San Jose Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys

Put 85+ Years of Experience on Your Side

Spinal cord injuries can change a victim's way of life, disrupting earning power, family relations, future prospects, and mental health. And all too often, victims of spinal cord injuries don't fight back against the negligent party who caused their injury.

With the representation of a San Jose spinal cord injury lawyer, you may be able to recover monetary compensation for all related damages after a spinal cord injury, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

Why Hire Caputo & Van Der Walde?

• 85+ years of combined experience
• Free consultations to start your case
• Tens of millions won for our clients
• Award-winning representation

Different Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries affect the 26 vertebrae that make up the spinal cord, which houses part of the body's central nervous system and controls signals that are transmitted to and from the brain to cause movement and sensation.

Spinal cord injuries generally result from sharp or blunt impacts, or occur during incidents involving violent, jarring, or jolting forces. Whether an injury is mild or serious depends on the location and severity of the damage.

Complete vs. Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injuries are classified as either "complete" or "incomplete" depending on where symptoms occur. If the nerve signals that occur beneath the point of the spinal cord below which sensation or motor control is limited are only partially disturbed, the injury is incomplete. If all nerve signals beneath that point are disrupted, it is complete.

Complete and incomplete spinal cord injuries are often referred to as:

• Paraplegia – Paraplegia causes spinal cord injury victims to lose movement and sensation in the lower body (usually below the victim's waist). It is caused by injury to specific regions of the spine: sacral, lumbar, or thoracic.
• Quadriplegia – Quadriplegia affects both the lower and upper body and affects the arms and legs. It is caused by injury to the cervical spine.

There are several ways in which a spinal column can sustain injury. These include direct and indirect mechanisms. For example, the spinal cord can be directly injured when it is crushed. It can also be indirectly hurt when blood flow is interrupted due to a secondary injury, or if it is compressed by another body part.

Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

It is estimated that around 300,000 Americans suffer from spinal cord injuries, with 11,000 new injuries every year. But how did these injuries occur?

While safer behavior, education, and awareness can do much to prevent spinal cord injury, all too often, the cause of spinal cord injury is the neglect or negligence of a property owner, individual, or corporation. In cases where a spinal cord injury was caused by negligence, it is possible for victims to pursue compensation.

Treatment for Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injury treatment today usually involves the administration of some diagnostic tests, spinal realignment through the use of a rigid brace or axial traction, spinal decompression surgery, physical therapy, and rehabilitation programs.

Because the spinal cord is such a delicate part of the human anatomy, it's hard to predict recovery times. However, factors such as age, type of injury, severity, and pre-existing conditions can affect the potential outcome of a spinal cord injury.

Researchers are trying to find ways of repairing the spine completely at cellular and molecular levels. Whatever new medical developments arise, our attorneys will work to help you receive the settlement you need to get the best treatment available.

Spinal injury victims tend to require medical services from professionals in every specialty, from neurology to occupational therapy, psychology to social work.

Getting You Back on the Road to Recovery

The circumstances and symptoms surrounding a spinal cord injury vary from victim to victim. What doesn't change is a person's right to expect a reasonable standard of care from others. If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury due to another's negligence, you could be eligible for a substantial financial reward.

Our spinal cord injury lawyers in San Jose will aggressively fight for you in and out of court to help you recoup your losses so you can have a better future. Caputo & Van Der Walde has recovered millions of dollars for victims of spinal cord injury, and we pride ourselves on professional service and justice for those we represent.