Atlanta Catastrophic Injury Attorney Outlines Common Accident Injuries
Spinal Cord Injuries
Injuries to the spinal cord are some of the most serious injuries our clients have faced. Spinal cord injuries most commonly arise from car accidents and falls, but can result from almost any type of accident. A serious spinal cord injury requires months or years of recovery and often results in permanent disability. Spinal cord injuries are divided into two main types:
- Total spinal cord injuries are those where there is no movement or sensation from the point of the injury downward. Total spinal cord injuries are typically permanent and result in quadriplegia or paraplegia.
- Incomplete spinal cord injuries are those where there is only partial damage to the spinal cord. Victims may experience a complete recovery or may suffer some permanent loss of movement or sensation.
Total spinal cord injuries are often immediately obvious. Incomplete spinal cord injuries may be more difficult to identify. Here are some common symptoms of a spinal cord injury:
- Persistent pain in your back, neck, or head
- Loss of balance or mobility
- Loss of sensation or tingling in your extremities
- Partial or complete loss of control over any part of your body such as incontinence
- Muscle spasms, weakness, or paralysis, either partial or temporary
- Difficulty breathing
- Sexual dysfunction
You should get a thorough medical exam as soon as possible if you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above. If you’ve been diagnosed with a spinal cord injury, you should also speak with an Atlanta injury attorney to understand your options and the unseen challenges you may be facing.
Back Injuries
Even if you don’t suffer a spinal cord injury, you can still suffer a very serious back injury as a result of an accident. Depending on the type of accident you have been in, you could suffer one of the following types of back injuries:
- Herniated discs
- Fractured vertebrae
- Nerve damage
- Strained or torn muscles
Because you use your back for everything you do, even while sitting or standing, a back injury can severely limit your day-to-day activities. Many people who suffer serious back injuries are unable to work, take care of their families, and even sleep comfortably.
Amputation
Amputation is the surgical removal of all or part of a limb or extremity such as an arm, leg, foot, hand, toe, or finger. Amputation of the leg, either above or below the knee, is the most common amputation surgery. About 1.8 million Americans are living with amputations.
Although nobody wants an amputation, they are sometimes medically necessary. Common reasons for amputations include:
- Poor circulation due damage or narrowing of the arteries, called peripheral arterial disease. Without adequate blood flow, the body’s cells cannot get oxygen and nutrients they need from the bloodstream. As a result, the affected tissue begins to die and infection may set in.
- Frostbite.
- Severe injury from, for example, vehicle accidents.
- Serious infection that does not improve with antibiotics or other types of treatment.
- Neuroma, or a thickening of nerve tissue.
- Cancerous tumors in the bone or muscle of the limb.
Permanent Scarring
Every scar tells a story. The causes range from accidents, such as wounds caused in car accidents to routine surgeries. Scars demonstrate the body’s amazing ability to heal itself, but it’s not perfect. When our skin is wounded, sometimes the cut isn’t clean, the healing conditions are not ideal and we end up with a scar.
When the skin splits, the body immediately starts to pull the edges of the wound together, and scarring is the result of a system that has learned to respond extremely quickly to a wound. The downside of quick regeneration is that the results are imperfect. If you or someone you love has experienced permanent scarring as a result of an accident our Atlanta catastrophic injury lawyer can help.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries are usually the result of a violent blow to the head or body. An object that goes through brain tissue, such as a bullet or shattered piece of skull, also can cause traumatic brain injury.
Mild traumatic brain injury may affect your brain cells only temporarily. More serious traumatic brain injuries can result in bruising, torn tissues, bleeding and other physical damage to the brain. These injuries can result in long-term complications or death. Symptoms can be physical, sensory, and cognitive, including behavioral or mental symptoms.
Traumatic brain injuries are always serious to some extent; particularly when suffered by a child. If you or a loved one have suffered a brain injury as a result of an accident, let an Atlanta catastrophic injury lawyer help you with your insurance and legal claims.
Atlanta Injury Attorney for Head Injuries
In the last decade or so, we’ve come to understand that even minor head injuries can carry much more serious consequences than previously thought. Head injuries are very common in car accidents and falls, but can occur in a variety of different accidents. We’ve handled cases where our clients have suffered the following head injuries:
- Skull fractures – when the skull is actually broken due to acute forces to the head
- Concussions – an injury caused when forces to the head cause the brain to move within the skull
- Hematoma – blood pooling within the skull as a result of broken blood vessels within the brain
- Hemorrhaging – uncontrolled bleeding in or around the brain
- Edema – swelling of the brain that can result in the brain pressing against the skull
Head injuries can range from mild to severe, some of which can result in permanent brain damage or even death. Unfortunately, head injuries are not always obvious, and the symptoms are often subjective. You should seek medical attention if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:
- Persistent, recurring headaches
- Difficulty concentrating or thinking clearly
- Total memory loss
- Difficulty recalling details surrounding the accident
- Dizziness
- Sensitivity to noise and/or light
- Nausea
- Slurred speech
- Tingling in extremities, loss of motor control
- Difficulty sleeping
Listen to your body and get a thorough medical examination if you are experiencing any of these symptoms. Left untreated, your head injury could result in permanent damage.
Broken Bones, Torn Ligaments and Tendons
Orthopedic surgeons can do amazing things these days, with patients experiencing full recoveries from injuries that used to result in a permanent disability. While positive outcomes are more likely than ever before, some injuries can still be permanent. And even if you do experience a full recovery, your injury may require extensive treatment, multiple procedures, and physical therapy that takes place over weeks and months. Meanwhile, you may be unable to work and your daily mobility may be extremely limited. Accident victims commonly experience the following injuries:
- Broken arms and legs
- Broken facial bones
- Torn ligaments and tendons in the knees, shoulders, and ankles
If you do not receive the proper treatment, these injuries could leave you disabled for life.
Severe Burns from Accidents
Disasters such as explosions and fires can cause a variety of serious injuries, including burns. These can include:
- Thermal burns, which are caused by contact with flames, hot liquids, hot surfaces, and other sources of high heat,
- Chemical burns, and
- Electrical burns.
Medically, burns are categorized into three types according to their severity, ranging from first to third degree burns. Though all are painful and could need medical assistance, third-degree burns are severe and lead to lasting consequences.
If you have suffered burns of any degree as a result of an accident, let an Atlanta catastrophic injury lawyer help you recover your damages.
Other Catastrophic Accident Injuries
Other catastrophic injuries after a Georgia personal injury accident include burns, amputation, scarring, traumatic brain injuries, and wrongful death. If you or a loved one have experienced any of these medical conditions, it is in your best interest to consult with an Atlanta injury attorney to determine if you have legal options for compensation. Serious injuries have serious impacts that extend far beyond the initial recovery period after your accident. You may have cause for legal action to fight for compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, future medical care, loss of earning potential and more.
