A spinal cord injury can have a devastating effect on a victim and his or her family. Some spinal cord injuries cause permanent damage, such as paralysis or chronic pain. It can be even more difficult to cope with a spinal cord injury knowing that it is connected to the malpractice of a medical professional. Unfortunately, medical malpractice is a common problem in Texas and throughout the U.S.
Medical Malpractice and the Spine
Medical practitioners must treat their patients with high standards of care. The medical industry has many strict rules and protocols that must be obeyed when it comes to patient treatment and care. If a doctor, nurse, surgeon or another medical professional falls short of the standards of care, the patient can suffer the consequences. This is what is known as medical malpractice. Medical malpractice can cause many different serious injuries to patients, including irreversible damage to the spinal cord or its surrounding nerves and tissues.
Examples of medical malpractice that can result in spinal cord injuries include:
- Emergency room mistakes, such as failing to properly immobilize a patient's head and neck.
- Failure to diagnose a disease, such as meningitis or a tumor on the spine.
- Anesthesia errors, which come with the risk of epidural hematoma and spine injuries.
- Mistakes made during a surgery that lead to nerve damage or other spine injuries.
- Chiropractic malpractice, where a chiropractor causes or worsens spinal cord trauma.
If a reasonable and prudent physician would have done something differently to prevent the patient's spinal cord injury in the same or similar circumstances, the doctor or practitioner in question may be guilty of medical malpractice. If so, you will have the right to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against the doctor and/or hospital in pursuit of financial compensation for your related medical expenses, revision surgeries, emotional distress, pain and suffering, lost wages, and more.
How Can a Spinal Cord Injury Affect a Patient?
A spinal cord injury can have a wide range of effects on a patient. Depending on the location, type and severity of the injury, the injury could cause physical pain, immobility, nerve damage or various levels of paralysis. Paralysis means that the victim loses feeling and function below the point of the injury on the spinal cord. There are different types of paralysis. A complete spinal cord injury can cause full paralysis, while an incomplete spinal cord injury may only partially take away the victim's ability to move and feel.
The body parts that experience paralysis will also depend on the location of the injury. The higher up on the spinal cord the injury takes place, the more severe the related effects. An injury to the upper portion of the spinal cord (the cervical spine), for example, can cause quadriplegia – paralysis from the neck down. An injury to the lower half of the spine may cause paraplegia, or paralysis from the waist down. All spinal cord injuries are serious. If you were diagnosed with any type of spinal cord injury that you believe is related to medical malpractice, get assistance from an attorney.
What to Do if You Suspect You Are a Victim of Medical Malpractice
If you have reason to believe that your doctor, surgeon or another health care provider caused or contributed to your spinal cord injury in Texas, you have two years to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. Don't wait, however, as the sooner you take legal action, the stronger your case. Act while important evidence is still available, such as accurate eyewitness statements. Contact a spinal cord injury attorney in Dallas as soon as possible to discuss your legal rights and options.
An attorney can investigate your spinal cord injury for signs of medical malpractice and collect any available evidence against the practitioner or hospital. Then, your attorney can guide you and your family through the legal process in pursuit of maximum financial compensation for your serious injury. Learn more about your specific spinal cord injury case by contacting a lawyer near you.