Shreveport Brain And Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

Trusted Brain And Spinal Cord Injury Attorney in Shreveport, LA

Back, neck, and head injuries often leave individuals with overwhelming amounts of pain and suffering. When severe, they may limit an individual’s ability to earn a living or even care for themselves. If you or a loved one has suffered such trauma, it’s important to speak with a trusted Shreveport brain and spinal cord injury lawyer.

At Jacqueline A. Scott & Associates, we stand up for the rights of our clients. Our lawyers work tirelessly to get our clients the compensation they need to treat their spine and brain injuries, pay their bills, and support their families. If you or a loved one has suffered such trauma, it’s important to speak with a trusted Shreveport Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer.

With offices in Monroe and Bossier City-Shreveport, the law offices of Jacqueline A. Scott & Associates serve injured clients throughout Northwest Louisiana.

Injuries That Interfere With Your Ability To Live Life

In 2023, there were 54 spinal cord injury cases per one million people in the United States. Unlike broken bones and cuts, many spinal and head injuries are not visible to the naked eye.

However, this does not make them any less debilitating. Many soft tissue injuries like pinched nerves, herniated discs, and spinal stenosis can leave victims with severe pain.

Traumatic brain injuries can have severe and lasting impacts on accident victims’ ability to live their lives. Many people experience severe headaches and light sensitivity that make completing even simple tasks impossible.

In extreme cases, mood and personality changes can result, causing strain on personal and family relationships. When severe, brain injuries can leave individuals totally disabled and unable to care for themselves.

At Jacqueline A. Scott & Associates, we work closely with orthopedists, neurologists, and other medical professionals to evaluate our clients’ medical condition and provide insight into the extent of their back and neck injuries. We also consult with vocational professionals regarding the effect a back, neck, or brain injury has on our clients’ ability to work.

Once our attorneys have an understanding of the effect an injury has on our clients’ lives, and the medical procedures necessary to treat their injuries, we can build personal injury claims that fully compensate our clients for their injuries.

Spinal Cord Injury Levels and the Paralysis They Cause

The location and severity of spinal cord damage can determine which parts of the body are affected. For a Shreveport brain and spinal cord injury attorney, understanding these differences is important when evaluating a spinal cord injury claim. These differences include:

• Thoracic, lumbar, or sacral injuries can cause paraplegia, affecting the legs and parts of the trunk while leaving the arms and hands functional.
• Cervical injuries can cause quadriplegia, also called tetraplegia, affecting all four limbs and even the muscles used for breathing.
• Complete injuries involve no sensation or voluntary movement below the injury level.
• Incomplete injuries preserve some degree of movement or sensation below the injury.

The effects can vary widely from person to person. However, paralysis attorneys can consider complications like bladder and bowel dysfunction, blood-pressure changes, and pressure sores. In addition, people with severe cervical injuries could require ventilator support.

Emergency stabilization for serious spinal cord injuries is available at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport, the region’s Level I trauma center.

What Lifetime Care Costs After a Paralysis Injury

A paralysis claim involves much more than the hospital bills from the initial injury. Because of this, our Shreveport brain and spinal cord injury attorney needs to account for decades of medical care, equipment, home modifications, and assistance with daily activities. This may be especially important when paralysis results from Medical Malpractice or a Defective Medical Device.

Some of the long-term expenses can include:

• Attendant care or experienced nursing
• Ramps, widened doorways, roll-in showers, and ceiling lifts
• Wheelchair-accessible vehicles and their eventual replacement
• Power wheelchairs, standing frames, and other durable medical equipment
• Catheters, wound-care supplies, and medications
• Treatment for complications such as urinary infections and pressure sores

Lost earning capacity can also be substantial. A Barksdale Air Force Base civilian employee or oil field worker who can no longer perform the job they trained for could lose not only their current wages but also any future income tied to that career in Shreveport.

Rehabilitation, Impairment Ratings, and Life Care Plans

Recovery and rehabilitation can involve several stages. After emergency treatment and surgical stabilization, a patient might enter inpatient rehabilitation to work on skills like transfers, dressing, wheelchair use, and other daily activities. Outpatient physical and occupational therapy could even continue afterward.

Eventually, a treating physician might determine that the patient’s condition has reached a point where significant additional improvement is no longer expected. A permanent impairment rating can then provide important evidence for our Shreveport brain and spinal cord injury attorney who evaluates the long-term effects of the injury.

A life care planner can use the medical findings to project future needs, which can include:

• Medical treatment and follow-up care
• Rehabilitation and therapy
• Personal assistance
• Medical equipment and replacement costs
• Home and vehicle modifications
• Medications and medical supplies

An economist can then help calculate the financial impact of those projected costs, along with lost earning capacity. These calculations are complex and often require a professional to accurately complete. They become even more complicated when minor children are involved.

The filing deadline also matters. Under La. C.C. art. 3493.1, you generally have a two-year window within which to file. La. C.C. art. 3468 also addresses filing deadlines for minors, so an injured child doesn’t automatically receive additional time to file just because they turn eighteen.

These deadlines can be difficult to face alone. A legal professional can present solid evidence to the court that documents what you went through as a result of the accident. Our team can help you understand your available options. We’ve secured a $2.5 million offshore accident result in the past.*

Hire an Honest Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer and Let Us Start Working on Your Case Today

When clients turn to Attorney Jacqueline Scott, they know they’re going to be treated with compassion and respect. We live by the golden rule: treat others how you want to be treated. We are dedicated to protecting our clients’ rights and do everything in our power to secure the most favorable outcome possible.

*Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own merits.