How Can Medical Malpractice Cause a Spinal Cord Injury?

Few medical diagnoses are as devastating as a spinal cord injury, but when this permanent, disabling injury directly results from medical malpractice, it compounds the trauma and adds elements of anger and frustration, knowing the injury was preventable if only the medical provider had met the required standard of care.

Unfortunately, no legal process can erase a spinal cord injury, but a Chicago medical malpractice attorney can help a spinal cord injury victim recover the financial compensation and sense of justice they deserve when the injury is the direct result of a medical provider’s negligence.

What Types of Medical Malpractice Cause Spinal Cord Injuries?

The spinal cord is a critical bundle of nerves responsible for the exchange of messages between the brain and body. Nerve cells, such as those in the spinal cord, are delicate and do not regenerate after damage. For this reason, medical providers treating spinal column injuries and conditions must be highly proficient and meticulously cautious through every step of treatment. Unfortunately, the following medical errors sometimes cause permanent spinal cord injury:

• Surgical errors, such as accidentally damaging or severing nerves in or around the spinal cord
• Improper patient positioning during surgery can cause overextension of the spinal column or impede blood flow to the spinal cord, causing injury to the nerve cells
• Improper insertion of an epidural into the spinal column
• Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of spinal column injuries or medical conditions, such as infections or tumors in the spinal column
• Improper positioning of medical devices, such as screws and plates
• Undiagnosed infections
• Patient falls due to improper monitoring, improper patient transfers from bed to chair, or unsafe hospital mobility equipment
• Improper emergency transport measures, such as failure to stabilize an accident victim’s spine before transporting them from an accident scene to the hospital
• Improper manipulation of the spinal column during chiropractic practices or physical therapy

Spinal column surgeons have higher rates of medical malpractice lawsuits than other specialists, with most spine surgeons experiencing at least one lawsuit during their careers.

If you've been injured due to medical malpractice in Chicago

Smith LaCien Can Help You

Contact Us

Proving Medical Malpractice After a Spinal Cord Injury

When a medical provider’s error, oversight, or negligence causes a patient’s spinal cord injury, it results in life-altering consequences for the patient. A medical malpractice claim places the burden of evidence on the injury victim. Evidence in a successful claim must show the following:

• That a doctor/patient relationship was established at the time the injury occurred
• The doctor or medical provider owed a duty of care to treat the patient at the standard of care accepted by the medical community
• They breached this standard of care through medical malpractice
• The breach of duty caused the spinal cord injury
• The injury victim suffered damages from the injury

Spinal cord injuries require lifelong medical care, mobility equipment, home and vehicle adaptive equipment, and often home assistance. Depending on the height of the injury on the spinal cord, an injury victim with quadroplegia may have total dependence on medical equipment and require full-time care. These are the damages in a medical malpractice claim after a spinal cord injury.

Understanding the Damages In a Medical Malpractice Claim After a Spinal Cord Injury

According to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, a spinal cord injury can cost from $347,484 to $1,064,716 in the first year alone. A successful medical malpractice claim recovers compensation for damages such as:

• Lifelong medical expenses
• Physical and occupational therapy costs
• Adaptive equipment costs
• Lost earnings and diminished future earning ability
• Compensation for pain, suffering, and catastrophic injury

A spinal cord injury victim often experiences increased medical problems related to the injury, such as respiratory and urinary tract infections, increased fractures, and pressure sores.

A Chicago injury lawyer helps a spinal cord injury victim recover the compensation they deserve from a negligent medical provider.