Spinal Cord Injuries in Car Accidents

Wheaton and Schaumburg Lawyers for Victims of Vehicle Crashes

Spinal cord injuries suffered in car accidents can be some of the most life altering and debilitating injuries a person can experience. If you have sustained a spinal cord injury in a collision caused by someone else’s negligence, our skilled Wheaton and Schaumburg car accident attorneys may be able to help. At Therman Law Offices, we will thoroughly examine your case and help you pursue full and fair compensation for your harm.

Spinal Cord Injuries

The term “spinal cord injury” denotes damage to the nerve of the spinal cord that causes brief or lasting changes in its function. The spinal cord is a collection of nerves that run though the spinal column responsible for connecting the brain to the rest of the body. Thus, any injury to the spinal cord may disrupt the spinal cord’s ability to communicate with the brain regarding the body’s systems that control sensory, motor and autonomic functions. Spinal cord injuries can range in severity and can result in conditions such as paraplegia, quadriplegia, herniated disks, fractured vertebrae and nerve impingement.

Spinal Cord Injury Statistics

Sadly, spinal cord injuries are more common than you may think. The National Spinal Cord Injury Association estimates that as many as 450,000 individuals in the country are living with a spinal cord injury. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 11,000 people sustain spinal cord injuries on an annual basis. Auto accidents are one of the primary causes of spinal cord injury in the country, and the top cause of spinal cord injury for people 65 years of age and younger.

Liability for Car Accident Injuries

If you have suffered a spinal cord injury in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. Negligence is the legal concept that is most often used to establish who was at fault for the accident. A person is negligent behind the wheel when he or she causes an accident by failing to use the level of care that a reasonably prudent person would have used under the same circumstances. Negligence can take many forms. One of the most obvious ways a driver can be negligent is when he or she is driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Distracted driving, unsafe lane changes, excessive speeding and tailgating are other common examples of driving behaviors that could give rise to a negligence claim.

As a practical matter, a driver who is found to be negligent or “at fault” for the accident will be responsible for covering the damages arising from the accident including, but not limited to: medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, pain and suffering, property damage and lost wages.

Even if you were partially at fault, this does not prevent you from being compensated for your injuries. Illinois follow a “modified comparative negligence” rule under which a plaintiff may recover compensation from the at-fault party so long as that plaintiff’s percentage of fault was less than 50 percent. For example, if you were deemed to be 20 percent at fault for your accident, you would be able to recover 80 percent of your damages. There is one exception to this rule. If a plaintiff is 50 percent or more at fault for an accident that resulted in an injury, that plaintiff will be barred from recovering any damages at all.

Trusted Car Accident Attorneys Serving Wheaton and Schaumburg

If you have suffered a spinal cord injury in a car accident that was not your fault, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. At Therman Law Offices, our hardworking and reputable Wheaton and Schaumburg lawyers understand how a spinal cord injury can turn a person’s life upside down. We want you to focus on your recovery while we focus on your case. You can rest assured we will vigorously advocate for your rights every step of the way. We proudly serve clients from Arlington Heights, Streamwood, Elgin, Bartlett, Hoffman Estates, Hanover Park, Wood Dale, Bensenville, Bloomingdale and Roselle. Call us today at 312-588-1900 or contact us online.