury. These medical documents become crucial evidence in any subsequent spinal injuries legal case.

Beyond getting a proper medical evaluation and diagnosis for spinal injuries, it’s advisable to:

• Report the accident to authorities if applicable
• Document the scene with photos/videos
• Get the names and contact information of any witnesses
• Avoid discussing details of the accident or your injuries with insurance companies until you have legal counsel

The insurance company representing the at fault driver is not motivated to fully compensate you – they will look for any opportunity to downplay your injuries and damages. Having an Indianapolis spinal cord injury attorney advising you from the outset prevents costly mistakes.

Contact A Crossen Indianapolis Spinal Cord Injuries Lawyer

Living with a spinal cord injury is an overwhelming physical, emotional, and financial ordeal. While no amount of money can undo the harm done, securing maximum compensation is essential for affording quality care and maintaining your quality of life. But going up against insurance companies alone is an uphill battle spinal injury victims simply should not have to face.

An Indianapolis spinal injury attorney at Crossen Law Firm understands the immense challenges spinal cord injury victims face in rebuilding their lives. We fight tirelessly to make those responsible take full financial responsibility—ensuring you have access to all necessary medical treatment, accommodations, and resources. Our legal team has extensive experience handling serious spinal injury cases, and we leverage our skills and resources to recover the rightful compensation you deserve.

Taking legal action after suffering a life-altering spinal cord injury may seem like an additional burden on top of the extreme physical and emotional trauma. But the Indianapolis spinal cord injury attorneys at Crossen make the process as straightforward as possible while safeguarding your rights at every turn. Your health and future are the top priorities.

There are no fees to you until we win and recover the compensation you need.

Spinal injury victims are already facing enough hardships—the last thing they need is to worry about the cost of exceptional legal representation. At Crossen Law Firm, our spinal injury attorneys represent spinal cord injury clients on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay absolutely no upfront costs or legal fees of any kind unless we successfully recover compensation for you for your injury or wrongful death claim.

Let us handle the legal battle to hold negligent parties accountable while you focus on healing.

Frequently Asked Questions About Back and Spinal Injuries

How long after a car accident can spinal injury symptoms appear?

While some spinal injuries are immediately obvious, symptoms can also be delayed for days, weeks, or even months following a crash. These “hidden” injuries often begin as minor discomfort but can rapidly progress into serious medical emergencies as inflammation or internal damage worsens.

What are the early warning signs of a serious spinal injury after a crash?

Early warning signs include persistent numbness or tingling in the extremities, sudden loss of bladder or bowel control, and difficulty breathing. Victims should also watch for muscle weakness, severe localized pain in the back or neck, and any unusual loss of sensation or motor control in their limbs.

Can a minor car accident cause long-term back damage?

Yes, low-speed collisions like fender benders can still exert enough force to cause significant long-term back damage, such as herniated discs or spinal fractures. Because these injuries are often “invisible” at first, they may go untreated and lead to chronic pain or permanent mobility issues.

What is the average settlement for a herniated disc from a car accident?

There is no true “average” settlement for a herniated disc in Indiana because compensation is tailored to the specific financial and physical impact on the victim.Factors that influence the final amount include the cost of medical treatment, the extent of lost wages, and the degree of permanent impairment or pain and suffering.

How do insurance companies evaluate spinal injury claims?

Insurance companies typically evaluate these claims by scrutinizing the victim’s medical history for pre-existing conditions and looking for gaps in medical treatment to undermine the injury’s severity. They often use adjusters to shift fault onto the victim or downplay the long-term costs of spinal care to minimize the settlement payout.

Can you still file a claim if your back injury worsens over time?

You can file a claim for an injury that worsens, provided you are within Indiana’s two-year statute of limitations and can prove the condition was caused by the accident. It is critical to have consistent medical documentation from the date of the crash to link the escalating symptoms to the original event.

What medical tests are used to prove a spinal injury after an accident?

Proving a spinal injury generally requires advanced diagnostic imaging such as MRIs, CT scans, and X-rays to visualize damage to vertebrae and soft tissues. Additionally, lawyers may use permanency evaluations and expert medical testimony to objectively demonstrate the long-term impact of the injury on a victim’s life.

Call (317) 401-8626 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with our compassionate spinal cord injury lawyers today.