Toronto Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers

Experienced Spinal Cord Injuries Lawyers in Toronto

Spinal cord injuries are among the most catastrophic injuries sustained in accidents and often the most expensive to rehabilitate from. If you, or a loved one, has been in an accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury there is a good chance that life as you knew it will never be the same. If your accident was caused by the negligence of another person then you have the right to seek compensation from them.

Spinal cord injuries are one of the most common injuries resulting from automobile, motorcycle, pedestrian and bicycling accidents. Spinal cord injuries can vary in severity from minor sprains, to disc herniations and even paralysis.

A spinal cord injury can be particularly debilitating.  The victims of spinal cord injuries often have to deal with unrelenting severe pain which limits their ability to function.  Spinal cord injuries can leave you unable to work, and often require long term costly medical treatments and rehabilitation to help you manage. The sooner that you are in contact with a Toronto spinal cord injury lawyer, the better able we will be to ensure you are getting the care you require.

What is a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)?

The spinal cord is an 45 cm long thick bundle of of nerves running from your brain to your tailbone through the vertebrae in your spine. Vertebrae are boney structures which serve to protect the spinal cord and allow you to stand up straight.  Your spine is made up of twenty-four vertebrae in three separate sections.  There are seven vertebrae in your neck or cervical spine; twelve vertebrae in your mid-back or thoracic spine; and five vertebrae in your lower back or lumbar spine.  Between each vertebrae is a soft disc which is made of which acts as a shock absorber and allows your spine to move freely.

The spinal cord branches out all along your spine like the roots of a tree reaching into your arms, hands legs and feet.  The spinal cord’s function is to carrying messages from the brain to the rest of your body which allows you to move the various parts of your body and to touch and feel things.

Trauma from an accident can cause injury to the spinal cord, vertebrae or discs.  Injuries to the spine can be particularly debilitating.  The most severe spinal injuries can lead to paralysis.  Spinal cord injuries are very difficulty to treat and sadly more often than not result in live long problems.

There are two categories of Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) complete or incomplete.

Complete SCI
When the spinal cord is damaged it is unable to send signals (or nerve impulses) to the brain, and the brain is no longer able to send signals to the body. When these nerve impulses can’t get through it causes paralysis – complete loss of mobility and sensation – below the level of the injury. That is a complete SCI.

Incomplete SCI
When the spinal cord injury does not cause complete paralysis because a small signal is still passing through the site of the injury, it is considered an incomplete SCI. A person with an incomplete SCI may experience feeling or movement below the site of the injury- oftentimes more on one side of the body than the other.

According the Spinal Cord Institute about 90% of what we know about spinal cord injuries we have learned in the last 20 years. Between that and new medical advances we are seeing more incomplete SCI’s in cases that would have resulted in complete SCI’s in the past.

Any spinal cord injury whether complete or incomplete is serious and requires extensive treatment. A Toronto lawyer with experience handling spinal cord injuries will be able to help you recover enough money to provide you with lifetime care.

What Causes Spinal Cord Injuries in Toronto?

There are many causes of spinal cord injuries, unfortunately all too often the cause is an accident that could have been prevented. All Ontario reports that in Canada almost 35 people per million population are falling victim to SCI’s every year. That’s amounting to 900 Canadians every year involved spinal cord accidents leading to injuries including paraplegia and quadriplegia.

Car accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries making up 35% of cases. Other accidents that can result in spinal cord injuries include:

• Collapsing and slipping (16.5% of all SCI’s in Canada)
• Medical and surgical complications (medical malpractice) (10.8%)
• Sports related incidents (6.7%)
• Diving injuries (5.3%)
• Slip and falls
• Motorcycle accidents
• Falling objects
• Pedestrian injuries
• Bicycle accidents

If your spinal cord injury occurred in an accident that was the result of the negligence of another you need an experienced Toronto spinal cord injury to represent you and to maximum the compensation you are owed.

What is Involved in Lifetime Care for a Person With a Spinal Cord Injury?

If you, or your loved one, has suffered a spinal cord injury your Toronto spinal cord injury lawyer will work with your treating specialists, physicians, rehabilitation and healthcare provides to ensure that you have  a comprehensive long-term life plan which will help you live the best life possible after your injury.  There are many factors to be taken into consideration and the services of a life care planner will be enlisted to ensure your every need is met. Some of those needs include:

• Long term rehabilitation
• Psychological care
• Occupational therapy
• Vocational therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Family counselling and education
• Modifications to make your home and vehicle accessible
• Long term physical therapy
• Assistive devices like wheelchairs
• Accessories like wheelchair cushions, batteries, and battery chargers
• Transfer equipment like boards, lifts and swings

When you, or your loved one, has been involved in an accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury you will have a long and arduous recovery ahead of you. The last thing you need to worry about is how you will pay for it all. A spinal cord injury lawyer in Toronto will make sure you don’t have to.

Our Toronto Law Firm Helps Victims of Spinal Cord Injuries

Our experienced Team at Schiffmann Law will fight for you to ensure that you get the compensation that you need to look after yourself, and your family, in the future. With no fees upfront, and no fees at all until we win your case you have nothing to lose by giving us a call at 416-780-1600 or 855-780-1600 for a free and confidential consultation.